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craved adventure and found it； and would presently awake to taste its bitter
flavor。
Away off across the mesa； sweltering among the rocks in Bear Canon； Luck
Lindsay panted and sweated and cussed the heat and painstakingly directed his
scenes； and never dreamed that a likeness of his voice had beguiled the
cashier of the Bernalillo County Bank into consenting to be robbed and beaten
into oblivion of his betrayal。
Andalthough some heartless teller of tales might keep you in the dark about
thisthe red automobile； having dodged hurriedly into a high…boarded
enclosure behind a Mexican saloon； emerged presently and went boldly off
across the bridge and up through Atrisco to the sand hills which is the
beginning of the desert off that way。 But another automobile； bigger and more
powerful and black； slipped out of this same enclosure upon another street；
and turned eastward instead of west。 This machine made for the mesa by a
somewhat roundabout course； and emerged； by way of a rough trail up a certain
draw in the edge of the tableland； to the main road where it turns the corner
of the cemetery。 From there the driver drove as fast as he dared until he
reached the hill that borders Tijeras Arroyo。 There being no sign of pursuit
to this point； he crossed the Arroyo at a more leisurely pace。 Then he went
speeding away into the edge of the mountains until they reached one of those
deep； deserted dry washes that cut the foothills here and there near Coyote
Springs。 There his passengers left him and disappeared up the dry wash。
Before the wound on the cashier's head had stopped bleeding； the black
automobile was returning innocently to town and no man guessed what business
had called it out upon the mesa。
CHAPTER VIII。 THE SONG OF THE OMAHA
〃Me； I theenk yoh not lov' me so moch as a pin；〃 Ramon complained in soft
reproach； down in the dry wash where Applehead had looked in vain for baling
wire。 〃Sometimes I show yoh what is like the Spanish lov'。 Like stars； like
firesometimes I seeng the jota for you that tell how moch I lov' yoh。 'Te
quiero； Baturra； te quiero；'〃 he began humming softly while he looked at her
with eyes that shone soft in the starlight。 〃Sometimes me； I learn yoh dat
songand moch more I learn yoh〃
Annie…Many…Ponies stood before him； straight and slim and with that air of
aloofness which so fired Ramon's desire for her。 She lifted a hand to check
him； and Ramon stopped instantly and waited。 So far had her power over him
grown。
〃All time you tell me you heap love；〃 she said in her crooning soft voice。
〃Why you not talk of priest to make us marry？ You say words for loveyou say
no word for wife。 Why you no say〃
〃Esposa！〃 Ramon's teeth gleamed white as a wolf's in the dusk。 〃When the padre
marry us I maybe teach you many ways to say wife！〃 He laughed under his
breath。 〃How I calls yoh wife when I not gets one kees； me？ Now I calls yoh la
sweetheartgood enough when I no gets so moch as touches hand weeth yoh。〃
〃I go way with you； you gets priest for make us marry？〃 Annie…Many…Ponies
edged closer so that she might read what was in his face。
〃Why yoh no trus' Ramon？ Sure； I gets padre！ W'at yoh theenk for speak lies；
me？ Sure； I gets padre； foolish one！ Me； I not like for yoh no trus' Ramon。
Looks like not moch yoh lov' Ramon。〃
〃I good girl；〃 Annie…Many…Ponies stated simply。 〃I love my husband when priest
says that's right thing to do。 You no gets priest； I no go with you。 I think
mens not much cares for marry all time。 Womens not care； they go to hell。
That's what priest tells。 Girls got to care。 That's truth。〃 Simple as
two…plus…two was the rule of life as Annie…Many…Ponies laid it down in words
before him。 No fine distinctions between virtue and superwomanhood there； if
you please！ No slurring of wrong so that it may look like an exalted right。
〃Womens got to care；〃 said Annie…Many…Ponies with a calm certainty that would
brook no argument。
〃Sure theeng；〃 Ramon agreed easily。 〃Yoh theenk I lov' yoh so moch if yoh not
good？〃
〃You gets priest？〃 Annie…Many…Ponies persisted。
〃Sure； I gets padre。 You theenk Ramon lies for soch theeng？〃
〃You swear； then； all same white mans in picture makes oath。〃 There was a new
quality of inflexibility under the soft music of her voice。 〃You lift up hand
and says； 'Help me by God I makes you for…sure my wife！'〃 She had pondered
long upon this oath； and she spoke it now with an easy certainty that it was
absolutely binding； and that no man would dare break it。 〃You makes that swear
now；〃 she urged gently。
〃Foolish one！ Yoh theenk I mus' swear I do what my hearts she's want？ I tell
yoh many times we go on one ranch my brother Tomas says she's be mine。 We
lives there in fine house weeth mooch flowers； yoh not so moch as lif' one
finger for work； querida mia。 Yoh theenk I not be trus'； me； Ramon what loves
yoh？〃
〃No hurt for swears what I tells；〃 Annie…Many…Ponies stepped back from him a
pace； distrust creeping into her voice。
〃All right。〃 Ramon moved nearer。 〃So I make oath； perhaps you make oath also！
Me； I theenk yoh perhaps not like for leave Luck LeensayI theenk perhaps yoh
loves heem； yoh so all time watch for ways to please！ So I swear； then yoh
mus' swear also that yoh come for…sure。 That square deal for bothsi？〃
Annie…Many…Ponies hesitated； a dull ache in her breast when Ramon spoke of
Luck。 But if her heart was sore at thought of him； it was because he no longer
looked upon her with the smile in his eyes。 It was because he was not so kind；
because he believed that she had secret meetings with Bill Holmes whom she
hated。 And in spite of the fact that Bill Holmes had left the company the
other day and was going away； Wagalexa Conka still looked upon her with cold
eyes and listened to the things that Applehead said against her。 The heart of
Wagalexa Conka； she told herself miserably； was like a stone for her。 And so
her own heart must be hard。 She would swear to Ramon； and she would keep the
oathand Wagalexa Conka would not even miss her or be sorry that she had
gone。
〃First you make swears like I tells you；〃 she said。 〃Then I make swears。〃
〃Muy bueno！〃 smiled Ramon then。 〃So I make oath I take you queek to one good
friend me； the Padre Dominguez。 Then yoh be my wife for sure。 That good enough
for yoh； perhaps？ Queeck yoh make oath yoh leave these place Mananatomorra。
Yoh go by ol' rancho where we talk so many time。 I leave horse for yoh。 Yoh
ride pas' that mountain； yoh come for Bernalillo。 Yoh wait。 I come queeck as
can when she's dark。 Yoh do that； sweetheart？〃
Annie…Many…Ponies stilled the ache in her heart with the thought of her proud
place beside Ramon who had much land and many cattle and who loved her so
much。 She lifted her hand and swore she would go with him。
She slipped away then and crept into her tent in the little cluster beside the
housefor the company 'had forsaken Applehead's adob