“Diablo!” swore Guadalupe. “Who can this be?”
He grasped Wanna by the arm, whirled her around, and hurried her down the ladder, while Gonzales turned and walked drunkenly back toward the doorway, passing Torres, who had slumped at the word Americanos. He was too drunk to flee, and he felt sure, deep in his crooked soul, that retribution had overtaken him.
CHAPTER XIV
“MY FRIEND HAS A CHILL”
Gonzales leaned in the doorway and watched the riders draw up in the yard. Baldy Kern was in the lead, and behind him came Baum, Kohler, Horan, Doctor Meline and his son. Strapped to the back of the gray horse was Hashknife Hartley, bound tightly and blindfolded.
“Hello, compadre,” called Gonzales, as he recognized Baldy.
“Hyah, Gonzales,” laughed Baldy. “How yuh comin’?”
Another horseman came into view. It was Lee Yung. He was not much of a rider, which accounted for his slower pace. They dismounted as Guadalupe came out past Gonzales and greeted them. Lee Yung and Guadalupe were old friends, and the Chinaman spoke Spanish fluently.
“What of the prisoner?” asked Guadalupe in Spanish.
And while the rest of the cavalcade listened with little understanding, Lee Yung told Guadalupe why they had taken Hashknife Hartley prisoner. It took some little time.
“And will bringing him here give you back the stuff?” asked Guadalupe.