United States or Greenland ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Leaving the body of Barbato to be devoured by wolves and vultures, they spur on along the Pecos, only drawing bridle to breathe their horses as the trail turns up at the bottom of a confluent creek the Arroyo de Alamo. Discomfited chagrined by his discomfiture burning with shame at the pitiful spectacle he has afforded to his followers Uraga returns within his tent like an enraged tiger.
True, by the death of Horned Lizard he has lost an ally who, on some future scheme of murder, might have been used to advantage; while Barbato, whose life he believes also taken, can no more do him service as agent in his intercourse with the red pirates of the prairie. It matters not much now.
Despite common belief, the instinct of the Indian is not always sure, nor his intellect unerring. An instance of the contrary is afforded by the behaviour of the Tenawa chief and his subordinate Barbato. About the buzzards both have been mistaken. The second flock seen by them is not hovering over a horse, but above an encampment of horsemen.
The individuals most conspicuous in it are the Texan captain, the guide Cully, Walt Wilder, and the young Kentuckian, though several besides take part in the conference. Two others are concerned in it, though not forming figures in the group. They are some paces apart, lying on the grass, both bound. These are the traitor Manuel and the renegade Barbato.
Though there is no name appended to the diabolical chapter of instructions, they have no doubt as to who has dictated it. Circumstances, present and antecedent, point to the man of whom they are in pursuit Gil Uraga. And he to whom the epistle is superscribed, "Por Barbato."
Only one thing, which, in the eyes of the examinators, appears out of place; a sheet of paper folded in the form of a letter, and sealed as such. It is saturated with water, stained to the hue of the still turbid stream. But the superscription can be read, "Por Barbato." So much Cully and Wilder, who assist at the examination, can make out for themselves.
His next interrogatory, quickly put, is to get satisfied on this head. "You reached the Tenawa town?" "We did, senor coronel." "Pedrillo carried a message to the Horned Lizard, with a letter for Barbato. You know that, I suppose?" "He told me so." "Well, you saw him deliver the letter to Barbato?" "He did not deliver it to Barbato." "To the chief, then?" "To neither, your Excellency.
Don't you remember, Barbato, one of our horses gave out there, and was left? It's over him the zopilotes are swooping. He's not dead yet; that's why they don't go down." "It may be," rejoins the renegade. "Still I don't like the look of it. Over a dead horse they'd hardly soar so high. True, they keep in one place. If it were Texans pursuing us they'd be moving onward coming nearer and nearer.
He little dreams at the moment he is thus expecting his red-skinned confederate, that the latter, along with the best braves of his band, has gone to the happy hunting grounds, while his go-between, Barbato, is in safe keeping elsewhere.
A small silver coin taken from his pocket makes the necessary impression. There does not appear to be any name appended to the epistle, if one it is; and the superscription shows only two words, without any address. The words are "El Barbato." Again ringing the bell, the same servant answers it.
Word Of The Day