XII
They walked out to the barn. In a little green field in theoak-studded valley below, a dozen horses were feeding. Farrel whistledshrilly. Instantly, one of the horses raised his head and listened.Again Farrel whistled, and a neigh answered him as Panchito broke fromthe herd and came galloping up the slope. When his master whistledagain, the gallop developed into a furious burst of speed; whereatFarrel slipped inside the barn and shut the door, while round and roundthe barn Panchito galloped, seeking the lost master.
Suddenly Don Miguel emerged and, with little affectionate nickerings,the beautiful animal trotted up to him, ran his head over the master'sshoulder, and rubbed his sleek cheek against the man's. Farrel nuzzledhim and rubbed him lovingly between the ears before producing a lump ofsugar. Upon command, Panchito squatted on his hind quarters like a dogand held his head out stiffly. Upon his nose Farrel balanced the lumpof sugar, backed away, and stood in front of him. The horse did notmove. Suddenly Farrel snapped his fingers. With a gentle toss of hishead, Panchito threw the lump of sugar in the air and made a futilesnap at it as it came down. Then he rose, picked the lump upcarefully, and, holding it between his lips, advanced and proffered hismaster a bite.
"Oh, you eat it yourself!" Farrel cried, and reached for the horse'sunkempt mane. With the ease of long practice, he swung aboard thehorse and, at the touch of his heels, Panchito bounded away. Far downthe mesa he raced, Farrel guiding him with his knees; then back andover the six-foot corral-fence with something of the airy freedom of abird. In the corral, Farrel slid off, ran with the galloping animalfor fifty feet, grasping his mane, and sprang completely over him, ranfifty feet more and sprang back, as nimbly as a monkey. Panchito wasgalloping easily, steadily, now, at a trained gait, like a circushorse, so Farrel sat sideways on him and discarded his boots, afterwhich he stood erect on the smooth, glossy back and rode him, first onone foot, then on the other. Next he sat down on the animal again andclapped his hands.
"Panchito, my boots!" he ordered. But Panchito only pinned his earsand shook his head. "You see," Farrel called to Kay, "he is agentleman, and declines to perform a menial service. But I shall forcehim. Panchito, you rebel, pick up my boots and hand them to me."
For answer, Panchito threw his hind end aloft half a dozen times, andKay's silvery laugh echoed through the corral as Farrel, appearing tolose his seat, slid forward on the horse's withers and clung with armsand legs round Panchito's neck, emulating terror. Thereupon, Panchitostood up on his hind legs, and Farrel, making futile clutchings at thehorse's mane, slid helplessly back; over his mount's glossy rump andsat down rather solidly in the dust of the corral.
"Bravo!" the girl cried. "Why, he's a circus horse!"
"I've schooled him a little for trick riding at rodeos, Miss Parker.We've carried off many a prize, and when I dress in the motley of aclown and pretend to ride him rough and do that silly slide, mostpeople enjoy it."
Farrel got up, recovered his boots, and put them on.
"He'll do, the old humorist," he announced, as he joined her. "Hehasn't forgotten anything, and wasn't he glad to see me again? You usean English saddle, I dare say, and ride with a short stirrup?"
Panchito dutifully followed like a dog at heel to the tack-room, whereFarrel saddled him and carefully fitted the bridle with thesnaffle-bit. Following a commanding slap on the fore leg, theintelligent animal knelt for Kay to mount him, after which, Farreladjusted the stirrup leathers for her.
In the meantime, Pablo was saddling a splendid, big dappled-graygelding.
"One of the best roping-horses in California, and very fast for half amile. He's half thoroughbred," Farrel explained. "He was my father'smount." He caressed the gray's head. "Do you miss him, Bob,old-timer?" he queried.
Kay observed her companion's saddle. It was of black, hand-carvedleather, with sterling-silver trimmings and long _tapaderas_--a saddleto thrill every drop of the Castilian blood that flowed in the veins ofits owner. The bridle was of finely plaited rawhide, with fancysliding knots, a silver Spanish bit, and single reins of silver-linkchain and plaited rawhide. At the pommel hung coiled a well-wornrawhide riata.
When the gray was saddled, Farrel did not mount, but came to Kay andhanded her the horsehair leading-rope.
"If you will be good enough to take the horses round in front," hesuggested, "I'll go back to the kennels and loose the hounds. On ourway over to the Sepulvida rancho, we're liable to put up a panther or acoyote, and if we can get our quarry out into the open, we'll have aglorious chase. I've run coyotes and panthers down with Panchito androped them. A panther isn't to be sneezed at," he continued,apologetically. "The state pays a bounty of thirty dollars for apanther-pelt, and then gives you back the pelt."
