Part 57 (1/2)
Barbara Harding had not cried out nor attempted to, for she had seen very shortly after her capture that she was in the hands of Indians and she judged from what she had heard of the little band of Pimans who held forth in the ladly knife her as not
Jose was a Piman, and she immediately connected Jose with the perpetration, or at least the planning of her abduction Thus she felt assured that no harm would come to her, since Jose had been famous in his time for the number and size of the ransoms he had collected
Her father would pay as demanded, she would be returned and, aside from a few days of discomfort and hardshi+p, she would be none the worse off for her experience Reasoning thus it was not difficult to maintain her composure and presence of mind
As Barbara was borne toward the east, Billy Byrne rode steadily northward It was his intention to stop at Jose's hut and deliver the iven him for the old Indian Then he would disappear into the e a new raid upon some favored friend of General Francisco Villa, for Billy had no love for Villa
He should have been glad to pay his respects to El Orobo Rancho and its fore owned it and that he and Barbara were there was sufficient effectually to banish all thoughts of revenge along that line
”Maybe I can get his goat later,” he thought, ”when he's away from the ranch I don't like that stiff, anyhow He orter been a harness bull”
It was four o'clock in thewhen Billy dismounted in front of Jose's hut He pounded on the door until the man came and opened it
”Eh!” exclaiot away from them Fine!” and the old o that Villistas capture Capitan Byrne and take him to Cuivaca”
”Thanks,” said Billy ”Pesita wants you to send Esteban to hiht while them pikers was stickin'
aroun', so I stops now on ht if I can get hi, Grayson”
”Wot's he doin' fer Grayson?” asked Billy ”And as the Grayson guy doin' up here with you, Jose? Ain't you gettin' pretty thick with Pesita's enerinned ”Grayson have a job he want good ot nothin' do Pesita, Villa, Carranza, revolution--just private job
Grayson want senorita He pay to get her That all”
”Oh,” said Billy, and yawned He was not interested in Mr Grayson's aet her himself?” he inquired disinterestedly ”He irl fer hiirl, Senor Capitan,” said Jose ”It is one beautiful senorita--the daughter of the owner of El Orobo Rancho”
”What?” cried Billy Byrne ”What's that you say?”
”Yes, Senor Capitan, what of it?” inquired Jose ”Grayson he pay et Esteban They go tonight take away the senorita; but not for Grayson,” and the old fellow laughed ”I can no help can I? Grayson pay irl,” and he shrugged
”They're coht?” cried Billy
”Si, senor,” replied Jose ”Doubtless they already take her”
”hell!”Brazos about so quickly that the little pony pivoted upon his hind legs and dashed away toward the south over the same trail he had just traversed
CHAPTER XV AN INDIAN'S TREACHERY
THE Brazos pony had traveled far that day but for only a trifle over ten miles had he carried a rider upon his back He was, consequently, far froed as he leaped forward to the lifted reins and tore along the dusty river trail back in the direction of Orobo
Never before had Brazos covered ten miles in so short a tiue, he stopped, staggered and fell in front of the office building at El Orobo
Eddie Shorter had sat in the chair as Barbara and Billy had last seen hi until Byrne should have an a the prisoner's escape Eddie had deterrinned as he anticipated the rage of Grayson and the Villistas when they learned that their bird had flown, and as he ht when Eddie awoke, and as he looked up at the little clock ticking against the wall, and saw the tiave an exclamation of surprise and leaped to his feet Just as he opened the outer door of the office he saw a horse He saw the aninized the pony as Brazos, and another glance at the nition of him, too