第88章

"The captain is one grand fighter," he said."How my dear general would admire such a man as the captain.Doubtless he would make him a colonel.Come with me Senor Capitan and your fortune is made.""Come where?" asked Billy Byrne.

"To the camp of the liberator of poor, bleeding Mexico--to General Francisco Villa.""Nothin' doin'," said Billy."I'm hooked up with this Pesita person now, an' I guess I'll stick.He's given me more of a run for my money in the last twenty-four hours than I've had since I parted from my dear old friend, the Lord of Yoka.""But Senor Capitan," cried Miguel, "you do not mean to say that you are going back to Pesita! He will shoot you down with his own hand when he has learned what has happened here.""I guess not," said Billy.

"You'd better go with Miguel, Billy," urged Bridge."Pesita will not forgive you this.You've cost him eight men today and he hasn't any more men than he needs at best.Besides you've made a monkey of him and unless I miss my guess you'll have to pay for it.""No," said Billy, "I kind o' like this Pesita gent.I think I'll stick around with him for a while yet.Anyhow until I've had a chance to see his face after I've made my report to him.

You guys run along now and make your get-away good, an'

I'll beat it back to camp."

He crossed to where the two horses of the slain marksmen were hidden, turned one of them loose and mounted the other.

"So long, boes!" he cried, and with a wave of his hand wheeled about and spurred back along the trail over which they had just come.

Miguel and Bridge watched him for a moment, then they, too, mounted and turned away in the opposite direction.

Bridge recited no verse for the balance of that day.His heart lay heavy in his bosom, for he missed Billy Byrne, and was fearful of the fate which awaited him at the camp of the bandit.

Billy, blithe as a lark, rode gaily back along the trail to camp.He looked forward with unmixed delight to his coming interview with Pesita, and to the wild, half-savage life which association with the bandit promised.All his life had Billy Byrne fed upon excitement and adventure.As gangster, thug, holdup man and second-story artist Billy had found food for his appetite within the dismal, sooty streets of Chicago's great West Side, and then Fate had flung him upon the savage shore of Yoka to find other forms of adventure where the best that is in a strong man may be brought out in the stern battle for existence against primeval men and conditions.The West Side had developed only Billy's basest characteristics.He might have slipped back easily into the old ways had it not been for HER and the recollection of that which he had read in her eyes.Love had been there; but greater than that to hold a man into the straight and narrow path of decency and honor had been respect and admiration.It had seemed incredible to Billy that a goddess should feel such things for him--for the same man her scornful lips once had branded as coward and mucker; yet he had read the truth aright, and since then Billy Byrne had done his best according to the fight that had been given him to deserve the belief she had in him.

So far there had crept into his consciousness no disquieting doubts as to the consistency of his recent action in joining the force of a depredating Mexican outlaw.Billy knew nothing of the political conditions of the republic.Had Pesita told him that he was president of Mexico, Billy could not have disputed the statement from any knowledge of facts which he possessed.

As a matter of fact about all Billy had ever known of Mexico was that it had some connection with an important place called Juarez where running meets were held.

To Billy Byrne, then, Pesita was a real general, and Billy, himself, a bona fide captain.He had entered an army which was at war with some other army.What they were warring about Billy knew not, nor did he care.There should be fighting and he loved that--that much he knew.The ethics of Pesita's warfare troubled him not.He had heard that some great American general had said: "War is hell." Billy was willing to take his word for it, and accept anything which came in the guise of war as entirely proper and as it should be.

The afternoon was far gone when Billy drew rein in the camp of the outlaw band.Pesita with the bulk of his raiders was out upon some excursion to the north.Only half a dozen men lolled about, smoking or sleeping away the hot day.They looked at Billy in evident surprise when they saw him riding in alone; but they asked no questions and Billy offered no explanation--his report was for the ears of Pesita only.

The balance of the day Billy spent in acquiring further knowledge of Spanish by conversing with those of the men who remained awake, and asking innumerable questions.It was almost sundown when Pesita rode in.Two riderless horses were led by troopers in the rear of the little column and three men swayed painfully in their saddles and their clothing was stained with blood.