Evening star., 1936-03-31
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CM MPETER- B.KYNE
MPETEP B. .NNE

this disregard OF my orders, Juanlto!
he demanded, as Jack sat up and
rubbed his eyes. I'VE find ourselves
punched dangerously here"
True words, my captain. And 1t
is true that I have disobeyed orders,
but for a reason"
Name it." For an instant Joaquin
was tempted to blow his neutenants
brains out.
II feared, my captain, that in your
great distress last night you would
throw caution to the winds of heaven:
that you might be captured. It would
be like the Gringos. having discovered
Juanita, to suspect you of doubling
back to save her; it would be like them
to wait there for you. Therefore. I
considered it my duty to disobey; in
stead of riding onward all night,
knowing the posse was behind us I
lodged off the road and permitted
the fools to 60 by; then we retraced
our steps down to the cabin where
once you lived with your Rosita.
Juanita had been with us, riding a
trifle in the rear, when we passed
that cabin, and remembered because
it was there fired shot at Gringo
standing in the doorway"
FOOL You fired at my friend"
Jack grinned and laid his hand on
tenderness. your friend, ehP Well,
we, who sat our horses In the dark.
ness of in the field, heard your con-
versation with those two Gringos last
night and we knew Juanita would
ride with us no more. But-we also
heard them shoot as you rode away.
Had we not heard your farewell and
realized you were unhurt-well. you
know me? Their ears would even now
grace my collection. However, fearing
there might be others in that ambush
we did not take vengeance for that
intolerable deceit. Instead we fol-
lowed quarter of a mile behind you
and, being very weary and desiring
rest and grazing for the horses we
entered here. And 10, our captain
had likewise entered. So now ! feel
better, yonder is a spring. I have
some dried meat and cold tortillas in
my saddle bags, it is a beautiful day
and it is my hope that here we re-
main all day, for, if we do not light
fires, there is little danger of dis
covery. At o'clock this evening
comes the stage from Sonora. 1t may
carry gold for delivery to the express
company; surely it will carry miners
with dust in their pockets and gold
coins in their money belts. Having
attended to that detail we will ride
into the hills up trail know"
"Juanito," Joaquin murmured in
some amzement. you are loyal to
your captain"
Il am surprised that my captain
appears to have had some doubts on
the subject. I would die for him."
And you would see to it that al
ways your captain received his share
of the result of your enterprise. even
though your captain, unfortunately,
was unable to participated"
always, my captain"
prove it,"
Last Winter, my captain. aban-
doned ou Irregular profession and for
little space became a pirate. With
four others took a schooner in a
slough. The job was worth $4,000.
But mark you now how friendships
fail where money is concerned. For
myself I care not for money. It is
round and God made 1t to roll. But
my companions said, "Hola, Juan,
here is pretty haul for five fine fell
lows"
Your pardon, senores,' I said. IT
is a pretty haul for six fine fellows.
Our captain participates always"
Now, these were new men, all Of
our old dependable ones having pre-
ceded us to hell, so one said: We do
not know this captain. You are our
captain. To you the captains share
one-third and to us two-thirds, to be
divided equally"
This. senores,' told them, is not
the usual policy. I trust you will not
insist"
"'Ah, but we do insist said the
four as with one voice"
CT regret, senores,' I replied, that
you make it necessary for me to be
1mpolite. Thereupon in four seconds
I killed all four and added their ears
to my collection. The gold, because
of its weight, was forced to bury in
a certain spot and marked it well.
wished to surprise my captain, to pre-
sent him with all of this when, with
his beloved, he departed for Sonora"
Three-fingered Jack had been given
the acid test-and he had not turned
green. His was that meticulous honor
that should ever obtain between
thieves. He stood there now, grinning
happily and with an air of self-con-
sciouS rectitude analogous to that Of
small boy who has brought his
teacher large red apple.
"Juanito," Joaquin declared trem-
ulously, ito me you are as olive oil
applied to a serious burn. was
aware of this raid and your silence
has troubled me. This morning I
knew the moment had come for conf
dence. Comrade, embrace you-and
that is something have not previously
DONE
And right heartily did he embrace
Juanito.
Bill Warren and Johnny came back
to the cabin and carried the corpse
OF Juan1ta inside. They ate their neg
lected supper and when the moon rose
they took picks and shovels and dug
Juanita's grave. Before dawn they
wrapped her in blanket, carried her
up to Joaquin'S private cemetery and
left her alone with the ages. Thus
passed Juanita, the last of the De La
Cuestas.
When they returned to their cabin
Johnny looked through the mail he
had gotten in Sawmill Flat the night
before. For the first time now he had
an opportunity to read it.
BILL" he said presently, I'm not
workin' today"
Neither am I, you young ass. Amt
we worked all night?"
Il mean I'm going into town and
buy me some store clothes. got a