The Mucker

gan awoke to the fact that something had been put over on

nd when he had returned to the Shorter home and listened to the contradicto

dquarters and obtained the necessary authority t

s later, drawn thither by various pieces of intelligence he had g

upon the right trail though he at once repaired to a telegraph offi

nd Bridge were that very minute not two squares from him, debating a

safe in little old U. S., an' with things hoppin' in Mexico the way they

rom; but I know it ain't nothin' the police is worryin' about-I can tell that by the way you act-so I guess we'll split here. You

r's bound to croak you if you cross, from wha

e was silent for a while, and then: "I hate to do it, bo, fer you're the whitest

ng a brown paper ciga

y even that two gringo hoboes would last the week out afoot and broke in Viva Mexico; but it

e could not conc

ry behind the ears. Let's go an' eat. The

red as permitting a very large consumption of free

bar, and after purchasing their beer they carried it to one of t

while Billy crossed to the free lunch counter and appropriat

now, it had stood him in good stead to be in a position to see the other fellow at least as soon as the other fellow saw hi

lunch. "I scoops up about a good, square meal for a canary bird, an' he makes me cough up half of

e lau

"I know places where they'd indict you for grand

er," comme

d Bridge. "I sometimes think they pu

led. Then he raised his

is eyes traveling past his companion fell upon th

ecognition lit those of each simultaneously. The big man st

feet. Bridge, guessing wh

an!" he

h had stuck in his hip pocket. Byrne reached fo

behind you. Here," and he pulled Billy backwa

ose to them. Bridge opened the door and strove to pull Billy through; but the latter hesitated just an instant, for he saw that it

e was under arrest. Men at the tables were on their feet. Those at the bar had turned around as Flannagan started to run across the floor. Now som

men in general by the men in that room could have been combined in a si

e saw the revolver gleam in the policeman's hand and then it became evident why Billy had clung so tenaciously to his schooner of beer. Left-handed and hurriedly he threw it; but even Flannagan must have been constrained

hen he had wiped the beer from his eyes he found that Billy Byr

which was a large round table at which were gathered a half-dozen men at poker. Abo

doorway through which he had entered there was but a single aperture in the

e questioning and protest. Billy ignored them. He was standing with his shoulder against th

ance to the room; but Billy Byrne's great weight held firm as Gibraltar. His mind revolve

uption. Two of them were approaching Billy with the avowed intention

cried. "Dere's a bunch o' dicks

og-eared and filthy magazines and newspapers were snatched from a hiding place beneath the table, and

endeavoring to persuade Billy that he might as well come out quietly and submit to arr

or again, "You big stiff," he cried, "you couldn't take a crip to a hospital, let alone takin

little speech he succeeded quite as well as he could have hoped. Flannagan comm

to one side. The door flew open and Sergeant Flannagan dove headlong into the darkened room. A foot shot out from behind the opened door, and Flannagan, striking

ugh the open doorway, banged the door to behind t

tive was up and after them so quickly that only two succeeded in getting out of the room. One of these generously slam

de he hit out promiscuously until he had driven them all from the door, t

d of movement in the room, and then he opened the door again, and st

had all emerged and he had reentered the room with a light that he discovered t

ther hand toward gray-brown hills. A little adobe hut, backed by a few squalid outbuildings, stood o

, the brims of their tattered hats were pulled down

ing up at the distant

shining down, a-blazi

down the track a-d

ted there, there came

g south," he said. "

looked up at h

e his Knibbs has got our number all right, all right. We are the birds a-flyin' south, and Flann

e manner of the boulevard, and again after that of the back alley? Sometimes you say 'that' and 'dat' in the same

r line of talk. Sometimes I forget. I had about twenty years of the other and

mused Bridge, half to himself.

e something finer, and then something else finest. She was better than finest. She

on toward the whitewashed hut in silence

elope, out there some

in your hair and ki

ed and sho

for me," he said. "She's m

the doorstep sat a woman, evidently his wife, busily engaged in the preparation of some manner of foodstuff contained in a la

m in fairly understandable Spanish, asking for food, and telling the man

him into the interior of the hut. The woman, at a word from her lord and master

ter brought forth the money and handed it over. He appeared just a trifle disappo

u going?"

Bridge. "We want to get jobs on on

ans are not safe from him. No one knows whether he is for Villa or Carranza. If he finds a Villa ranchero, then Pesita cries Viva Carranza! and his men kill and rob. If, on the other hand, a neighbor of the last victim hears of it in time, and later Pesita comes to him, he assures Pesita that he is

o talkin' abou

n a brief synopsis of th

an Italian, Billy," he co

s an Eyetalian?

he hut there approached across the dusty flat, from the

t those within had no warning of their coming. They were swarthy, ragged ruffians, fully armed,

held the bridle reins of the horses of his companions. The latter crept stealthily ar

presence of the newcomers. With a piercing scream she bolte

ously to learn the cause of the girl's fright, and as they did so f

e countenance of the Mexican fell, while his wife d

lated Billy Byrne

suggested Bridge; "but whether by Vil

his words and turned t

Pesita's me

be delighted, Miguel, to greet you, especially when he sees the sort of

ncho in search of work. We have no money and have broken no laws. Let us go our way in peace. You can gain nothing by detaining us, and as for Migu

but it was evident that he did not expect it to bear fruit.

w come-get a move on-beat it!" The fellow had once worked in E

from the hut Billy demurr

all the Dago jabber yet, though I've copped off a little

aptured by bandits, and they are going to take us to their

th a sneer. "Youse don't cal

lly, baby bandits

'em pull off this rough stuff without h

udden death to resist now. Later we may find an opportunity-I think we'd better act simple and wait." He spoke in a quick,

uietly; but the expression on his face might have perturbed the Mexicans

placing Billy upon one and Miguel and Bridge upon the other. Billy's g

Billy leaned toward

guys, pal-watc

m!-horse, foot, and art

, "that I have an ace-in-the-h

f to the yank of hackamore ropes in the hands of the brigands

me night the s

cold gr

name with

twill be

ul guy," was Bil