th his
sack all Mexican town was there.

"Muy bien," pronounced Rimrock as he inspected the ore-sack, "now come
with me, Amigo!"

Amigo Juan went, and all his friends after him, to see what El Patron
would do. Something generous and magnificent, they knew very well, for
El Patron was gentleman, muy caballero. He led the way to the bank,
still enquiring most solicitously about Juan's relations, his children,
his burros and so on; and Juan, sweating like a packed jack under the
stress of the excitement, answered courteously, as one should to El
Patron, and clung eagerly to his sack. The crowd entered the bank and
as L. W. came out Rimrock placed Juan's sack on the table.

"Bring out new silver dollars, fresh from the mint," he said, "and fill
up this sack for Juan!"

"Santa Maria!" exclaimed Juan fervently as the cashier came staggering
forth with a sack, and Rimrock took the bag, containing a thousand
bulging dollars, and set it down before him. He broke the seal and as
the shining silver burst forth he spilled it in a huge windrow on the
table.

"Now fill up your ore-sack," he said to Juan, "and all you can stuff
into it is yours."

"For a gift?" faltered Juan, and as Rimrock nodded he buried his hands
in the coin. The dollars clanged and rattled as they spilled on the
table and a great silence came over the crowd. They gazed at Old Juan
as if he were an Aladdin, or All Baba in his treasure-cave. Old,
gray-bearded Juan who hauled wood for a living, or packed cargas on his
burros for El Patron! Yes, here he was with his fists full of dollars,
piling them faster and faster into his bag.

"Now shake the bag down," suggested El Patron, "and perhaps you can get
in some more."

"Some more?" panted Juan and quite mad with great riches he stuffed the
sack to the top.

"Very well," said Rimrock, "now take them home, and give part of the
money to Rosita. Then take what is left in this other bag and give a
fiesta to the boys who worked for me."

"Make way!" cried Juan and as the crowd parted before him he went
staggering down the street. A few shiny dollars heaped high on the
top, fell off and were picked up by his friends. They went off
together, Old Juan and his amigos, and L. W. came over to Rimrock.

"Now listen to me, Henry Jones," he began; but Rimrock waved him away.

"I don't need to," he said, "I know what you'll say--but Juan there has
been my friend."

"Well, you don't need to spoil him--to