Part 1 (1/2)
The Silver Canyon
by George Manville Fenn
CHAPTER ONE
HOW THEY DECIDED TO RUN THE RISK
”Well, Joses,” said Dr Lascelles, ”if you feel afraid, you had better go back to the city”
There was a dead silence here, and the little party grouped about between a s embers of the fire, at which a meal of savoury antelope steaks had lately been cooked, carefully avoided glancing one at the other
Just inside the entrance of the tent, a pretty, slightly- her needle in the repair of sos that had evidently been ed land She was very si veil of a Spanish woested that she was English, as did also the speech of the fine athletic
His appearance, too, was decidedly Spanish, for he wore the short jacket with eht trousers-- and ankle-sash, and broad sombrero of the Mexican-Spanish inhabitant of the south-western regions of the great American continent
Thehalf-breed, who lay upon the parched earth, his brow rugged, his eyes half-closed, and lips pouted out in a surly, resentful way, as if he were just about to speak and say so nasty
Threebeside and behind, all sarettes, which frohted with a brand at the fire, as they see on between the bronzed Englishman and him who had been addressed as Joses
They were all half-breeds, and boasted of their English blood, but always o about the Indian fluid that coursed through their veins; while they followed neither the fashi+on of Englishman nor Indian in costume, but, like the first speaker, were dressed as Spaniards, each also wearing a handkerchief of bright colour tied round his head and beneath his soft hat, just as if a wound had been received, with a long showy blanket depending from the shoulder, and upon which they now half lay
There was another present, however, also an anxious watcher of the scene, and that was a well-built youth of about the sairl For the last fivethe lock; and this task done, he let the weapon rest with its butt upon the rocky earth, its sling-strap hanging loose, and its ainst a rock and looked sharply fro to hear the result of the conversation
His appearance was different to that of his co tunic and loose breeches of what at the first glance seemed to be dark tan-coloured velvet, but a second look showed to be very soft, well-prepared deerskin; stout gaiters of a hard leather protected his legs; a belt, looped so as to fore-holder, and a natty little felt hat, completed his costume
Like the half-breeds, he wore a formidable knife in his belt, while on their part each had near hi pause, ”you do not speak; I say, are you afraid?”
”I dunno, master,” said the man addressed ”I don't feel afraid now, but if a lot of Injuns coallop, I dessay I should feel a bit queer”
There was a growl of acquiescence here from the other men, and the first speaker went on
”Well,” he said, ”let us understand our position at once I would rather go on alone than with men I could not trust”
”Always did trust us, master,” said the man surlily
”Allays,” said the one nearest to hi fellow than his companion
”I always did, Joses; I always did, Juan; and you too, Harry and Sam,”