The Mystery of The Barranca

d to jump aside, and, springing in the wrong direction, the hunchb

hen taking in the knives, pistol, broken c

he results. With a certain complaisance Seyd looked on while his enemies scattered o

hat never, never would he have raised a finger against the se?or had

ot wish-"

Then I shall turn and ride with you." Anticipating his protes

as keen as a blooded hound; it required only her backward nod to send him darting along the trail, and just about the time they o

deprecatory whinings. Having read his Prescott, Seyd knew something of the rigid Aztec caste systems from which Mexican peonage was derived. Now, viewing their abjectness, he was able to apprehend, almost w

re typically modern than the delicately chiseled features lit with a vivid intelligence which seemed to pulse and glow in the so

is certainly swift. Really I am afraid that

commented: "Just as I thought. And these are dangerous men. They would have killed you without a qualm. In t

ke a puppy under

he old days he who raised his hand against the superior caste was put to death by torture, and, though, thank God, those wicked days are past, the effect remains. They are o

the depth of

greatly advanced her in his secret classification. "I have hurt your pride.

me!" he

the open. A knife in the dark, a shot from a bush, that is their method, and if you should happen to kill one, even in self defense

usual "It is nothing." Whereupon, respect for her intuition was added to the

ng range of feeling revealed by her large dark eyes. Looking down upon the charcoal-burners, they had gleamed like black diamonds; in talking, their soft glow waxed and waned. Sometimes-but this was omitted from the classi

ops out. At other times they are kind, pleasant, generous. Neither are we the cruel taskmasters that some foreign books and papers portray us. You would not believe

the Dublin speech the finest English in the world. To it she had added an individual charm, the measured cadence and soft accent of her

e to see for yourself wha

ow rode into an avenue that led on through green cane. Rising far above their heads, the cane marched with them for a half mile, then suddenly opened out around a primitive wooden

was breaking her heart because she had no robe. But now she is happy, for I have pro

a collision, and as his own spirited roan sprang sideways Seyd noted with admiration that despite his bulk and age horse and man moved as one. If surprised at the sight of h

own pretty neck, at least have pity on my old

ction was wonderfully realistic. "Ah, si! Santa Gertrudis? If I remember aright, it was denounced before. Yes, yes, by

er out of his province and displayed no further interest until the girl told

nd now we shall ride on that the se?or may break his fast. And thou, too, wicked on

ughed. "To escape another black mark I

while he curbed it back to a walk the old man's heavy face lit up with pleasure. "She rides well. I have n

sed from sight behind a clump of tamarinds he took note, as they rode along, of the peons who were laying the field out in shallow ditches wherein others we

good steel plow would d

ut cheapness is sometimes dearly purchased. Come! Suppose that I put myself under the seven devils of haste that continually drive you. What would become of these, my people? Who would employ them? It is true that theirs is not a grea

of duty are they. If left free to come and go, they would dig one, two, three ditches, enough and no more than would supply them wit

nd pigs. Then the river teems with fish, the jungle with small game. His wage goes only for drink and cigarros, or, if there be sufficient left over, to buy a dress for his woman. They are perfectly content

ry, and so knew that, ridiculously small as this peon wage appeared at the first glance, it actually exceeded that pai

that your peons were better off, providing th

any kind of labor is murder. But here? It is as you see;

etter than I that fought with or against him in a dozen campaigns. And he has given us peace-thirty years of slow, warm peace. Yet sometimes I question its value. In the old time, to be sure, we cut each other's throats on occasion. In the mean time we were warmer friends. And war prevented the land from being swamped by the millions that overrun your older countries, th

, Seyd stole occasional glances at the massive brown face and the heavy figure moving in stately rhythm with the slow trot of his horse, while his memory flashed over tale after tale that Peters, the station agent, had told him when he was out the other day to the railroad-tales of bravery, hardy adventures, all

on your land. I suppose it exten

own from a given point as a man may ride in a day,' so the deed ran. Being shrewd as he was valiant, my forefather had his Indians blaze a trail in both directions before he essayed the running. A hundred and fifty miles he made of it when he sta

lley in equal halves, and from the shallow ford they now rode out on a grassy plateau that ran for miles along low lateral hills. Dotted with tamarinds, banyans, and the tall ceibas which held huge leafy umbrellas over panting cattle, it formed a perfect foreground for the hacienda,

as concentrated every element of tropical beauty-wide corridors, massive chrome pillars, time-stained arches, luxurious foliage. From the tiled roof above a vine poured in cataracts of living green so dense that o

ameless, you know, for it climbs 'upstairs, downstairs,' nor respects even the privacy of 'my lady's chamber.'

