In those days of raids and "requisitions," the customary oversight of
the herds on the Chihuahua _haciendas_ had grown of necessity into a
system of patrols. At Los Arboles not a day passed without Gordon and
the Three describing a circle around the _hacienda_.
Riding south after the others left, Bull had covered only a few miles
before he spied a lone horseman topping a distant ridge. As the rider
drew near the first indefinite outlines resolved into the square, hard
figure of William Benson. Scarcely a week had passed without a visit
from the Englishman. From the first he had accorded Bull the respect due
to his quiet strength. Later, this had developed into a real liking
which showed in the smile that wiped out, for the moment, his native
harshness.
"Heard the news? The Carranzistas have given Valles a lovely trimming.
He didn't stop running till he reached El Oro."
Bull's black brows rose. "We'd allus allowed Valles could whip twice his
weight in Carranzistas. So long as they keep on killing one another off,
we sh'd worry."
Nodding, Benson went on. "Valles lost heavily in horses, and is looking
for fresh mounts. One of his colonels came to my place yesterday and
offered me a thousand pesos apiece for all I have."
"_Gold?_"
Benson's big mouth split in a sardonic grin. "Valles money, amigo,
beautifully printed on butcher paper. He must have used up all the
newspaper stocks in northern Mexico."
"And you sold?"
"I'd cut their throats first. It may come to that, but just now I see a
way--if not to pull even, at least to avoid complete loss. Between us we
can pretty nearly equip Valles with fresh mounts. The beggar has
gold--hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, in the El Paso banks, and
my idea is for us, you representing Lee, to go down to El Oro and offer
him all that we have for a low price in gold on condition that he permit
us to drive our other stock across the line. If he accepts, we then go
out of business till order is restored."
"Fine idea!" Bull added. "Could you let Mrs. Mills in on it? She was
telling last night she didn't know where to turn for living expenses."