CHAPTER VIII
TAMING AN OUTLAW
"Something doing back of the corral, Mr. Gordon."
Yeager, the horse-wrangler at Corbett's, stopped in front of the porch,and jerked his head, with a twisted grin, in the direction indicated.
Everything about the little stableman was crooked. From the slope of hislegs to the set of his bullet head on the narrow shoulders, he was awry.But he had an instinct about horses that was worth more than the beautyof any slim, tanned _vaquero_ of the lot.
Only one horse had he failed to subdue. That was Teddy, a rakish sorrelthat had never yet been ridden. Many had tried it, but none had stuck tothe saddle to the finish; and some had been carried from the corral tothe hospital.
Dick got up and strolled back, with his hands in his pockets.
A dozen _vaqueros_ and loungers sat and stood around the mouth of thecorral, from which a slim young Mexican was leading the sorrel.
"So, it's you, Master Pedro," thought the young American. "I didn'texpect to see you here."
The lad met his eyes quietly as he passed, giving him a sullen nod ofgreeting; evidently he hoped he had not been recognized as the previousday's ambusher.
"Is Pedro going to ride the outcast?" Dick asked of Yeager, in surprise.
Yeager grinned.
"He's going to try. The boy's slap-up rider, but he ain't got it in himto break Teddy--no, nor any man in New Mexico ain't."
Dick looked the horse over carefully, as it stood there while the boytightened the girths--feet wide apart, small head low, and red eyesgleaming wickedly. Deep-chested, with mighty shoulders, barrel-bodiedlike an Indian pony, Teddy showed power in every line of him. It waseasy to guess him for the unbroken outlaw he was.
There was a swift scatter backward of the onlookers as Pedro swung tothe saddle. Before his right foot was in the stirrup, the bronco bucked.
The young Mexican, light and graceful, settled to the saddle with adelighted laugh, and drove the spurs home. The animal humped like acamel, head and tail down, went into the air and back to earth, withfour feet set like pile-drivers. It was a shock to drive a man's spinetogether like a concertina; but Pedro took it limply, giving to the jarof the impact as the pony came down again and again.
Teddy tasted the quirt along his quarters, and the pain made himfrantic. He went screaming straight into the air, hung there a longinstant, and fell over backward. The lad was out of the saddle in timeand no more, and back in his seat before the outlaw had scrambled to hisfeet.
The spur starred him to renewed life. Like a flash of lightning, thebrute's head swung round and snapped at the boy's leg. Pedro wrenchedthe head back in time to save himself; and Teddy went to sun-fishing,and presently to fence-rowing.
The dust flew in clouds. It wrapped them in so that the boy saw nothingbut the wicked ears in front of him. His throat became a lime-kiln, hiseyes stared like those of a man weary from long wakefulness. The hot sunbaked his bare neck and head, the while Teddy rocketed into the sky andpounded into the earth.
Neither rider nor mount had mercy. The quirt went back and forth like apiston-rod, and the outlaw, in screaming fury, leaped and tossed like asmall boat in a tremendous sea of cross-currents.
"It's sure hell-for-leather. That hawss can tie himself in more knotsthan any that was ever foaled," commented a tobacco-chewing puncher in ascarlet kerchief.
"Pedro is a straight-up rider, but he ain't got it in him to masterTeddy--no; nor no man ain't," contributed Yeager again proudly. "Hawssesis like men. Some of 'em can't be broke; you can only kill them. Teddy'sone of them kind."
Dick differed, but did not say so.
"Look at him now. There he goes weaving. That hawss is a devil, I tellyou. He's got every hawss-trick there is, and all of 'em worked up to acombination of his own. Look out there, Ped."
The warning came too late. Teddy had jammed into the corral fence, andground his rider's knee till the torture of the pain had distracted hisattention. Once more then swept round the ugly stub nose, and the yellowteeth fastened in the leather chaps with a vicious snap that did notentirely miss the flesh of the leg.
The boy, with a cry of pain and terror, slipped to the ground, his nervecompletely shaken. The sorrel lashed out with his hind feet, and missedhis head by a hairbreadth. Pedro turned to run, stumbled, and went down.
The outlaw was upon him like a streak, striking with sharp chiseledforefeet at the prostrate man. Along the line of spectators ran a groan,a kind of sobbing murmur of despair. A young Mexican who had just riddenup flung himself from his horse and ran forward, though he knew he wastoo late.
"Pedro's done for," cried one.
And so he would have been but for the watchfulness and alertness of oneman.
Dick had been ready the instant the outlaw had flung against the fence.He had been prepared to see the boy weaken, and had anticipated it inhis forward leap. The furious animal had risen to drive home his hoofs,when an arm shot out, caught the bridle, and dragged him sideways. Thisunexpected intervention dazed the animal; and while he still stooduncertain, Gordon swung to the saddle and dug his heels into thebleeding sides.
As to a signal the bronco rose, and the battle was on again.
But this time the victory was not in doubt to the onlookers after thefirst half-dozen jumps. For this man rode like a master. He held a closebut easy seat, and a firm rein, along which ran the message of an ironwill to the sensitive foaming mouth which held the bit tight-clamped.