the evidence of his own eyes he was forced to admit the added charm of a simple batiste, whose fluffy whiteness accentuated her girlishness. The mad gal

swering her observation. "It is beautiful. But don'

orses and dogs and-though it is wicked to put them in the same category-my babies. There are always at least three mo

ve thought it. You

is now seven. That reminds me-she is waiting below to repe

So the position is no

ities, and I believe that I am much more concerned for their behavior than their mothers. If any of them were to do anything really wicked"-her little shudder was genuine-"I should feel dreadfully ashamed. But they are really very good-a

s of creation," and became hopelessly mixed as to the specific quantities of the "Trinity"-wherein, after all, she was no worse than the theologians who have burned each other up, in both senses, in furious

er coin, just so much the richer for his heretical presence. As he rose to follow his hostess inside he added, "If all the

her. She is a saint for good works. But come, or I shall yet earn my scolding. And let

el in the promise a handsome mother holds out to her girls. In addition to the sweetness of her eyes and her tenderly tranquil expression she had retained her youthful contour. She exhibited the miracle of middle age achieved without fat or stiffness.

ved his embarrassment. "Now you would see the administrador? I am sorry, se?or, but it seems that he is away at Chilpancin about the s

nd hospitality they still regarded him as an intruder, Seyd was neither offended nor surprised. He w

the river's wide bed proclaimed it one of those torrential streams which rise from a trickle t

le world into dollars. Year by year your Yankee companies are stripping the pine from the upper valley, and, though I have spoken with Porfirio Diaz about it, he is mad for commerce. He would see the whole state of Guerrero submerged before he revoked one charter. And they even try to make me a party to it. '

en looked his surprise as Seyd spoke. "I should not

ion. Yankees, English, French, Germans, they have come, denounced claims here and there, but no man has ever held one. No man ever will. Already you have tasted the bitter hostility of my people, and wer

land; but, knowing that if I don't some other will, I shall have to refuse. As for the opposition-that is all

, se?or, we can never be that. But next to a good friend I

d, watching him go at a stately canter, Seyd mutt

rely a fine

was filing into church, the peons in clean blankets, their women in decent black. The next hamlet was in the throes of a fiesta. Girls in white, garlanded with flaming flowers, were dancing the eternal jig of th

me that obtains in American life. Because the peon had time to think his simple thoughts, listen to bird song and the music of babbling streams, to watch the splendors of sunrise and

he last village into the jungle proper. "We have nothing

whatever her faults of temperament Peace could be trusted to fetch her own stable, he left her to take her own way while he pursued his thoughts. While the siren whistle of beetles, chatter of chickicuillotes-wild hens of the jungle-deafened his ears, he tried to bring the crowdi

tien any time, and there were others around these parts. But once let a high-strung girl like her get a glimpse of the outside world and no common hacendado can ever hope to tie her shoestring. They say she has had other chances-attachés of foreign legations in Mexico City. But she turned 'em down

t, with a savage laugh. "You darned fool! mooning over a girl who would turn up her pretty nose at any gringo, much more one that ha

e scramble upward the jungle lit up with a sudden flash. Before Seyd's ears caught the report he felt his left shoulder clutched, as it were, by a red-hot hand. The n

the thick explosion. Then the thought, "It will take them a minute to reloa

the turn on a scrambling gallop he turned loose with both of his Colts, aiming at the spot from which the flashes had come. And the sequel

you sick," he interp

in, he felt his shoulder. The bullet had plowed a furrow in the flesh of the upper arm, but, muttering "I gues

k to the edge of the timber and again turned loose his guns, searching the jungle below with a swinging muzzle. Time and again he did it, thanking his stars whenever he

even a twig stirred in the darkness below. He caught only the distant whooping which told that Bill

ther!" he muttered. "If I don