"Do not send me in charge of the escort," he advised.
"Send Captain Byrne himself."
Pesita pooh-poohed the idea.
"But wait," urged Rozales. "Let the stranger ride in command,
with a half-dozen picked men who will see that nothing
goes wrong. An hour before dawn I will send two men--they
will be our best shots--on ahead. They will stop at a place we
both know, and about noon the Captain Byrne and his escort
will ride back to camp and tell us that they were attacked by
a troop of Villa's men, and that both our guests were killed.
It will be sad; but it will not be our fault. We will swear
vengeance upon Villa, and the Captain Byrne will hate him as
a good Pesitista should."
"You have the cunning of the Coyote, my captain," cried
Pesita. "It shall be done as you suggest. Go now, and I will
send for Captain Byrne, and give him his orders for the
morning."
As Rozales strolled away a figure rose from the shadows at
the side of Pesita's tent and slunk off into the darkness.
CHAPTER VIII
BILLY'S FIRST COMMAND
AND so it was that having breakfasted in the morning Bridge
and Miguel started downward toward the valley protected by
an escort under Captain Billy Byrne. An old service jacket
and a wide-brimmed hat, both donated by brother officers,
constituted Captain Byrne's uniform.
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