This brown, lithe man was all bone and sinew and muscle. He rode like aCentaur, as if he were a part of the horse, as easily and gracefully asa chip does the waves. The outlaw was furious with hate, blind with amadness that surged through it; but all its weaving and fence-rowingcould not shake the perfect poise of the rider, nor tinge with fear theglad fighting edge that throbbed like a trumpet-call in the blood.
Slowly the certainty of this sifted to the animal. The pitches grew lessvolcanic, died presently into fitful mechanical rises and falls thatforetold the finish. Its spirit broken, with that terrible incubus of ahuman clothes-pin still clamped to the saddle, Teddy gave up, and forthe first time hung his head in token of defeat.
Dick tossed the bridle to Yeager and swung off.
"There aren't any of them so bad, if a fellow will stay with them," hesaid.
"Where did you learn your riding, partner?" asked the puncher with thescarlet kerchief knotted around his neck.
"I used to ride for an outfit up in Wyoming," returned Dick.
"Well, I'd like to ride for that outfit, if all the boys stick to thesaddle like you," returned the kerchiefed one.
Gordon did not explain that he had been returned winner in more than onebucking-bronco contest in the days when he rode the range.
He was already sauntering toward the house.
From a side porch Pedro, awaiting the arrival of a rig to take him backto the ranch, sat with his bruised leg on a chair and watched theapproach of the stalwart figure that came as lightly as though it trodon eggs. He had hobbled here and watched the other do easily what hadbeen beyond him.
His heart was bitter with the sense of defeat, none the less becausethis man whom he had lately tried to kill had just saved his life.
"_Como_?" asked Dick, stopping in front of him to brush dust from histrousers with a pocket-handkerchief.
Pedro mumbled something. Under his olive skin the color burned. Tears ofmortification were in his eyes.
"You saved my life, _senor_. Take it. It is yours," the boy cried.
"What shall _I_ do with it?"
"I care not. Make an end of it, as on Tuesday I tried to make an end ofyours," cried the lad wildly.
Gordon took off his hat and looked at the bullet holes casually.
"You did not miss it very far, Pedro."
"You knew then, _senor_, that I was the man?" the Mexican asked insurprise.
"Oh, yes; I knew that."
"And you did nothing?"
"Yes; I ducked behind a ro
ck," laughed Gordon.
"But you make no move to arrest me?"
"No."
"But, if I should shoot again?"
"I expect to carry a rifle next time I go riding, Pedro."
The Mexican considered this.
"You are a brave man, _senor_."
The Anglo-Saxon snorted scornfully.
"Because I ain't bluffed out by a kid that needs a horse-whip laid ongood and hard? Don't you make any mistake, boy. I'm going to give youthe licking of your young life. You were due for it to-day, but it willhave to be postponed, I reckon, till you're on your feet again."
Pedro's eyes glittered dangerously.
"Senor Gordon has saved my life. It is his. But no living man lays handson Pedro Menendez," the boy said, drawing himself haughtily to his fullslender height.
"You'll learn better, Pedro, before the week's out. You've got to standthe gaff, just the same as a white boy would. You're in for a goodwhaling, and there ain't any use getting heroic about it."
"I think not, Senor Gordon." There was a suggestion of repressed emotionin the voice.
Dick turned sharply at the words. A lean, clean-built young fellow stoodbeside the porch. He stepped up lightly, so that he was behind the chairin which Pedro had been sitting. Seen side by side thus, there could beno mistaking the kinship between the two Mexicans. Both were goodlooking, both lean and muscular, both had a sort of banked volcanicpassion in their black eyes. Dangerous men, these slim swarthy youths,judged Gordon with a sure instinct.
"You think not, Pedro Number 2," retorted the American lightly.
"My name is Pablo, Senor--Pablo Menendez," corrected the young man withdignity.
"Pleased to meet you, Mr. Menendez. I was just telling your brother--ifPedro is your brother--that I intend to wear out a buggy whip on him assoon as his leg is well," explained Dick pleasantly.
"No. You have saved his life. It is yours. Take it." The black eyes ofthe Mexican met steadily the blue-gray ones of the American.
"Much obliged, but I can't use it. As soon as I've tanned his hide I'mthrough with Master Pedro," returned the miner carelessly.
He was turning away when Pablo stopped him. The musical voice was lowand clear. "Senor Gordon understands then. Pedro will pay. He willendure shot for shot if the Senor wishes it. But no man living shall laya whip upon him."
Gordon shrugged his shoulders. "We shall see, my friend. The first timeI meet him after his leg is all right Master Pedro gets the licking heneeds."
"You are warned, _senor_."
Dick nodded and walked away, humming a song lightly.
The black eyes of the Mexicans followed him as long as he was in sight.A passionate hatred burned in those of the elder brother. Those of Pedrowere full of a wistful misery. With all his heart he admired this manwhom he had yesterday tried to kill, who had to-day saved his life, andin the next breath promised him a thrashing.
He gave him a grudging hero-worship, even while he hated him; for theman trod the world with the splendor of a young god, and yet was anenemy of the young mistress to whom he owed his full devotion. Pedro'smind was made up.
If this Gordon laid a whip on him, he would drive a knife into hisheart.