The Mystery of The Barranca

behind him, the Barranca wall shut off the western breeze, and from its face the fierce sunblaze was reflected in quivering waves of heat. Coming out from an early lunch he had noted t

e blood loss from a severed artery had left him quite weak, he had obstinately refused to stop work. To-day he had even balked at the suggestion of a siesta until Billy had lain down himself.

n of the needs of the case. Picking up a Winchester which leaned against a tree, he crouched behind his bricks, a

nose shows," he muttered as the hoofbeats grew louder. "

e bricks, and both were on the same color scheme, he was practically invisible; and, reining up her beast, the girl allowed her curious gaze to wander around th

omas, is this the wealth the gringos seek? What an ado over a pile of st

him in English. "Mr. Thornton, is it not? We have brought the papers from the administrador-at least, Tomas has. I am playing truan

ragged from him a single word calculated to shock or offend a girl. But in his confusion at finding an expec

e-he is n

rry for his abruptness, Billy plunged

-much

t have caused another to make light of Seyd's wound, his natural unselfishness made him paint it in darker colors. "The bullet cut a

im sleep. You can give him the papers. Tell him

him with anxiety for her neck. Until he caught a glimpse of her, foreshortened to a dot on the trail far belo

ter, the last vestige of sleep was burned up by the sudden flash of his eyes. "You da

ritating grin: "Why should she wish to see you when I was aroun

wled. "Well, I'm solid eno

, he commented: "Went off to tell the G

any tears-unless at their poo

d the peon rice-huller coming on a shuffling run ahead of Tomas. The bloody bandages which bound the head of one and the leg of the other testified to Seyd's shooting, just as thei

ent on: "This son of a devil was found nursing a wound in his hut, and he told on the other. Don Luis sends them w

"Here!" Seyd called him back. "This is kind of Don Luis, and you will please convey to him our thanks. It is very thoughtful of you to pick out such a fine tr

ring the murdered to life? But hang him in good season and you will have no murder. And this is a good tree, low, with strong, wide branc

admitting it, Seyd still plead

mishness, the mozo politely submitted. "Bueno! it is for

ulted Billy. "If we send them back

ed: "Are we crazy? Here we have been chasing labor all over the valley, and now that it is of

y, se?or, a live slave is better than a dead thief

ends of the halters to Billy, the mozo concluded his mission. "It remains only t

lated. "I've said all along that you ought to lay off. Go down for a we

head. "Besides, the old fellow made no bones of his feelings the other day. The invitation is merel

yet caught its grave courtesy so cleverly that its perusal at the dinner table caused Francesca to

for three months, and we should have been worn to skeletons by his parrot chatter. As he let

left, Billy cut the halters from around their necks and brought them food and drink from the house. But whether or

ll the time we'd be better w

ods to his questions he continued, hopefully: "There we have it. Your Mexican peon takes homesickness worse than a S

ossible. But presently, setting it down as another idiocy of the foolish gringos, his incredulity vanished. In one hour he and the rice-huller were transformed from sullen foes to ea

ing the keen glance with which he swept the bench the thought flashed upon him, "Now the cat's out of the bag!" He did not, however, try to smuggl

ow's massive self possession showe

ely an old-style Welch furnace of small capacity he felt the constraint under the old man's quiet, and was thereby stimulated to a mischievous add

a brown pool, his disquiet passed. "A

. But with the help you so kindly

ing the peons with a weighty forefinger, he went on: "Now, listen, hombres! Since it has pleased the se?or to save you alive, see that you repay his mercy with

pon the scenery. "A beautiful spot. Once I had thought to build here, but one cannot live on the edge of a cliff, a

place is with his work-and I have stayed too long. There is busines

tay for lunch?"

ode away on his usual heavy lope. "You see," Seyd commented, watching him go, "i

were he. But, say, we're getting quite gay up here. Regular social w

mule whose panniers were crammed with eggs and cheese, butter and honey, fruit, both fresh and preserved, also a full stock of bandages, liniments, curative simples, and

time. Those pills must be swallowed when you rise. This"-noting Billy's furtive grin, she finished with a laugh-"you will not have room for mor

said. "Billy makes gorgeous biscuit,

things," Billy added, a little dubiously, and would have

red of Mexican cooking, a

ance progressed with the leaps and bounds natural to youth. Before the end of the meal she had drawn Billy completely out of his painful bashf

her, adding with great prid

Seyd volunteered. "Darkest

in Brussels, had it combined with great black Spanish eyes. She got her colors from an Irish great grand

grandfather, and, if good taste debarred him from saying it, the belief was nevertheless expressed through the permitted language

give place to unaffected friendliness. Occasionally, too, she offered all the witchery of her smiles, yet the hypothetical expert would never have suspected her of coquetry. The feeling was far too mischievous for the

ed their eyes on the face that bloomed like a rich flower in the soft shadows of the adobe hut, their ears on her low laughter and soft woman's speech. They found it hard to bel

ve been forced upon them when she rode away, for, though the birds still sang and the hot sun p

w of smiles lent force to her murmur