III
WHAT HAPPENED AT THE WATER-HOLE
The new-comers exchanged a word or two in Spanish, then the secondrider flung himself from his saddle and made for the water. He waslying prone and drinking deeply when out of nowhere came a sharpcommand.
"Oiga! Hands up, both of you!"
The first arrival jumped as if a rattlesnake had buzzed at his back,the second leaped to his feet with an oath; they stared in thedirection whence the voice had come.
"Drop your gun, companero!" The order was decisive; it was directed atthe man who had first appeared, for the other had left his Winchesterin its scabbard.
Both Mexicans cried, as if at a cue, "Who speaks?"
"A Ranger."
The fellow Law had addressed let fall his rifle; two pairs of darkhands rose slowly. Then the Ranger went on in Spanish:
"Anto, lower your left hand and unbuckle your belt." Anto did as he wastold, his revolver and cartridge-belt dropped to the ground. "And you,compadre, do the same. Mind you, the left hand! Now face about and walkto the charco, both of you. Good!"
Law stepped into view, his Winchester in the crook of his arm. Heemptied the three discarded weapons, then, walking to Anto's horse, heremoved the second carbine from beneath the saddle-flap and ejected itsshells into his palm.
This done, he addressed the stranger. "Now, friend, who are you, andwhy are you riding with this fellow?"
"My name is Panfilo Sanchez, senor. Before God, I have done nothing."The speaker was tremendously excited.
"Well, Panfilo, that will take some proving," the Ranger muttered.
"What do you say?"
The gist of this statement having been repeated in Spanish, bothprisoners burst into clamorous explanation of their presence together.Panfilo, it seemed, had encountered his companion purely by chance, andwas horrified now to learn that his newly made friend was wanted by theauthorities. In the midst of his incoherent protestations Mrs. Austinappeared.
"He is telling you the truth, Mr. Law," she said, quietly. "He is oneof my men."
Both Mexicans looked blank. At sight of the speaker their mouths fellopen, and Panfilo ceased his gesticulations.
Mrs. Austin went on: "He is my horse-breaker's cousin. He couldn't havehad any part in that murder in Jim Wells County, for he was at LasPalmas when I left."
Panfilo recovered from his amazement, removed his sombrero, and blessedhis employer extravagantly; then he turned triumphantly upon hiscaptor. "Behold!" cried he. "There you have the truth. I am anexcellent, hard-working man and as honest as God."
"Surely you don't want him," Alaire appealed to Law. "He was probablyhelping his countryman to escape--but they all do that, you know."
"All right! If he's your man, that's enough," Dave told her. "Now then,boys, it will soon be dark and we'll need some supper before we start.It won't hurt Anto's horse to rest a bit, either. You are underarrest," he added, addressing the latter. "You understand what thatmeans?"
"Si, senor!"
"I won't tie you unless--"
"No, senor!" Anto understood perfectly, and was grateful.
"Well, then, build a fire, and you, Panfilo, lend a hand. The senorawill need a cup of tea, for we three have a long ride ahead of us."
No time was lost. Both Mexicans fell to with a will, and in asurprisingly short time water was boiling. When it came Law's turn toeat, Alaire, who was eager to be gone, directed her employee to fetchthe Ranger's horse. Panfilo acquiesced readily and buckled on hiscartridge-belt and six-shooter. He was about to pick up his rifle, too,but finding Law's eyes inquiringly fixed upon him, he turned with ashrug and disappeared down the arroyo. It was plain that he consideredhis friendly relations well established and resented the Ranger'ssuspicion.
"How long has that fellow been working for you?" Law jerked his head inthe direction Panfilo had taken.
"Not long. I--don't know much about him," Alaire confessed. Then, as ifin answer to his unspoken question, "But I'm sure he's all right."
"Is he looking up range for you?"
"N--no! I left him at the ranch. I don't know how he came to be here,unless--It IS rather strange!"
Dave shot a swift, interrogatory glance at Panfilo's travelingcompanion, but Anto's face was stony, his black eyes were fixed uponthe fire.
With an abrupt gesture Law flung aside the contents of his cup andstrode to Panfilo's horse, which stood dejectedly with reins hanging.
"Where are you--going?" Alaire rose nervously.
It was nearly dark now; only the crests of the ridges were plainagainst the luminous sky; in the brushy bottom of the arroyo theshadows were deep. Alaire had no wish to be left alone with theprisoner.
With bridle-rein and carbine in his left hand, the Ranger halted, then,stooping for Anto's discarded cartridge-belt, he looped it over hissaddle-horn. He vaulted easily into the seat, saying:
"I hid that mare pretty well. Your man may not be able to find her."Then he turned his borrowed horse's head toward the brush.
Anto had squatted motionless until this moment; he had not even turnedhis eyes; but now, without the slightest warning, he uttered a loudcall. It might have served equally well as a summons or as an alarm,but it changed the Ranger's suspicions into certainty. Dave uttered anangry exclamation, then to the startled woman he cried:
"Watch this man! He can't hurt you, for I've got his shells." To hisprisoner he said, sharply: "Stay where you are! Don't move!" The nextinstant he had loped into the brush on the tracks of Panfilo Sanchez,spurring the tired gray pony into vigorous action.
It was an uncomfortable situation in which Alaire now found herself.Law was too suspicious, she murmured to herself; he was needlesslymelodramatic; she felt exceedingly ill at ease as the pony's hoof-beatsgrew fainter. She was not afraid of Anto, having dealt with Mexicanvaqueros for several years, yet she could not forget that he was amurderer, and she wondered what she was expected to do if he should tryto escape. It was absurd to suppose that Panfilo, her own hired man,could be capable of treachery; the mere suspicion was a sort ofreflection upon her.
