“I have a special desire to see her.”
“In your mysterious but seemingly sure way you are working for an end, señor, and I say Heaven speed you.”
“When I come back from my visit to the hacienda of the Señorita Suelo, I will get your cowboy chief to come to the Mission Ranch for a visit of several days, and he will guide us around to the other side of that range, for up there is the retreat of the secret foes.”
“I believe you are right. But I also will go, for you, a stranger, must not run all the risk in working for us here in this valley, who have suffered at the hands of the secret foes. I will accompany you, señor, and you may need my aid, as well as that of Palma.”
“I shall be only too happy to have you go, señor, for I shall go there for work, deadly work.”
Buffalo Bill rode away from the home of Señor Otega half an hour after he had enjoyed one of the señora’s most substantial dinners.
The ranchero was sorry to see him go, yet he was beginning to feel that all the scout understood he would accomplish. He had given him full directions for reaching the hacienda of the fair recluse.
It was situated down the valley from him, at the foot of the lake, and just half a score of miles from the Otega ranch.
As he drew near it, after a brisk ride, Buffalo Bill was glad to discover that there were innumerable hiding places for Texas Jack and his men, and their approach could not be seen by any one in the hacienda.
Some of the cowboys herding cattle gazed at the scout with interest as he rode along, but he seemed neither to avoid nor care to meet them.