Ed could not restrain a malevolent gleam of curiosity. "Say, who is it?
Ain't I entitled to know that much?" As Alaire remained silent he let
his eyes rove over her with a kind of angry appreciation. "You're
pretty enough to stampede any man," he admitted. "Yes, and you've got
money, too. I'll bet it's the Ranger. So, you've been having your fling
while I was away. Hunh! We're tarred with the same stick."
"You don't really believe that," she told him, sharply.
"Why not? You've had enough opportunity. I don't see anything of you,
and haven't for years. Well, I was a fool to trust you."
Alaire's eyes were very dark and very bright as she said: "I wonder how
I have managed to live with you as long as I have. I knew you were
weak, nasty--so I was prepared for something like this. But I never
thought you were a downright criminal until--"
"Criminal? Rot!"
"How about that Guzman affair? You can't go much lower, Ed, and you
can't keep me here with you."
"I can't keep you, eh?" he growled. "Well, perhaps not. I suppose
you've got enough on me to secure a divorce, but I can air some of your
dirty linen. Oh, don't look like that! I mean it! Didn't you spend a
night with David Law?" He leered at her unpleasantly, then followed a
step as she drew back.
"Don't you touch me!" she cried.
A flush was deepening Ed's purple cheeks; his voice was peculiarly
brutal and throaty as he said: "The decree isn't entered yet, and so
long as you are Mrs. Austin I have rights. Yes, and I intend to
exercise them. You've made me jealous, and, by God--" He made to
encircle her with his arms and was half successful, but when Alaire
felt the heat of his breath in her face a sick loathing sprang up
within her, and, setting her back against the wall, she sent him
reeling. Whether she struck him or merely pushed him away she never
knew, for during the instant of their struggle she was blind with
indignation and fury. Profiting by her advantage, she dodged past him,
fled to her room, and locked herself in.
She heard him muttering profanely; heard him approach her chamber more
than once, then retire uncertainly, but she knew him too well to be
afraid.
Later that night she wrote two letters--one to Judge Ellsworth, the
other to Dave Law.
José Sanchez rode to the Morales house feeling some concern over the
summons that took him thither. He wondered what could have induced
General Longorio to forsake his many important duties in order to make
the long trip from Nuevo Pueblo; surely it could be due to no lack of
zeal on his, José's, part. No! The horse-breaker flattered himself that
he had made a very good spy indeed; that he had been Longorio's eyes
and ears so far as circumstances permitted. Nor did he feel that he had
been lax in making his reports, for through Rosa he had written the
general several lengthy letters, and just for good measure these two
had conjured up sundry imaginary happenings to prove beyond doubt that
Señora Austin was miserably unhappy with her husband and ready to
welcome such a dashing lover as Longorio. Therefore José could not for
the life of him imagine wherein he had been remiss. Nevertheless, he
was uneasy, and he hoped that nothing had occurred to anger his general.
But Longorio, when he arrived at the meeting-place, was not in a bad
humor. Having sent Rosa away on some errand, he turned to José with a
flashing smile, and said:
"Well, my good friend, the time has come."
Now José had no faintest idea what the general was talking about, but
to be called the good friend of so illustrious a person was flattering.
He nodded decisively.
"Yes, beyond doubt," he agreed.
"Mexico is in a bad way. These rebels are growing by the thousands;
they overrun the country like ants. You read the papers, eh?"
"Sometimes; when there are enough pictures," said José.
"Ha! Then I doubt if you know what is happening. Well, I'll have to
tell you. Our enemies have taken all northern Mexico except that part
which is under my control; but they are pushing toward me from two
sides, and I prepare to retreat. That is not the worst, however; the
Gringos are hoping to profit by Mexico's distress; they are making
ready to invade our Fatherland, and every Mexican must fight or become
a slave."
This was indeed news! José began patriotically cursing the whole
American people.
"Understand, I make you my confidant because I think a great deal of
you, José." The general laid an affectionate hand upon José's shoulder.
"The first time I saw you I said: 'There's a boy after my own heart. I
shall learn to love that José, and I shall put him in the way of his
fortune.' Well, I have not changed my mind, and the time is come. You
are going to help me and I am going to help you."
José Sanchez thrilled with elation from head to foot. This promised to
be the greatest day of his life, and he felt that he must be dreaming.
"You haven't tired of Rosa, eh? You still wish to marry her?" Longorio
was inquiring.
"Yes. But, of course, I'm a poor man."
"Just so. I shall attend to that. Now we come to the object of my
visit. José, I propose to make you rich enough in one day so that you
can marry."
"But first, wait!" exclaimed the horse-breaker. "I bring you something
of value, too." Desiring to render favor for favor, and to show that he
was fully deserving of the general's generosity, José removed from
inside the sweatband of his hat a sealed, stamped letter, which he
handed to his employer. "Yesterday I carried the mail to town, but as I
rode away from Las Palmas the señora handed me this, with a silver
dollar for myself. Look! It is written to the man we both hate."
Longorio took the letter, read the inscription, and then opened the
envelope. José looked on with pleasure while he spelled out the
contents.
When the general had finished reading, he exclaimed: "Ho! A miracle!
Now I know all that I wish to know."
"Then I did well to steal that letter, eh?"
"Diablo! Yes! That brute of a husband makes my angel's life unbearable,
and she flees to La Feria to be rid of him. Good! It fits in with my
plans. She will be surprised to see me there. Then, when the war comes
and all is chaos then what? I'll warrant I can make her forget certain
things and certain people." Longorio nodded with satisfaction. "You did
very well, José."
The latter leaned forward, his eyes bright. "That lady is rich. A fine
prize, truly. She would bring a huge ransom."
This remark brought a smile to Longorio's face. "My dear friend, you do
not in the least understand," he said. "Ransom! What an idea!" He lost
himself in meditation, then, rousing, spoke briskly: "Listen! In two,
three days, your señora will leave Las Palmas. When she is gone you
will perform your work, like the brave man I know you to be. You will
relieve her of her husband."
José hesitated, and the smile vanished from his face. "Señor Ed is not
a bad man. He likes me; he--" Longorio's gaze altered and José fell
silent.
"Come! You are not losing heart, eh? Have I not promised to make you a
rich man? Well, the time has arrived." Seeing that José still
manifested no eagerness, the general went on in a different tone: "Do
not think that you can withdraw from our little arrangement. Oh no! Do
you remember a promise I made to you when you came to me in Romero? I
said that if you played me false I would bury you to the neck in an
anthill and fill your mouth with honey. I keep my promises."
José's struggle was brief; he promptly resigned himself to the
inevitable. With every evidence of sincerity he assured Longorio of his
loyalty, and denied the least intention of betraying his general's
confidence. What, after all, was his mission upon earth if not to serve
Longorio's interests? One might have a peaceful heart and still be a
man. José was every inch a man; he was a very devil when he let himself
go, and his Excellency need have no fears as to the outcome of their
plan. After all, the GRINGOS were enemies, and there was no one of them
who did not merit destruction.
Pleased with these sentiments, and feeling sufficiently assured that
José was now really in the proper frame of mind to suit his purpose,
Longorio took the winding trail back toward Sangre de Cristo.