The times-herald. [volume] (Burns, Harney County, Or.) 1896-1929, 1920-01-31

place that the pain was frightfuI. An
other twist Of the same Iariat had
pinioned his wrists. his knees and
ankles being left free.
Naturally O man of strong impulses,
Williams ceased TO wrench at the in-
exorable thongs, but cursed mis- fo :,
mgr mine foreman with expletives o.
a'hIgh dynamic quality.
Pacheco merely adjusted his heavy,
gold-fringed epnulcts and complacent-.
~ patted away nm imaginary wrinkle
In the neat blue coat he wore as ho
sIgnalcd TO the other mozos. standing
respectfully but curiousiy beyond tho
door.
Assist Senior Williams and his
servant 10 horses,v he CURLY directed.
II was already sunrise. Outside the
house the two were securely bound to
the animals. and the party started
down the tail toward tie coast. AZ
the fork Of the highway leading on the
left to CuIincan. they debouchcd 10 the
right. -
"Where are you taking us7" in-
perlously demanded El Tigre's owner.
"The commnndnnte ut Inpatillo de-
sires your presence. senor," leercd
Pacheco.
"Pll get you for this, you greaser
dogi" exclaimed the American.
For answer Pacheco drove his horse
between the animal Williams was rid
Ing and Jitendrn's mount, leaned over
and struck the American heavy blow
across his unprotected face.
Although haIf-blinded with rage ot
the blow, Williams nm instant later felt
q strange thrill Of some event out OF
the ordinary. Pncheco drew back. his
british face wreathed In n grin Of fe-
rocIous triumph: but the smile sud.
denly stiffened.
He reeled In his saddle; a second
later his eyes almost started from their
sockets with agony. His cigar.coIored
features grew purplIsh and feck Of
foam rose to his gnsping lips.
His bridle-hand relaxed; convuisive-
~ his legs drove the spurs on the high
topped boots into the sides Of the horse
he was riding. The animal reared.
paving the CTR with peculiar and un-
accountable terror. and would have
bolted had not one Of the command
grasped II by the reins.
Buck williams gaxed mutely at the
retribution which had struck down tho
bandit The outcry OF the privates he
scarcely heard. He did not need their
chorus OF nlarm TO know that Pachcco
was dying--was dead.
Yet there had been nothIng--absc-
iuteiy nothing--save only the quick
bending Of Jitendra's lean body In the
captains direction--n swift inclination
of the turbaned head at the instant
following the cowardly blow.
The sergeant. Jesus Cornbado. VOL
leyed a command and the column
halved. while the corpse Of Manuel
Pacheco was stripped Of uniform and
equipment. Following the unique hut
simple Mexican insurrecto method oe
promotion. Cornbado donned the neat
blue jacket. with It's heavily fringed
epaulets. and buckled the sword around
him.
On the same principle. corporal
substituted the former sergennt's coat
for his own. and a private In his shirt
sleeves put on the corporal's jacket.
"volnntei" cried the new captain.
The soldiers closed In and the cor
umn moved forward. Manuel PacheSo
that was lay rigid and stark on tho
caliche. gnxIng at the cerulean sky with
fixed and sigh.less eyes.
Buck williams turned to look Ut
JItendra. The Oriental's face was In
scrutablc. He was gazing straight
ahead, immovabie. as II beholding some
scene yet TO emerge from the womb Of
time.
They rode on for several miles. The
American growing more and more per-
picked. Something--from somewhere
had nnnihilnted the man who had
vented his brutality In contemplate
blow upon the face Of one powerless
TO resist.
Had Bucks hands been unbound.
Manuel Pacheco. ex-foreman In the
employ OF the III Tigre mine. would
never have dared 70 offer such an
affront TO its owner; no. not II he had
been In the center Of q regiment OF
troops instead Of mers
company Of ragged poems whose coun-
terfeit military air only heightened
their ridiculous appearance and mag
nified their ignorant swagger.
They were banditti, not patriotss
and their movements now were those
Of a body Of half-terrified. yet revenge.
full men actuated by some intelligence
superior to their own. The hideously
sudden and unexplained death of their
previous commander had daxed theni.
The more he thought. the more In.
the whole affair sp-
peared to Buck Williams. He knew
Mexico. His acquisition Of the min
eral land ON which El Tigre was To-
rated had been achieved during the
last years Of the Dias regime.
The very name Of the mine itself had
been derived from him. El Tigre stg'
tas><a soVh@ uns~~ov ana that mama had