"Well, it is no use worrying about it, Royce. I suppose we shall hear sooner or later what it is all about."
Passing through the hotel they took their seats at some tables placed in the shade in front of the house, and there sat smoking and talking for some time.
"If those fellows round the door keep on looking at us much longer," Royce said, "I shall get up and ask them what they mean."
"Don't do that, Royce. It would only bring on a fight; that is no use here."
"Waal," Royce said doggedly, "I haven't got to sit here to be stared at, and some of them fellows is going to get wiped out if they go on at it."
"We are sure to hear before long, Royce. See, there is a knot of four or five fellows in uniform at the other end of the square. I suppose that they are a sort of policemen. I have seen them looking this way. You will see they are going to arrest us presently, and then, I suppose, we shall hear all about it."
"I wish we had Broncho Harry and the rest of our outfit here," Royce said. "We would clear out the whole town."
Half an hour later there was a clatter of horses' hoofs, and two gentlemen, followed by half a dozen Mexican vaqueros, rode into the square and made straight for the hotel. Simultaneously the guardians of the peace moved across the square, and there was a stir among the loungers at the entrance to the hotel.
"The affair is coming to a crisis, Royce!"
One of the Mexicans was an elderly man, the other a lad seventeen or eighteen years old. The latter dismounted and entered the hotel. In two minutes he reappeared and spoke to the other, who also dismounted, and after a word or two with one of the men belonging to the hotel, and a short conversation with the leader of the party of civil guards, advanced to the table at which Hugh and Royce were sitting. He saluted them as they rose to their feet. Hugh returned the salutation.