Carbon County news., 1943-12-31
CHAPTER XII

Suppose we sleep on it."
We did sleep on it, rocking ger
tly in our stateroom on board tn
Orizaba anchored in the harbor. I
the light of new day, after le
surely breakfast with Margaret an
Dwight, at which time we spok
softly and with respect for the nov
murdered James Chesebro, we wait
ed for the launch to take US ashore
Suddenly Dwight's body stiffened
'Lookl Did you see that?" he cried
'Look!"
Before our eyes some hundreds o
yards away a huge fish leaped cleal
of the water and then fell back with
great splash.
There's your marlin, darling u
said Margaret sweetly, "come tc
play with you"
Lets go fishing now" Dwight's
voice was excited. "Come on, fel-
lows"
Sorry" said Rogers. ''Id
planned some other things-about
Chesebro's slayer"
well, go on, then; the launch is
waiting for you. AS soon as it's
back I'm going after that fellow.
Hunting me up, is he? Wanting to
play with me?" said Dwight as Rog-
ers and l went down the ladder.
We landed at the wharf, found one
OF those ancient two-wheeled aranas
like the one Elsa had ridden in that
first day, climbed in and set off.
ITS probably like hunting for the
needle in the haystack, Barry" he
remarked, after an extended con-
verSation with the driver which ex-
plored the fellows acquaintance
among the pulque sellers. At first
the driver, sleepy-eyed fellow with
a bushy mustache, had not been able
to comprehend why we should
search for a pulque seller when iq-
uor of many kinds was easily OBJ
tainable almost anywhere. When he
realized, however, that we were
looking for particular dealer in
pulque, he believed that he knew
several Pedros. And SO we started
out.
We stopped at one thatched hut
which our driver said was the home
of Pedro, the pulque seller. But
the man who answered Rogers sum-
mons was fat and small, with a
smile that was we'll nigh irresistible. |
Did we wish to buy pulque? He in
dicated a nearby contrivance which
was just a frame on wheels with
holes for the brown clay jars. No,
we did not. We sought Pedro, the
pulque seller, who was a thin man
with small eyes. He knew such a
man farther down the street, and
counted the houses for us and bade
is courteous good morning. But
he second Pedro was not our pulque
nan, either.
At last our dispirited horse pulled
Up with a sigh before a thatched
tut near the end of the street.
A small shy woman came to the
loor when Rogers knocked.
Does Pedro, the pulque seller,
i've here, senora?" Rogers inquired
n Spanish.
eyes, sir" the woman replied hes
tantly, a frightened look in her
eep, dark eyes.
SIS he Pedro, the pulque seller,
Tho last evening went to deliver
ulque at the rancho of Senor Chat
eld?"
Eyes, SIR"
MAY we speak with Pedro, Sc
ora?" inquired Rogers, smiling. {
The woman shook her head vague
,. Finally she said: ''de is not at
ome, SIR"
"Where can find hirn?" +
''He is away, SIR"
"When will he return?" .
The woman shook her head and j.
d not reply.
HE is away, sir" she repeated. =
We were getting nowhere. Rog- ;,
s suddenly looked up at the little =
cen parrot overhead, held up a :,
refnger invitingly against the :,
cen breast and the parrot prompt =
climbed on and was lowered to -
e level of our eyes. -
what is he called, senora?" Rog- =,
S asked. =,
HE is called Pepe, sir" -
HE is not young bird, sonora, -
2 yellow patch of feathers on his r
ad is large. 1t is, like gray hair
tn us, sign of age" 81
yes, sir; he is very DID," p
Did your husband return home u
It night from his trip to the rancho !e
Senor Chatfeld?" IN
Briefly, sir; and then made haste Sc
depart"
Did he go far, senora?" e
TO the mountains, SIR" she re- W
ed, with gesture that indicated tn
distant range. Cl
And he will return soon?"
he woman shook her head. HE m