Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1940-09-05
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China. He will want much tallow
for South America and Boston-it
will be big matanza. You should
see one. Much attention, much ex-
element, much work. Stay over a
day or two. The streams will then
be fordable, and you and your
scouts, in the meantime, will be well
entertained. Plenty of bears!"
"Bears?" echoed Bowie.
Francisco nodded. Dozens. They
come down from the mountains at
night after the matanza offal. Plenty
of chance for bear fight if you like
one"
The Texan showed interest, asked
more questions, and said he would
talk to his scouts.
The next morning Bowie and his
host rode out to where the matanza
was in progress. Pardaloe and Sim
mie were already on the scene,
watching every move of the vague
ros as one rode quietly into the
corral, lassoed steer by the horns
and brought him outside.
When the rider had the beast well
placed, second vaquero roped the
steers hind legs, threw him and,
with two ropes taut, tied his feet in
a bunch and, with knife. gave him
the golpe de gracia.
What interested the Texan, sea-
soned as to cattle and horses, was
the skill and speed with which the
vaqueros worked and the almost
human intelligence of their horses
the perfection of their response to
every hint of their rider in sharing
and handling steer. 1t was par
ticularly this skill of the horses that
made the work proceed rapidly with
out mishap or hitch.
For two days the work went for
ward speedily. The matanza ground
was scene of the greatest activity.
To the Texan the spectacle of such
abundance, such profusion of waste
and such indifference to everything
but the work in hand was a source
of amazement A hearty lunch
served to the family at noon was
followed by a heartier dinner for
the evening, with the difference that
native wine accompanied the din
ner. This was the family gathering
of the day at which the hostess and
her daughter were formally dressed.
After the family had settled about
the fire in the living room and the
conversation had shown signs of lag
ging, Don Ramon made a request
of Carmen.
Carmen took her place at the fam
lily harp, ran her fingers over the
strings and sang a Spanish song.
The conversation and the words of
the song were lost on Bowie, but
not the clear, true notes of the girls
voice.
Don Francisco explained that the
song was the appeal of lover to the
stars to bear witness of his devotion
to his mistress. Carmen sang again,
French chanson. 1t was very
slight, but it echoed in Bowie's ears
most of the night.
1t bothered Bowie, that in these
household meetings he could never
manage to catch the eye of Carmen.
He was discreet enough not to at
tempt to coax her glance his way
and old enough to be ashamed of
himself for his curiosity. But curl
osity persisted. Toward the end of
his stay natural resentment at the
aloofness of one who had for week
enlisted his lively interest impelled
him to practice such retaliatory
measure as he could. The least sat-
isfactory feature of his attempt to
ignore her was that this made no
apparent difference whatever to
Carmen. If she were aware, there
was no evidence of it-for her, he
seemed not to exist.
Don Francisco, on the other hand,
grew increasingly attached to Bow
lie. Everything about the Texan in
terested the youth. Especially was
he fascinated by the plainsman's
novel revolver. Indeed, the whole
male population of Rancho Guada-
lupe marveled at a pistol that would
shoot six bullets without recharging.
The matanza always brought down
an army of bears from the hills, and
Don Francisco, seeking excuse to
prolong the stay Of the hunters,
promised them as many bear fights
as they had stomach for-black
bears, cinnamon bears and occasion
ally the famed monarch of the ST.
erras, the grizzly, the highly re-
spected oso pardo, as Don Francisco
called him. This prospect of adj
venture interested the two scouts.
They added their appeal to that Of
Don Francisco, and Bowie not
loath to linger near the flame of the
distant candle he had lighted for
himself-consented.
Hardly had night fallen when the
vanguard of the bears arrived from
the hills. Tempted by the rejected
meat and offal of the matanza, the
bears would come down at nightfall
for feast. This gave the hunters,
disposed for sport, their chance.
Shortly the matanzabf sound was
well filed with the tSand monsters,
gorging, growing. ,Hillmag among
themselves and Sndar %ts throciouSly