"Well, it did cross the border, and somebody got it."
"He says it was moved to Hermosillo before Juan Gonsalvo, the overseer, died."
"Was shot, you mean, after it was cached."
"Maybe so, but he offers to trade part of it for his liberty, and deliver the goods north of Querobabi."
"Yes, General,--into the bodies of your men if you trust him."
Rotil chuckled. "You are not so young as you look, Don Pajarito, and need no warning. It is the room next the _sala_ where I will have Perez and Conrad brought. The señora can easily overhear what is said. It may be she will have the mind to help when she sees that offer he made."
"It would seem so, yet--women are strange! They go like the padre, to prayers when a life is at stake."
"Some women, and some priests, boy," said the dark priest. "It may be that you do not know Doña Jocasta well."
This remark appeared to amuse Rotil, for he smiled grimly and with a gesture indicated that they were to join Doña Jocasta.
She was rested and refreshed by a good supper. Valencia and Elena, the cook, had waited upon her and the latter waxed eloquent over the stupendous changes at Soledad from the time of Doña Jocasta's supper the previous day. Many of the angry men had been ready to start after Marto who had cheated them, when a courier rode in with the word that Don José and Señor Conrad were close behind. Then the surprise of all when Don José was captured, and it was seen that Elena had been cooking these many days, not for simple vaqueros, but for some soldiers of the revolution by which peace and plenty was to come to all the land! It was a beautiful dream, and the Deliverer was to make it come true!
Tula sat in the shadow against the wall, like some slender Indian carving, mute and expressionless while the eyes of the woman rolled as the two old friends exchanged their wonder tales of the night and day! Elena made definite engagement to be with the "Judas" trailers on the dark Friday, and both breathed blessings on Rotil who had promised them the right man for the hanging.
It was this cheerful topic Kit entered upon with the written note from Perez to the general. He had no liking for his task, as his eyes rested on Doña Jocasta, beautiful, resigned and detached from the scene about her. He remembered what Rotil had said scoffingly of saints lifted from shrines--a man never forgot that shrine was empty!