Alaire was startled by hearing other hoof-beats now; their drummingcame faint but unmistakable. Yes, there were two horses racing down thearroyo. Anto, the fugitive, rose to his feet and stared into the dusk."Sit down!" Alaire ordered, sharply. He obeyed, muttering beneath hisbreath, but his head was turned as if in an effort to follow the soundsof the pursuit.
Next came the distant rattle of loosened stones--evidently one horsewas being urged toward the open high ground--then the peaceful quietevening was split by the report of Law's thirty-thirty. Another shotfollowed, and then a third. Both Alaire and her prisoner were on theirfeet, the woman shaking in every limb, the Mexican straining his eyesinto the gloom and listening intently.
Soon there came a further echo of dry earth and gravel dislodged, butwhether by Law's horse or by that of Sanchez was uncertain. Perhapsboth men had gained the mesa.
It had all happened so quickly and so unexpectedly that Alaire felt shemust be dreaming, or that there had been some idiotic mistake. Shewondered if the Ranger's sudden charge had not simply frightenedPanfilo into a panicky flight, and she tried to put her thoughts intowords the Mexican would understand, but his answer was unintelligible.His black scowl, however, was eloquent of uncertainty and apprehension.
Alaire had begun to feel the strain of the situation and was trying todecide what next to do, when David Law came riding out of the twilight.He was astride the gray; behind him at the end of a lariat was BessieBelle, and her saddle was empty.
Mrs. Austin uttered a sharp cry.
Law dismounted and strode to the prisoner. His face was black withfury; he seemed gigantic in his rage. Without a word he raised hisright hand and cuffed the Mexican to his knees. Then he leaped uponhim, as a dog might pounce upon a rabbit, rolled him to his face, andtwisted the fellow's arms into the small of his back. Anto cursed, hestruggled, but he was like a child in the Ranger's grasp. Law kneltupon him, and with a jerk of
his riata secured the fellow's wrists;rising, he set the knot with another heave that dragged the prisoner tohis knees. Next he booted Anto to his feet.
"By God! I've a notion to bend a gun over your head," Law growled."Clever little game, wasn't it?"
"Where--? Did you--kill him?" the woman gasped.
Alaire had never beheld such a demoniac expression as Law turned uponher. The man's face was contorted, his eyes were blazing insanely, hischest was heaving, and for an instant he seemed to include her in hisanger. Ignoring her inquiry, he went to his mare and ran his shakinghands over her as if in search of an injury; his questing palms coveredevery inch of glistening hide from forelock to withers, from shoulderto hoof, and under cover of this task he regained in some degree hisself-control.
"That hombre of yours--didn't look right to me," he said, finally.Laying his cheek against Bessie Belle's neck, as a woman snuggles closeto the man of her choice, he addressed the mare: "I reckon nobody isgoing to steal you, eh? Not if I know it. No, sir; that hombre wasn'tany good, was he?"
Alaire wet her lips. "Then you--shot him?"
Law laughed grimly, almost mockingly. "Say! He must be a favorite ofyours?"
"N-no! I hardly knew the fellow. But--did you?"
"I didn't say I shot him," he told her, gruffly. "I warned him first,and he turned on me--blew smoke in my face. Then he took to the brush,afoot, and--I cut down on him once more to help him along."
"He got away?"
"I reckon so."
"Oh, oh!" Alaire's tone left no doubt of her relief. "He was always agood man--"
"Good? Didn't he steal my horse? Didn't he aim to get me at the firstchance and free his compadre? That's why he wanted his Winchester. Say!I reckon he--needs killin' about as much as anybody I know."
"I can't understand it." Alaire sat down weakly. "One of my men, too."
"This fellow behaved himself while I was gone, eh?" Law jerked his headin Anto's direction. "I was afraid he--he'd try something. If he had--"Such a possibility, oddly enough, seemed to choke the speaker, and theferocity of his unfinished threat caused Mrs. Austin to look up at himcuriously. There was a moment of silence, then he said, shortly: "Well,we've got a horse apiece now. Let's go."
The stars had thickened and brightened, rounding the night sky into aglittering dome. Anto, the murderer, with his ankles lashed beneath hishorse's belly, rode first; next, in a sullen silence, came the Ranger,his chin upon his breast; and in the rear followed Alaire Austin.
In spite of her release from a trying predicament, the woman wasscarcely more eager to go home than was the prisoner, for while Anto'strail led to a jail, hers led to Las Palmas, and there was littledifference. These last two days in the open had been like a glimpse offreedom; for a time Alaire had almost lost the taste of bittermemories. It had required an effort of will to drug remembrance, butshe had succeeded, and had proven her ability to forget. But now--LasPalmas! It meant the usual thing, the same endless battle between herduty and her desire. She was tired of the fight that resulted neitherin victory nor defeat; she longed now, more than ever, to give up andlet things take their course. Why could not women, as well as men,yield to their inclinations--drift with the current instead ofbreasting it until they were exhausted? There was David Law, forinstance; he was utterly carefree, no duties shackled him. He had hishorse, his gun, and his blanket, and they were enough; Alaire, likehim, was young, her mind was eager, her body ripe, and her veins fullof fire. Life must be sweet to those who were free and happy.
But the object of her envy was not so completely at peace with himselfas she supposed. Even yet his mind was in a black turmoil from hisrecent anger, and of late, be it said, these spells of temper had givenhim cause for uneasiness. Then, too, there was a lie upon his lips.
Under the stars, at the break of the arroyo, three hundred yards belowthe water-hole, a coyote was slinking in a wide circle around the bodyof Panfilo Sanchez.