“It ain’t that,” Blaze defended himself.  “I know her husband, and he’s a bad hombre.  He backed me up against a waterin’-trough and told my fortune yesterday.  He said I’d be married twice and have many children.  He told me I was fond of music and a skilled performer on the organ, but melancholy and subject to catarrh, Bright’s disease, and ailments of the legs.  He said I loved widows, and unless I was poisoned by a dark lady I’d live to be eighty years old.  Why, he run me over like a pet squirrel lookin’ for moles, and if I’d had a gun on me I’d have busted him for some of the things he said.  ‘A dark lady!’ That’s his wife.  I give you warnin’, Paloma, don’t you ask her to stay for meals.  People like them are dangerous.”

“You’re too silly!” said Paloma.  “Nobody believes in such things.”

“They don’t, eh?  Well, he’s got all of Jonesville walkin’ around ladders, and spittin’ through crossed fingers, and countin’ the spots on their nails.  He interprets their dreams and locates lost articles.”

“Maybe he can tell me where to find Adolfo Urbina?” Dave suggested.

“Humph!  If he can’t, Tad Lewis can.  Say, Dave, this case of yours has stirred up a lot of feelin’ against Tad.  The prosecutin’ attorney says he’ll sure cinch him and Urbina, both.  One of Lewis’s men got on a bender the other night and declared Adolfo would never come to trial.”

“What did he mean?”

“It may have been mescal talk, but witnesses sometimes have a way of disappearin’.  I wouldn’t put anything past that gang.”

Not long after breakfast Don Ricardo Guzman appeared at the Jones house and warmly greeted his two friends.  To Dave he explained: 

“Last night I came to town, and this morning I heard you had returned, so I rode out at once.  You were unsuccessful?”

“Our man never went to Pueblo.”

“Exactly.  I thought as much.”

“He’s probably safe across the river.”

But Ricardo thought otherwise.  “No.  Urbina deserted from this very Colonel Blanco who commands the forces at Romero.  He would scarcely venture to return to Federal territory.  However, I go to meet Blanco to-day, and perhaps I shall discover something.”

“What takes you over there?” Blaze inquired.

“Wait until I tell you.  Senor David, here, brings me good fortune at every turn.  He honors my poor thirsty rancho with a visit and brings a glorious rain; then he destroys my enemies like a thunderbolt.  No sooner is this done than I receive from the Federals an offer for fifty of my best horses.  Caramba!  Such a price, too.  They are in a great hurry, which looks as if they expected an attack from the Candeleristas at Matamoras.  I hope so.  God grant these traitors are defeated.  Anyhow, the horses have gone, and to-day I go to get my money, in gold.”

“Who’s going with you?” asked Law.

Ricardo shrugged.  “Nobody.  There is no danger.”