Evening star., 1936-03-18

COIl6 ueIc. Will IliC CuoC VI %
bear turning over q small log, he rolled
the body of Joaquin over and sat him
up on his great right thigh. "You
know this man?"
Good God, yes! He is our dear
friend, Joaquin Murietta. We was
comm to visit him an his brother.
I am named Bill Warren and this is
my brother Juanito. I see by your
hand that you, senior, are Three
Fingered Jack, the bandit"
A ferocious grin evidenced the cor
rectness of Bill Warren's statement.
"I see I mus keep those hand to
my pocket, Senor Warren. Well, your
friend has been fog by the gringos in
the town: also those same gringos
have hang heese brother to the tree.
For why, do not know. Riding
through Sawmill Flat, see theese
boys are my people-so I cut heem
down. The mule say to me, Here is
the home of the dead man. Es verad?
Mop"
1T is so. Give me my friend. Your
saddle bruises his already bruised
body. I will carry him to the cabin
and we will do what we can for him."
"Ah," murmured Three-Fingered
Jack. He permitted Joaquin's limp
body to slide down into Bill Warren's
waiting arms, then turned his horse
and faced his hard-bitten crew. so
we have here a different gringo," he
announced. 1T was in my mind to
kill these two and add their ears to
my collection after I had had from
them the information sought. But
now I will, wait. If it be proved that
these gringos are, indeed, the friends
of these Muriettas, will spare them.
Follow me. We camp here tonight"
In the cabin, Bill Warren laid Joa-
quin on bed. Old Madre Murietta,
hearing voices, entered from her bed
room, cropping in her blindness. She
is his mother" Bill explained to
Three Fingered Jack, land she is blind.
She does not speak English. Inform
her"
While Three Fingered Jack was do
ing so, Bill and Johnny undressed
Joaquin, who had again lapsed into
unconsciousness. Three-Fingered Jack
bent over him and examined the cut,
bruised and bloody torso. He will
live" he announced. Myself, I have
had the much experience weeth men
who get hurt. Eet is well to the first
to wash the cuts weeth very strong
salt water and aguadiente for clean
them. These very often e-stop what
you call-the infection. Eet is more
better to do theese while the man is like
dead, because then he don feel how
much eet burn heem. Queeck,
amigos-for the OIL lady have toll me
you are the good friends, like you say.
Eet is very queer for gringo to
be a good frien'. but believe eet this
time. Soap, soap. We mus wash
the hands first" He spoke to Madre
Murietta, who indicated rude chest
of drawers against the wall From
one of these drawers Three-Fingered
Jack produced a linen sheet, spread
it on the table and with his bowie
knife commenced scraping it and
shredding it into lint. With a rough
tenderness, remarkable in such muir
derous person, he washed each cut
thoroughly with very strong salt
solution and followed with liberal
bath Of aguadiente, then spread the
lint over the cuts and bound Joaquin's
torso in the remainder of the sheet
One of his retainers then brought in
another bottle of aguadiente and he
and the Warrens had drink. While
they were waiting for Joaquin to re-
turn to consciousness Three-Fingered
Jack broke to Madre Murietta the
news of the death of Jesus and the
method of its accomplishment. But
be Of good heart" he added. "for
presently will ride into Sawmill Flat
with all my men and that day the
street will run with gringo blood.
You shall be avenged, sonora. That I
promise you"
From the bed came a weary moan.
Bill Warren bent over his friend. Bill
speaking. Joaquin" he said. You are
with your friends now. We will pro-
tect you"
"One spoke in Spanish Of ven-
geance," he murmured haltingly.
who is that one?"
Three Fingered Jack"
"Ah, the bandit. The terrible one. "
"He has his good points, Joaquin.
He carried you and Jesus home"
But Jesus is dead ah, yes.
hear my poor mother weeping. Lead
her to me. I would comfort her. AS
for this Three Fingered Jack, tell him
I am grateful, but that I will be better
pleased to take my own vengeance.
Twenty - brutes. saw them-I
looked will never forget - the
faces-never"
He swooned again, and Three
Fingered Jack, standing at the 'oot
Of the bed, blubbered like child.
"Ah," he sobbed, "here is a brave
man, worthy man, man to have his
weeshes respected"
Johnny led the old woman to the
bedside. She dropped to her knees
and laid her cheek against Joaquin's,
murmuring endearingly to him in
Spanish. God is good" murmured
Three-Fingered Jack. She has one
son left"
In a few minutes Joaquin again
drifted back to consciousness and this
time he remained conscious. If the
smarting Of the salt solution and
aguadiente in his wounds gave him
temporary agony, he made no outcry.
Bill gave him drink of aguadiente
and water, crooked finger at Johnny
and Three-Fingered Jack and led them
outside. Jacks men had already re-
moved the body of Jesus from the
mules back and laid him out in the
grass by the corral. Other men, ap-
propriating fuel from the woodpile,
had a fire burning; on a tarpaulin
spead on the ground a man was cut
ting steaks from a side of beef,
another was peeling onions, another
brought skin of wine and tin cups
on smooth sugar-pine board; still
another was kneading tortillas to be
fried presently on q piece of sheet
iron set over the Goals. II was a scene
of cheerful activityu No one paid the