Curly: A Tale of the Arizona Desert

by Roger Pocock

The voices in the guardroom had quit muttering, but now a horseman pulled up at the front door.

"Buenas noches hombre!"

And somebody answered: "Buenas tardes señor!"

Then talk began in Spanish. "Can a feed of corn be bought here for the horse? He arrives from Grave City."

"What news of the gringoes?"

"Muchos. El Señor Don Rex has been shot."

"Don Rex has been murdered?"

"No, it was a fight. It must be understood that his son, Don Santiago——"

"What, El Chico?"

"Yes, El Chico 'Jim,' had a feud against the very rich Señor Ryan. He hired ladrones from the north, the Robbers' Roost Gang it is called, to murder Señor Ryan. It seems the ladrones wore masks, and they were led by a young robber named Curly, for whom great rewards are offered—two thousand pesos d'oro, dead or alive."