Manuel came up and saddled his mount silently, his deft fingers working mechanically while his black eyes stole sidelong looks at Jack saddling Surry, as if he would measure the man anew.  While he was anathematizing the buckskin in language for which he would need to do a penance later on, if he confessed the blasphemy to the padre, Jack threw Valencia’s saddle upon the little sorrel pony Manuel had led up for him to ride.

“Truly one would not like to die for having stolen such a beast,” stated Manuel earnestly, knotting a macarte around the neck of the buckskin.  “He is only fit to carry men to hangings.  Come, accursed one!  The Vigilantes are weeping for one so like themselves.  Adios, Senors!”

He rode away, still heaping opprobrium upon the reluctant buckskin, and speedily he disappeared behind a clump of willows clothed in the pale green of new leaves.

Dade dropped the bullock hide which served for a door, to signify that the master of the house was absent.  Though the old don’s cattle might be butchered under his very nose, Manuel’s few belongings would not be molested, though only the dingy brown hide of a bull long since gone the way of all flesh barred the way; a week, one month or six the hut would stand inviolate from despoliation; for such was the unwritten law of a land where life was held cheaper than the things necessary to preserve life.

On such a morning, when the air was like summer and all the birds were rehearsing most industriously their parts in the opening chorus with which Spring meant to celebrate her return to the northern land, a ride down the valley was pure joy to any man whose soul was tuned in harmony with the great outdoors; and trouble lagged and could not keep pace with the riders.

Half-way down, they met Valencia, a slim young Spaniard with one of those amazing smiles that was like a flash of sunlight, what with his perfect teeth, his eyes that could almost laugh out loud, and a sunny soul behind them.  Valencia, having an appetite for acquiring wisdom of various kinds and qualities, knew some English and was not averse to making strangers aware of the accomplishment.

Therefore, when the two greeted him in Spanish, he calmly replied:  “Hello, pardner,” and pulled up for a smoke.

“How you feel for my dam-close call to-morrow?” he wanted to know of Jack, when he learned his name.

“Pretty well.  How did you know—?” began Jack, but the other cut him short.

“Jose, she heard on town.  The patron, she’s worry leetle.  She’s ’fraid for Senor Hunter be keel.  Me, I ride to find for-sure.”  Valencia dropped his match, and leaned negligently from the saddle and picked it out of the grass, his eyes stealing a look at the stranger as he came up.

“Good work,” commented Jack under his breath to Dade.  But Valencia’s ears were keen for praise; he heard, and from that moment he was Jack’s friend.

“I borrowed your saddle, Valencia,” Jack announced, meaning to promise a speedy return of it.