The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1940-12-06


well out Of range did he slow UP.
what was that shot, Henry?"
asked Carmen.
Bowie was thoroughly enraged but
he spoke quietly. "Jtist another mes
senger from Blood-to make sure !
know he's out Of jail" Then he ex-
ploded, unable to restrain himself
longer. IA man who'd do that in
Texas would be shamed out Of the
country. It's all right to take pot
shot at me; l don't object to that.
But to take one when it endangers
the life Of womanl 1t only shows
he added after an ominous silence,
"what a dog this fellow is. One OF
us will have to get out Of this coun-
try"
On the morning following Parda-
loe rode out to Guadalupe. He was
welcomed noisily by the vaqueros
and, having brought goodly sup
ply Of poor tobacco, made the cow
boys happy by passing it around.
"Ben is to be your boss, boys"
explained Bowie. ''And you are all
to carry pistols now. along with
your lariats and knives. Within
three months I'll have six-shooters
for all of you-they're ordered and
paid for. We've got a bunch Of
pesky squatters on the other side
of the river above the Melena. They
expect to gobble up Guadalupe.
They're mistaken, but they don't
know it yet. We've got to set 'em
right on that point-that's why ]
sent for your old foreman, Ben Par
daloe.
Nov don't misunderstood me.
Don't start fight with this scum
yourselves-let them start it. But
If you see one of them riding any
where on the rancho, order him off.
If he puts up fight and you think
you can handle him, well and good
--go after him. If you think you
can't, whistle for help. If you catch
one of them running off so much as
a sick calf, 60 after him fast with
your lariat and gun and don't give
him chance to shoot first. Pow
der and lead are cheap. It's better
to shoot half second too soon than
one hundredth part Of second too
late-remember that. This rancho
belongs to your master, Don Ra-
mon, and these squatters must be
taught that it does"
"These boys" explained Bowie
afterward to Pardaloe and Sinmie,
shave been cowed by Blood and
his bunch, who have been doing
about as they please. We're going
to call Blood's bluff, and you boys
know how to do it. I'm going to
get him for killing Sanchez, if for
nothing else. What's the talk in
Monterey, Benz"
'Well, they say Blood's friends
let him loose. I saw Deaf Peterson
there one night, and he acted mean.
He's squatting over there with
Blood. The falkland I guess it's
so--is that Blood has got together
twenty or thirty guerillas, and he
claims he's going to clean the coun-
try up. They're tough birds, and
blood's got special spite against
Guadalupe"
"And Guadalupe's got a special
spite against Blood" remarked
Bowie. "But if the cuss does get
bunch of guerillas together they
can do mischief. No matter. Well
just have to look alive till l can
get my hands on him again."
''He claims he's amin to get
his hands on you," grinned Parda-
loe.
.I'm easier to find than he is,
Ben. But we'll get together some
day."
Pardaloe and Simmie went to
Monterey next day after powder
and lead and extra pistols and to
pick up what they could concerning
Blood's whereabouts. Bowie intend
ed to raid the squatters the day
following the return of the two
scouts. He himself, on the day they
left, took his vaqueros into the foot
hills to round up the herd from
which steers were being run off by
squatters and raiders.
That day Carmen took Felipe with
her to 60 over to the mission on q
Joyous errand. She wanted to talk
over with Padre Martinez arrange
ments for a wedding.
She found the padre little thin
ner-each visit marked him as SOON
er to become q walking skeleton.
But happily, he told her, he had
not been molested by raids for some
time and prayed and hoped for
long relief from depreciation. His
guard? Yes, he had his dozen Next
can soldiers: they were good fell
lows but were eating him out Of
house and home. Today they had
gone down, likewise, his administra-
tor, to San Jose for q fiesta; he
was afraid some Of them would
come back drunk. And his poor In
dians-they had mostly turned hunt
ers and trappers to keep from starv-
ing. But, Dec gracias, they were
firm in their faith. He wished that
his soldiers behaved as well.
The scene that afternoon was as
peaceful as the message from the
other world which the mission had