oned cavalry, driving the loose saddle horses before
them. Past the stone and adobe wall of the home pasture, past the fences
where the rails were held to their posts with rawhide thongs, which the
coyotes sometimes chewed to pulp and so made extra work for the peons,
they raced, exultant with life. Slim young Spaniards they were, clothed
picturesquely in velvet and braid and gay sashes; with cumbersome, hairy
chaparejos, high-crowned sombreros and big-roweled, silver spurs to mark
their calling; caballeros to flutter the heart of a languorous-eyed
senorita, and to tingle the pulse of the man who could command and see
them ride gallantly to do his bidding.

Fairly in the midst of them, quite as gaudy to look upon and every whit
as reckless in their horsemanship, rode Dade and Jack. If their hearts
were not as light, their faces gave no sign; and their tongues flung
back the good-humored jibes of their fellows in Spanish as fluent as any
they heard.

When they left the highway and rode straight down the valley through the
mustard that swept the chests of their plunging horses with dainty
yellow and green, the two fell behind and slowing their horses to an
easy lope, separated themselves from their exuberant fellows.

"I wish you were going along," Dade observed tritely. "If Jose Pacheco
changes his mind and stays at home, I'll send you word and you can come
on, if you want to."

"Thanks." Jack's tone, however, did not sound thankful. "If I wanted to
go, do you think I'd hang back because he's going?"

"No, I don't. I think the prospect of a fine, large row would be a
temptation; and I must say I'm kinda surprised that you've been able to
resist it. Still, I realize there's compensations."

"Sure, there are. I never denied it, did I?"

"Never. I reckon you've sent by Bill Wilson for a trumpet to proclaim--"

"Oh, shut up. I think," Jack decided suddenly and without any visible
cause, "I'll turn off here and ride around by Jerry Simpson's. Adios,
old man, and heaps of good luck to you." He swung abruptly off to the
right and galloped away, looking back over his shoulder when he had
ridden a hundred paces, to wave his sombrero and shout a last word or
two of farewell.

"Truly, Jose will be disappointed when he does not see Senor Jack
amongst us," smiled Valencia, reining in beside Dade and looking after
the departing horseman with friendly eyes. "Though if he had good sense,
he would be thankful. Me, I should not