Part 21 (1/2)

DESPERATE MEASURES

Nightfall found the quartet established in the S Bar bunk house. The joyful thanks of Ma Thomas was enough reward for any of them. She hadn't expected to see Kid Wolf again, she said, and to have him return with help was a wonderful surprise.

She was a woman transformed and had taken new heart and courage. The supper she prepared for them, according to Kid Wolf, was the best he had eaten since he had left Texas.

All four of them were exceedingly hungry, and they made short work of Ma Thomas' enchiladas, crisp chicken _tacos_, peppers stuffed, and her marvelous _menudo_--a Mexican soup.

”With such eats as this,” sighed The Kid, ”I know the S Bar is saved.”

They were gathered now in the long, whitewashed adobe bunk house, and had finished their sad task of burying Thomas, victim of an a.s.sa.s.sin's bullet.

The Kid obtained the bullet that had taken the old rancher's life. It was a .45 slug, and while the others believed it useless as evidence, The Kid carefully put it away in his pocket.

”It's hard to say who done it,” Fred Wise said doubtfully.

”Yes,” The Kid agreed. ”I believe Ma Thomas was right when she said the hand of every one in San Felipe seemed to be raised against her.

How much do yo' suppose the S Bar is wo'th, Anton?”

”Well, with five good springs--two rock tanks and three gravel ones, she's a first-cla.s.s layout. The pick of the country. I'd say twenty thousand.”

”The robbers!” muttered Kid Wolf.

”What's on the program?” asked Frank Lathum. ”We can't do much ranchin' without cattle.”

”No,” admitted The Kid. ”We must get those cattle back.”

”But who ever heard o' gettin' cattle out o' Old Mexico after they've once been driven in?” Anton growled. ”It can't be done!”

”Money in cattle can't be hid like money in jewels or cash,” said The Kid. ”Theah not so easy to get rid of, even in Mexico. The town of Mariposa lies just over the bordah, am I right? And the only good cattle lands for a hundred miles are just south of theah, isn't that so?”

”Yes, but----”

”Men, this is a time fo' desperate measures. We must stake all on one turn of the cards. Boldness might win. I want yo' hombres to be in Mariposa the day _pasado_ manana.”

”The day after to-morrow!” Wise repeated. ”What's yore plan, Kid?”

”I don't know exactly,” Kid Wolf admitted. ”I make mah plans as I go along. But I'm ridin' into Mexico to-morrow to see what I can see.

I'll try to have the six hundred head of S Bar cattle in Mariposa the next day, some way or anothah.”

Bold was the word! The quartet talked until a late hour. The three riders had caught some of The Kid's own enthusiasm and courage.

”Ma Thomas sure needs us now,” said Anton.

”Hasn't she any relatives?” Kid Wolf asked.

”A son,” muttered Wise in a tone of disgust. ”Small good he is.”

”Where is he?”