remember the friends," he said. "And I'll forget the things that hurt;
I'm a selfish brute--whee-ee! I should say!" He pulled up as short as
Solano would let him, and stared from Dade to Valencia with guilty eyes.

"Diego--I forgot that Injun, Dade; and next to you, I believe he's the
best friend I've got on earth! I was so wrapped up in my own bruises
that I clean overlooked something that I ought to be mighty grateful
for. Dade, do you think he'd like to go along to the mine? You know his
wife died a few months ago, and he's kind of alone; do you think he'd
go?"

"I think the chance to go would look like a ticket to glory," Dade
assured him sententiously.

Whereupon Jack dismounted, that he might write a few lines as he had
written the note to Bill Wilson, a couple of months before: with a leaf
from his memorandum book and a bullet for pencil.

"Give that to Don Andres, will you, Valencia? It's to ask how much is
Diego's debt, and to say that I'll pay it if the peon wants to come with
me. We'll wait in town until we hear; perhaps Don Andres will let you
come up with Diego--that is, if Diego wants to come. You ask him,
Valencia."

"He will come, Senor; nothing would give him greater joy. And," he added
wishfully, "but for my sweetheart, Senors, I would ask that I might come
with you also!"

"You stick to your sweetheart, Valencia--if she's true," Jack advised
him somberly. "Now, Dade, I guess we're ready for the long ride to
supper. Why don't you kick me for being such a selfish cuss?"

"Maybe because I'm used to you," Dade's lips quirked humorously after
the retort. "You're just Jack--and you couldn't be any different, I
reckon, if you tried. Well, come along, then. Adios, Valencia."

Once more they shook hands solemnly with the vaquero, who had no smile
for the parting.

"Adios, adios," Valencia called lingeringly after them, and held his
horse quiet that he might gaze after them until a willow bend hid them
finally from his view.

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