CHAPTER XXII
"A DRESS--OR A RING, PERHAPS"
All that day Pete lay in the shade of the 'dobe feigning indifferenceto Boca as she brought him water and food, until even she was deceivedby his listlessness, fearing that he had been seriously injured. Notuntil evening did he show any sign of interest in her presence. Withthe shadows it grew cooler. Old Flores sat in the doorway smoking.His wife sat beside him, gazing at the far rim of the evening canon.Presently she rose and stepped round to where Pete and Boca weretalking. "You will go," said Boca's mother abruptly. "Boca shall finda horse for you."
Pete, taken by surprise,--Boca's mother had spoken just when Pete hadasked Boca where her father kept the horses,--stammered anacknowledgment of her presence; but the Mexican woman did not seem tohear him. "To-night," she continued, "Boca will find a horse. It isgood that you go--but not that you go to Showdown."
"I sure want to thank you both. But, honest, I wouldn't know whereelse to go but to Showdown. Besides, I got a hunch Malvey was headedthat way."
"That is as a man speaks," said the senora. "My man was like thatonce--but now--"
"I'm broke--no dineros," said Pete.
"It is my horse that he shall have--" Boca began.
But her mother interrupted quietly. "The young senor will return--andthere are many ways to pay. We are poor. You will not forget us. Youwill come again, alone in the night. And it is not Malvey that willshow you the way."
"Not if I see him first, senora."
"You jest--but even now you would kill Malvey if he were here."
"You sure are tellin' Malvey's fortune," laughed Pete. "Kin you tellmine?"
"Again you jest--but I will speak. You will not kill Malvey, yet youshall find your own horse. You will be hunted by men, but you will notalways be as you are now. Some day you will have wealth, and then itis that you will remember this night. You will come again at night,and alone--but Boca will not be here. You will grow weary of life frommuch suffering, even as I. Then it is that you will think of thesedays and many days to come--and these days shall be as wine in your oldage--" Boca's mother paused as though listening. "But like wine--"and again she paused.
"Headache?" queried Pete. "Well, I know how that feels, without thewine. That fortune sounds good to me--all except that about Boca.Now, mebby you could tell me which way Malvey was headed?"
"He has ridden to Showdown."
"So that red-headed hoss-thief fanned it right back to his boss, eh?He must 'a' thought I was fixed for good."
"It is his way. Men spake truly when they called him the bull. He isbig--but he is as a child."
"Well, there's goin' to be one mighty sick child for somebody to nurse,right soon," stated Pete.
"I have said that it is bad that you ride to Showdown. But you will gothere--and he whom men call The Spider--he shall be your friend--evenwith his life."
As quietly as she came the Mexican woman departed, leaving Boca andPete gazing at each other in the dusk. "She makes me afraidsometimes," whispered Boca.
"Sounds like she could jest plumb see what she was talkin' about. Kindof second-sight, I reckon. Wonder why she didn't put me wise to Malveywhen I lit in here with him? It would 'a' saved a heap of trouble."
"It is the dream," said Boca. "These things she has seen in a dream."
"I ain't got nothin' against your ole--your mother, Boca, but by theway I'm feelin', she's sure due to have a bad one, right soon."
"You do not believe?" queried Boca quite seriously.
"Kind of--half. I don't aim to know everything."
"She said you would come back," and Boca smiled.
"_That_ dream'll sure come true. I ain't forgettin'. But I ain'tgoin' to wait till you're gone."
Boca touched Pete's hand. "And you will bring me a present. Adress--or a ring, perhaps?"
"You kin jest bank on that! I don't aim to travel where they make 'emreg'lar, but you sure get that present--after I settle with Malvey."
"That is the way with men," pouted Boca. "They think only of thequarrel."
"You got me wrong, senorita. I don't want to kill nobody. The bigidee is to keep from gittin' bumped off myself. Now you'd think awhole lot of me if I was to ride off and forgit all about what Malveydone?"
"I would go with you," said Boca softly.
"Honest? Well, you'd sure make a good pardner." Pete eyed the girlwith a new interest. Then he shook his head. "I--you'd sure make agood pardner--but it would be mighty tough for you. I'd do mostanything--but that. You see, Chicita, I'm in bad. I'm like to getmine most any time. And I ain't no ladies' man--nohow."
"But you will come back?" queried Boca anxiously.
"As sure as you're livin'! Only you want to kind o' eddicate your oleman to handle bottles more easy-like. He ought to know what they'remade for."
"Your head--it is cool," said Boca, reaching up and touching Pete'sforehead.
"Oh, I'm feelin' fine, considerin'."
"Then I am happy," said Boca.
Pete never knew just how he happened to find Boca's hand in his own.But he knew that she had a very pretty mouth, and fine eyes; eyes thatglowed softly in the dusk. Before he realized what had happened, Bocawas in his arms, and he was telling her again and again that "he surewould come back."
She murmured her happiness as he kissed her awkwardly, and quickly, asthough bidding her a hasty farewell. But she would not let him go withthat. "Mi amor! Mi corazone!" she whispered, as she clasped her handsbehind his head and gently drew his mouth to hers.
Pete felt embarrassed, but his embarrassment melted in the soft warmthof her affection and he returned her kisses with all the ardor ofyouth. Suddenly she pushed him away and rose. Her mother had calledher.
"About twelve," whispered Pete. "Tell your ole man I'll bush out here.It's a heap cooler."
She nodded and left him. Pete heard Flores speak to her gruffly.
"Somebody ought to put that ole side-of bacon in the well,"soliloquized Pete. "I could stand for the ole lady, all right, andBoca sure is a lily . . . but I was forgettin' I got to ride toShowdown to-night."
The Ridin' Kid from Powder River Page 22
