"The other gringos wished to hang him, for it is said he has
bribed Esteban to do this thing."
Again Jose raised his eyebrows. "Impossible!" he ejaculated.
"And who then guards the ranch?" he asked presently.
"Senor Harding, two Mexican house servants, and a Chinaman,"
and the vaquero laughed.
"I must be going," Jose announced after a moment. "It is a
long ride for an old man from my poor home to Cuivaca, and
back again."
The vaqueros were paying no further attention to him, and
the Indian passed out and sought his pony; but when he had
mounted and ridden from town he took a strange direction
for one whose path lies to the east, since he turned his pony's
head toward the northwest.
Jose had ridden far that day, since Billy had left his humble
hut. He had gone to the west to the little rancho of one of
Pesita's adherents who had dispatched a boy to carry word to
the bandit that his Captain Byrne had escaped the Villistas,
and then Jose had ridden into Cuivaca by a circuitous route
which brought him up from the east side of the town.
Now he was riding once again for Pesita; but this time he
would bear the information himself. He found the chief in
camp and after begging tobacco and a cigarette paper the
Indian finally reached the purpose of his visit.
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