"And that is all?"
"_Por Dios_--all" shrugged the lad.
"Are there others beside you that believe this nonsense about the American being in league with evil?"
"It is not nonsense, _senorita_, begging your pardon," protested Juan earnestly. "And Ferdinand and Pablo and Sebastian, they all believe it."
Valencia knew this complicated the situation. These simple peons would do, under the impulsion of blind bigotry, what they would hesitate to do otherwise. Let them think him a devil, and they would stick at nothing to remove him.
Her first thought was that she must keep informed of the movements of her people. Otherwise she would not be able to frustrate them.
"Juan, if this man is really what you think, he will work magic to destroy those who oppose him. It will not be safe for any of my people to set themselves against him. I know a better way to attack him. I want to talk with Pablo and Sebastian. You must work with me. If they try to do anything, let me know at once; otherwise they will be in great danger. Do you understand?"
"_Si, senorita_."
"And will you let me know, quietly, without telling them?"
"_Si, senorita_."
"That is good. Now, I know my Juan trusts and loves his mistress. You have done well. Go, now."
From the point of view of her people the girl knew it was all settled.
If the stranger whipped Pedro, the boy would kill him unless he used magic to prevent it. If he did use it, they must contrive to nullify his magic. There was, too, Don Manuel, who would surely strike soon, and however the encounter might terminate, it was a thing to dread miserably.
But, though her misery was acute, she was of a temperament too hopeful and impulsive to give up to despair so long as action was possible.
While she did not yet know what she could do, she was not one to sit idle while events hurried to a crisis.
Meantime she had her majordomo order a horse saddled for her to ride over to Corbett"s for the mail.
CHAPTER X
MR. AINSA DELIVERS A MESSAGE
Back to Davis, who had stopped to tighten his saddle-girth, came d.i.c.k Gordon"s rather uncertain tenor in rollicking song:
"Bloomin" idol made o" mud-- Wot they called the Great Gawd Budd-- Plucky lot she cared for idols when I Kissed "er where she stud!"
"There he goes, advertising himself for a target to every greaser in the county. Pity he can"t ride along decent, if he"s got to ride at all in these hills, where every gulch may be a trap," grumbled the old miner.
He jerked the leather strap down with a final tug, pulled himself to the saddle, and cantered after his friend.
"Elephints a pilin" teak In the sludgy, squdgy creek, Where the silence "ung that "eavy you Was "arf afraid to speak!"
"No danger of the silence hanging heavy here while you"re around trying to be a whole opery troupe all by your lonesome," suggested Davis.
"Seems to me if you got to trapse round this here country hunting for that permanent residence, it ain"t necessary to disturb the Sabbath calm so on-feelin". I don"t seem to remember hearing any great demand for an encore after the rendering of the first verse."
"You do ce"tainly remind me of a lien with one chick, Steve," laughed d.i.c.k.
"I ain"t worrying about you none. It"s my own scalp kinder hangs loose every time you make one of your fool-plays," explained the other.
"Go pipe that up to your granny. Think I ain"t learned my ABC"s about my dry-nurse yet?"
"I"m going back to the gold camp to-morrow."
"You been saying that ever since you came here. Why don"t you go, old Calamity Prophet?"
"Well, I am. Going to-morrow."
"You"ve hollered wolf too often, Steve. I"ll believe it when I see it."
"Well, why don"t you behave? What"s the use of making a holy Caruso of yourself? n.o.body ain"t ever pined to hear you tune up, anyhow."
"All right. Mum"s the word, old hoss. I"ll be as solemn as if I was going to my own funeral."
"I ain"t persuaded yet you"re not."
"I"m right fully persuaded. Hallo! Stranger visiting at Corbett"s. Guess I"ll unlimber the artillery."
They dismounted, and, before turning over his horse to Yeager, d.i.c.k unstrapped from the saddle his rifle. Nowadays he never for a moment was separated from some weapon of defense. For he knew that an attack upon his life was almost a certainty in the near future. Though his manner was debonair, he saw to it that n.o.body got a chance to tamper with his guns.
"Make you acquainted with Mr. Ramon Ainsa, gentlemen. Mr. Gordon--Mr.
Davis," said Corbett, standing in the doorway in his shirt-sleeves.
Mr. Ainsa, a very young man with the hint of a black mustache over his boyish mouth, clicked his heels together and bowed deeply. He expressed himself as delighted, but did not offer to shake hands. He was so stiff that d.i.c.k wanted to ask him whether the poker he had swallowed was indigestible.
"I am the bearer of a message to Mr. Richard Muir Gordon," he said with another bow.
"My name," acknowledged its owner. "You ain"t missed a letter of it.
Must have been at the christening, I expect."
"A message from Don Manuel Pesquiera."
"Good enough. That"s right friendly of him. How"s the _don_?"
And d.i.c.k, the sparkle of malicious humor gleaming in his eye, shook Mr.
Ainsa warmly by the hand, in spite of that gentleman"s effort to escape.
The messenger sidestepped as soon as he could, and began again, very red:
"Don Manuel considers himself deeply insulted, and desires through me, his friend, to present this note."
d.i.c.k looked at the envelope, and back at the youth who had handed it to him, after which he crowded in and pump-handled the other"s arm again.
"That"s awfully good of him, Mr. "Tain"t-so."