Steve Yeager

ry Sandy just above the Sinks. Many dusty miles in Sonora had been clipped off by Four Bits before the chill moon rose above the black line of the distant hills and flooded a

ur Bits an hour's rest and grazing. It was midnight when he dismounted at a water-hole gone almost dry under many summer suns. Here h

such breakfast as a rider of the plains needs. Presently he was once more in the saddle, pushing across the

ngos evidently were no unusual sight to the troopers of the insurgent chief. Most of these were wearing blue denim suits of overall stuff, though a few were

es of which were conchas of silver dollars. Like most of those in c

red where the gene

find many soldiers in camp younger even than this-pointed

the message of Yeager. Presently he returned, relieved the Ameri

or. From the first moment that his eyes fell upon that lithe, graceful figure the American knew that presently he would be looki

to turn. He was eating a banana indolently an

, se?or," demanded

could give me something to do. I m

? Do you wan

e. It struck Steve that he was as simple, as natural, and about as humane as a wolf. He was not tall, but there was unusual breadth and depth to his shoulders. Something of the Indian was in the

haps. Can you give

rderer,-very likely was since he had crossed the border to join the insurgents,-but it was a safe bet that he had the fighting edge

d at the man standing behind his chair. The

. Before that I was riding for the Lon

f interest. "The Lunar Film Company? D

es

named Pheel

m. He doesn't wor

It is this Pheelip that shot M

ed, still wat

litary tacti

he other fellow first

r-those three, and to keep your men fat." Pasquale's momentary grin faded. "I'll give you a

t suited we part compan

Sometimes he talked in one language, sometimes in the other. Now h

Culvera's table manners were nice and particular, whereas those of his chief, though they ate off silver taken from the home of a Federal s

llections too vague as yet for definiteness, were beginning to stir in the mind of the man. He had take

unease. He was no longer dressed in the outfit of a cowpuncher, but wore a gray street suit and a Panama straw hat. Culvera had caught only a momentary glance at him the night they had faced each other revolver in h

uthful army was happily engaged in loafing and in play. A bugle blew. There was an instant scurry for horses. They

hand. "They are mine, body and soul. They eat, s

teve had a momentary qualm lest they charge over him and their chief, but the tough little horses were dragged to a halt five yards f

way," agreed

leep, was herding them. Immediately a devouring curiosity took hold of the cowpuncher. He wanted to see the brand

aughed. "Funny how things come out. In this country cattle are

" suggested the

the Lunar Company for that bunch of steers. We did aim to use them

se?

for a good price," sugges

was some anxious to unload in a hurry-had

e goods might spoil on his h

fer any explanations. Fifteen gold on the hoof was wh

unch 'most forty miles, then he held me

tly lied. "It wasn't Harrison I got them fro

as far as I'm concerned. Slow elk suits me fine. I'll help

as you Gringos say. We'll ge

, playing in luck, won largely from his chief, who accepted his run of ill fortune grouchily. Pasquale had been a peon in his youth, an outlaw for twenty years, and a czar for three. He was as much the subject of his own unb

was only biding his time. Other ambitious men had aspired to supplant Pasquale. They had died sudden, violent deaths. Ramon had been a great favorite of the dictator, but it was claimed signs were not lacking to show that a rupture

came into the room an

e nodde

e the general," said

world that he wanted to meet Chad Harrison. A swift vision of himself sta

flooded up in his heart. A smile both gay and sardonic danced in his eyes. Thus does untimely mirth in the hour of