United States or Christmas Island ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Literally he rubbed his hands one over the other as he bade Naharo take a chair. Then the pair of them rolled and lighted cigarettes. "Perhaps I should say no more, Señor Martinez." "It will go no farther. And if the engineer and Ed Sorenson had a fight, then it must have been for that reason the latter's father spoke as he did to-night. You heard him." "Yes. And I did not understand why.
Martinez whirled about. "Ah, it's only you, Naharo." "He is a bad fighter, eh?" And the man, almost white because of intermixed blood, moved a hand in the direction Weir's car had gone. "Perhaps not bad. Quick with a gun, however," was the careful reply. "With his fists also. I saw, or if I did not see, I very nearly did so it is the same saw him use them in Bowenville.
A man all at once pushed forth from the crowd, wrathfully elbowing his way among neighbors. He was Naharo, the Mexican who had chatted once with Martinez in the latter's office. "It is true," he shouted, facing his countrymen. "I, Naharo, vow it the truth. For I saw this engineer take a young girl away from Ed Sorenson in the restaurant at Bowenville that the scoundrel intended to seduce.
I have never been your enemy, only the enemy of the four men who deceived and oppressed you. And now they are gone, two dead and two off to be tried for their crimes." Weir stood for a moment silent, while they as silently stared at him. "Ha, bueno, we shall work!" Naharo exclaimed. "We shall work and build your ditches, señor," cried a score of voices. Then the cry swelled to a noisy chorus.
So his father did not know about this." "Tell it all, Naharo." The other inhaled a puff of smoke and half-closed his eyes. Though nearly white, he retained the Mexican's high cheek bones, and languor, and unforgiving nature. "I was in Bowenville, freighting up flour to the store of Smith's. I had loaded by evening, to make an early start next day.
"Did you see the dead man?" he inquired, casually. "Yes, señor." Their looks met, held for an instant, dropped. Each read the thought of the other: the motive for the attack on the engineer was clear. But some convictions are better not expressed. "I should have liked to see Señor Weir do the shooting," Naharo stated. "Dios, such shooting! Two shots, two hits. And in the dark!" Martinez' grinned.
Word Of The Day