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The balance of the day Billy spent in acquiring further knowledge of Spanish by conversing with those of theinnumerable questions It was almost sundohen Pesita rode in Two riderless horses were led by troopers in the rear of the little column and threewas stained with blood

Evidently Pesita hadon the part of those who had remained behind in their endeavors to extract fro coether the various scraps of conversation he could understand Billy discovered that Pesita had ridden far to demand tribute fro had preceded hiulars who concealed thes until Pesita and his entire force ithin close range

"We were lucky to get off as well as we did," said an officer

Billy grinned inwardly as he thought of the pleasant fraht now be expected to receive the news that eight of his troopers had been killed and his two "guests" safely removed from the sphere of his hospitality

And even as his ed Indian carrying a carbine and with heavy silver spurs strapped to his bare feet approached and saluted him

"General Pesita wishes Senor Capitan Byrne to report to him at once," said the h the pandemonium of the camp toward the headquarters tent

As he went he slipped his hand inside his shirt and loosened so beneath his left arm

"Li'l ol' ace-in-the-hole," heback and forth before his tent--an energetic bundle of nerves which no ae

As Billy approached Pesita shot a quick glance at his face, that he ht read, perhaps, in his new officer's expression whether anger or suspicion had been aroused by the killing of his Ae had been dead since , "you left Senor Bridge and Miguel safely at their destination?"

"I couldn't take 'em all the way," replied Billy, "cause I didn't have no uess an' well on their way"