disorder. And finally, as they moved past the
well, a half-grown boy, only partly dressed, hurtled
out of the side door of one house, raced across
a yard to the front door of another house, and
slammed the door shut behind him in a panic.

It was all very strange, and it made a deep impression
upon him. Also it evidently impressed
the men, for as they drew rein in front of the
store, with its dust-dry shelves and haunting
silence, all asked quick questions of the proprietor,
a little wizened, gimlet-eyed Mexican who was
leaning in the doorway. After glancing over
their accoutrements with a nod of understanding,
he answered, explaining the reason for the
agitation.

It was all the result of a raid. Three days before
a band of marauders had swept down from
the north, ransacked pigstys and chicken-coops
and corrals, and galloped off madly to the south.
Yes, they had plundered the store also. Indian
renegades -- yes. He could not say from what
reservation. Yes, they were armed, and in warpaint,
and riding good horses -- all of them. No,
he could not say -- about thirty in the band, perhaps.
He -- What? Yes, he had alfalfa and,
if they wished, other things -- beans and rice and
canned goods. No, the renegades had not wholly
cleaned out the store. Yes, he had matches.
No, they had not -- What? _Vino_? To be sure
he had _Vino_! He would get -- how many bottles?
--?? right away! It was in the cellar, where he kept
it cool, and reasonably safe from all marauders--

[[229]]

p228 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p229w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p230

v?