Five minutes later, when he came round the north corner of the oldhacienda, his hounds frisking before him, he met Kay riding to meet himon Panchito, but the gray gelding was not in sight. The girl wasexcited.
"Where is my mount, Miss Parker?" he demanded.
"Just as I rode up in front, a man came out of the patio, and startedthat automobile hurriedly. He had scarcely gotten it turned round whenone of his front tires blew out. This seemed to infuriate him andfrighten him. He considered a minute or two, then suddenly ran over tome, snatched the leading-rope out of my hand, mounted, and fled downthe avenue at top speed."
"'The wicked flee when no man pursueth'," the master of Palomarreplied, quietly, and stepped over to the automobile for an examinationof the license. "Ah, my father's ancient enemy!" he exclaimed, "AndreLoustalot has been calling on your father, and has just learned that Iam living. I think I comprehend his reason for borrowing my horse anddusting out of here so precipitately."
"There he goes now!" Kay cried, as the gray burst from the shelter ofthe palms in the avenue and entered the long open stretch of white roadleading down the San Gregorio.
Don Mike's movements were as casual as if the theft of a horse in broaddaylight was an every-day occurrence.
"Unfortunately for that stupid fellow, he borrowed the wrong horse," heannounced, gravely. "The sole result of his action will be to delayour ride until tomorrow. I'm sorry, but it now becomes necessary forme to ask you for Panchito."
She slid silently to the ground. Swiftly but calmly he readjusted thestirrups; then he faced the girl.
"Want to see some fun?" he demanded.
"Why--yes," she replied, breathlessly.
"You're a good little sport. Take your father's car and follow me.Please bring Pablo with you, and tell him I said he was to bring hisrifle. If Loustalot gets me, he is to follow on Panchito and getLoustalot. Thank you, Miss Parker."
He swung lightly into the unaccustomed flat saddle and, disdaining tofollow the road, cut straight across country; Panchito taking thefences easily, the hounds belling lustily as they strung out behindhim. Kay did not wait to follow his flight, but calling for William toget out the car, she ran round to the barn and delivered Farrel'smessage to Pablo, who grunted his comprehension and started for hiscabin at a surprising rate of speed for an old man. Five minutes afterFarrel had left the Rancho Palomar, Kay and Pablo were roaring down thevalley in pursuit.
Half a mile beyond the mission they came upon Don Mike and his father'senemy. In the first mile, the latter had ridden the gray out; spent,gasping, the gallant animal was proceeding at a leg-weary, lumberinggallop when Miguel Farrel, following on Panchito at half that gallantanimal's speed, came up with Loustalot. Straight at the big gray hedrove, "hazing" him off the road and stopping him abruptly. At thesame time, he leaped from Panchito full on top of Loustalot, and borethe latter crashing to the ground.
The chase was over. Half-stunned, the enemy of Don Miguel Jose FarrelII lay flat on his back, blinking up at Don Miguel Farrel III as thelatter's knees pressed the Loustalot breast, the while his fingersclasped the hairy Loustalot throat in a grip that was a promise ofdeath if the latter struggled.
As Kay drew up in the car and, white-faced
and wondering, gazed at theunwonted spectacle, Miguel Farrel released his captive and stood erect.
"So sorry to have made a brawl in your presence, Miss Parker, but hewould have ruined our old Bob horse if I hadn't overtaken him." Heturned to the man on the ground. "Get up, Loustalot!" The latterstaggered to his feet. "Pablo," Farrel continued, "take this man backto the ranch and lock him up in your private calaboose. See that hedoes not escape, and permit no one to speak with him."
Prom the gray's saddle he took a short piece of rope, such as vaquerosuse to tie the legs of an animal when they have roped and thrown it.
"Mount!" he commanded. Loustalot climbed wearily aboard the spentgray, and held his hands behind him with Farrel bound them securely.Pablo thereupon mounted Panchito, took the gray's leading-rope, andstarted back to the ranch.
"How white your face is!" Farrel murmured, deprecatingly, as he came tothe side of the car. "So sorry our ride has been spoiled." He glancedat his wrist-watch. "Only ten o'clock," he continued. "I wonder ifyou'd be gracious enough to motor me in to El Toro. Your father plansto use the car after luncheon, but we will be back by twelve-thirty."
"Certainly. Delighted!" the girl replied, in rather a small,frightened voice.
"Thank you." He considered a moment. "I think it no less than fair towarn you, Miss Parker, that my trip has to do with a scheme that maydeprive your father of his opportunity to acquire the Rancho Palomar atone-third of its value. I think the scheme may be at least partiallysuccessful, but if I am to succeed at all, I'll have to act promptly."
She held out her hand to him.
"My father plays fair, Don Mike. I hope you win."
And she unlatched the door of the tonneau and motioned him to enter.