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Even if we stand off Pesita we can never escape to the border through Villa's forces." "It looks bad," admitted Bridge. "In fact it couldn't look much worse; but here we are, and while our ammunition holds out about all we can do is stay here and use it.
One of the two men Pesita had sent to assassinate his "guests" dropped his gun, clutched at his breast, screamed, and sank back behind a clump of mesquite. The other turned and leaped over the edge of the bank into the arroyo, rolling and tumbling to the bottom in a cloud of dry dust.
So far there had crept into his consciousness no disquieting doubts as to the consistency of his recent action in joining the force of a depredating Mexican outlaw. Billy knew nothing of the political conditions of the republic. Had Pesita told him that he was president of Mexico, Billy could not have disputed the statement from any knowledge of facts which he possessed.
As he spoke Billy commenced scratching himself beneath the left arm, and then, as though to better reach the point of irritation, he slipped his hand inside his shirt. If Pesita noticed the apparently innocent little act, or interpreted it correctly may or may not have been the fact. He stood looking straight into Byrne's eyes for a full minute.
"I have been sent, Senor Capitan," explained Jose, "by the beautiful senorita of El Orobo Rancho to tell you that your friend, Senor Bridge, has been captured by General Villa, and is being held at Cuivaca, where he will doubtless be shot if help does not reach him before tomorrow morning." Pesita was looking questioningly at Byrne.
"Yep, I guess I savvy," said Billy, "an' it listens all right to me's far's you've gone. My pal in on it?" "Eh?" "You make my frien' a captain, too?" Pesita held up his hands and rolled his eyes in holy horror. Take a gringo into his band? It was unthinkable. "He shot," he cried. "I swear to kill all gringo. I become savior of my country. I rid her of all Americanos."
BILLY BYRNE, captain, rode into Cuivaca from the south. He had made a wide detour in order to accomplish this; but under the circumstances he had thought it wise to do so. In his pocket was a safe conduct from one of Villa's generals farther south a safe conduct taken by Pesita from the body of one of his recent victims.
In his mind was a scheme which required the help of just such an individual as this stranger someone who was utterly unknown in the surrounding country and whose presence in a town could not by any stretch of the imagination be connected in any way with the bandit, Pesita. "I tell you," he said. "I let your friend go. I send him under safe escort to El Orobo Rancho.
A man lay stretched upon his blankets in a tent next to that occupied by Pesita. At the sound of the speaker's voice, low though it was, he raised his head and listened. He heard every word, and a scowl settled upon his brow. Barbara stolen! Mr Harding practically alone upon the ranch! And Pesita in possession of this information! Bridge rose to his feet.
Are you acquainted there?" he asked. Billy replied that they were not merely looking for employment upon an American-owned ranch or in an American mine. "Why did you leave your own country?" asked Pesita. "What do you want here in Mexico?" "Well, ol' top," replied Billy, "you see de birds was flyin' south an' winter was in de air, an a fat-head dick from Chi was on me trail so I ducks."
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