31(5 



THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER, 



November 



have rifles, everj^tbiug, and they are 

 vacheros with much whisky in 

 them. Ah, los diavolos! You do 

 not know. You know nothing." 



The horsemen were not far away 

 now, hut I had not seen them yet, 

 as they were riding from the west, 

 and Jose's house hij^ between us. 

 Now, the Mexican, finding me hope- 

 lessly careless of my own safety, 

 went off hastily to confront the vis- 

 itors, followed by his friends. 



The men had scarcely disappeared 

 around the corner of the house when 

 a solution of Jose's panic dawned 

 upon me. Mexicans have an intense 

 dread of the low class cowboy, for 

 these western bullies, the sum of 

 whose education is good riding and 

 lasso throwing, quick shooting and 

 loud swearing, have no more scru- 

 ple — perhi-.ps a little less — in killing 

 a Mexican than a calf,, and when 

 di'unk delight in the committal o± 

 the must brutal crimes. They are 

 not superlatively courageous, as n 

 rule; but, having a good deal of 

 devil may care recklessness about 

 them and being perfectly well aware 

 of the fear they inspire in the Mexi- 

 can breast, they are a terrible scourge 

 to the poor half breeds. 



But I remeuibered now the stories 

 which my partner had told me of 

 freaks of '"vacheros" in liquor. I 

 thought of the bright eyed little 

 senorita, and words came to my lips 

 which I will not repeat. What a 

 fool I had been to stand gaping here ! 

 There was only one thing to do, and 

 now I hadn't left mj^self time to do 

 that. I ran to the house and called. 



"Senora, mio pistola, quick!" 

 There was a bustle inside. The rusty 

 hinges of the big door squeaked. A 

 little face, pale and haggard with 

 apprehension and looking at me 

 with great, ai^pealing eyes, peered 

 out, and in another minute my re- 

 volver and knife were in their right 

 places. As I fastened khe buckle and 

 hitched the belt into position I heard 

 the loud voices of the cowbovs thick 



in utterance hailing Jose.' I was just 

 in time, after all. The men had 

 stopped to speak to the Mexican and 

 listen to a polite expression of re- 

 gret that his family were from home, 

 in reply to which they vouchsafed a 

 volley of oaths and tipsy laughter. 

 Now came the jingle of spur and 

 bridle as the vacheros approached 

 the house with the intention of see- 

 ing for themselves. 



My time had come. I set my teeth, 

 loosened ray revolver in its sheath, 

 stepped around the corner of the 

 house and came face to face with 

 the visitors. 



At the sight of a white man they 

 gave an exclamation of surprise and 

 pulled up sharply. Then there was 

 a profound silence. 



The position was a delicate one 

 for all parties. The fingers of my 

 right hand rested upon the hilt of 

 my revolver, and my eyes were fixed 

 with great steadfastness upon the 

 center button of the foremost cow- 

 boy's coat. It was therefore patent 

 that I meant business. On the other 

 hand, I had two men against me 

 more hea^-ilj'' armed than myself, 

 probably better shots and excited 

 with whisky, so that I was not hap- 

 py or confident at all and not in the 

 least inclined to begin. 



At least the man nearest to me 

 observed in an off hand but sober 

 voice : 



"Located here, captain?" 



"Yes." 



"For the night?" 



"Yes." 



"Taken your own quarters?" 



"No. Come bj' invitation." 



"Alone?" 



"Yes." 



"So? Well, well, then I guess I'll 

 get down. Eh, Jos?" 



He made a movement toward slip- 

 ping from his horse, but his eye 

 never swerved from my right hand, 

 which now trembled visibly. 



I bent forward slightlj', and draw- 

 ing my revolver a few inches from 



