The Valiant Runaways [51]
and worse--for him."
"Don't do it, young man," said Hill, solemnly. "Don't do it. It ain't
worth shucks to ruin a man fur personal spite. You'll find that out the
minute you've done it. You'll feel small and mean; and if you want to be
a great man--and I kin see you're ambitious--that ain't the way to go to
work. Padre Osuna has his faults, but he's a big man; there ain't none
bigger in the Californies; and he ain't the man to ruin, without
thinkin' a lot about it aforehand."
"He insulted me horribly," said Roldan, shutting his teeth. "I will
never respect myself until I wipe out the memory of that moment."
"He lost his temper, I suspicion, and whacked ye, like as not. Well,
I'll admit that is hard on a don of your size. But, take my word for it,
you'll feel a sight better if you mount the high horse and forgive him,
treat him with silent contempt. Nothin' makes you feel as good as that.
Tried it myself."
"I must think about it, Don Jim."
"Well, do. And maybe you'll remember that I asked ye as a favour to let
the priest off this time. He's been the best friend I ever had, and he's
been the friend of many, young 'un."
Roldan stepped forward impulsively and grasped Hill's hand. "I will
never speak," he said. "And you can say to Rafael that I wish him never
to speak, either. Only, in return, Don Jim, I insist that you do not
tell him that I promised you this. He shall not think that I fear him."
"Oh, I ain't goin' to have no conversation with him on the subject.
Don't you worry about that. Now, I'll go after the mustangs. You lie
down, and when I come back I'll cook that there rabbit for yer. You kin
git dinner at the Ortegas', but don't stay there too long, for the
priest's mighty sharp."
XXI
The boys were once more adrift in the wilderness. It was with mixed
emotions that they said good-bye to the hospitable American and rode
forth to new experiences and dangers. They were now tried adventurers;
they knew their mettle; they also had a far more definite idea of what
danger and experience meant than when they had fled from home with the
light heart of ignorance. Roldan felt several years older, and Adan had
moments of reflection. Moreover, the fine point of novelty had worn
toward bluntness. Nevertheless, they felt no immediate desire to return
to leading strings, and were glad of an excuse to pursue their way
south. Los Angeles was a famous city, the rival of Monterey,--which
neither had seen,--and a fitting climax to an exciting volume. The exact
arrangement of that climax was compassed by the imagination of neither.
For two miles they kept in line with the foot-hills, then rode rapidly
toward the valley, impatient for its warmth. So far, barring their
sojourn in the Sierras, they had been favoured with fine weather; but
winter was growing older every day, and the sky was thick and grey this
morning.
The Casa Ortega stood on the shores of a large lake. The banks were
thickly wooded. On its southern curve was a high mountain. As the boys
approached, a vaquero sprang upon a mustang and rode toward them
rapidly. Roldan recognised one of the men that had been at the rodeo.
"At your feet, senores," said the vaquero. "The Senor Don is away, and
all the family; but I am mayor domo, and in his absence I place the
house at your disposal."
"My father will reward you," said Roldan, graciously. "We would ask that
you give us dinner, a thick poncho each, for I fear that it will rain
before we reach Los Angeles, and that you will direct us which way to
go. The ponchos shall be replaced with fine new ones as soon as we have
returned home."
"Don Carlos would not hear of the return of the ponchos, senor. But
surely the senores will remain a few days, until the storm is over?"
"We dare not. But we will rest; and we have good appetites."
The mayor domo, still protesting, held the horses while the boys
dismounted, then showed them to two bedrooms and bade them rest while
dinner was preparing. "It will be an hour," he said. "I beg that the
"Don't do it, young man," said Hill, solemnly. "Don't do it. It ain't
worth shucks to ruin a man fur personal spite. You'll find that out the
minute you've done it. You'll feel small and mean; and if you want to be
a great man--and I kin see you're ambitious--that ain't the way to go to
work. Padre Osuna has his faults, but he's a big man; there ain't none
bigger in the Californies; and he ain't the man to ruin, without
thinkin' a lot about it aforehand."
"He insulted me horribly," said Roldan, shutting his teeth. "I will
never respect myself until I wipe out the memory of that moment."
"He lost his temper, I suspicion, and whacked ye, like as not. Well,
I'll admit that is hard on a don of your size. But, take my word for it,
you'll feel a sight better if you mount the high horse and forgive him,
treat him with silent contempt. Nothin' makes you feel as good as that.
Tried it myself."
"I must think about it, Don Jim."
"Well, do. And maybe you'll remember that I asked ye as a favour to let
the priest off this time. He's been the best friend I ever had, and he's
been the friend of many, young 'un."
Roldan stepped forward impulsively and grasped Hill's hand. "I will
never speak," he said. "And you can say to Rafael that I wish him never
to speak, either. Only, in return, Don Jim, I insist that you do not
tell him that I promised you this. He shall not think that I fear him."
"Oh, I ain't goin' to have no conversation with him on the subject.
Don't you worry about that. Now, I'll go after the mustangs. You lie
down, and when I come back I'll cook that there rabbit for yer. You kin
git dinner at the Ortegas', but don't stay there too long, for the
priest's mighty sharp."
XXI
The boys were once more adrift in the wilderness. It was with mixed
emotions that they said good-bye to the hospitable American and rode
forth to new experiences and dangers. They were now tried adventurers;
they knew their mettle; they also had a far more definite idea of what
danger and experience meant than when they had fled from home with the
light heart of ignorance. Roldan felt several years older, and Adan had
moments of reflection. Moreover, the fine point of novelty had worn
toward bluntness. Nevertheless, they felt no immediate desire to return
to leading strings, and were glad of an excuse to pursue their way
south. Los Angeles was a famous city, the rival of Monterey,--which
neither had seen,--and a fitting climax to an exciting volume. The exact
arrangement of that climax was compassed by the imagination of neither.
For two miles they kept in line with the foot-hills, then rode rapidly
toward the valley, impatient for its warmth. So far, barring their
sojourn in the Sierras, they had been favoured with fine weather; but
winter was growing older every day, and the sky was thick and grey this
morning.
The Casa Ortega stood on the shores of a large lake. The banks were
thickly wooded. On its southern curve was a high mountain. As the boys
approached, a vaquero sprang upon a mustang and rode toward them
rapidly. Roldan recognised one of the men that had been at the rodeo.
"At your feet, senores," said the vaquero. "The Senor Don is away, and
all the family; but I am mayor domo, and in his absence I place the
house at your disposal."
"My father will reward you," said Roldan, graciously. "We would ask that
you give us dinner, a thick poncho each, for I fear that it will rain
before we reach Los Angeles, and that you will direct us which way to
go. The ponchos shall be replaced with fine new ones as soon as we have
returned home."
"Don Carlos would not hear of the return of the ponchos, senor. But
surely the senores will remain a few days, until the storm is over?"
"We dare not. But we will rest; and we have good appetites."
The mayor domo, still protesting, held the horses while the boys
dismounted, then showed them to two bedrooms and bade them rest while
dinner was preparing. "It will be an hour," he said. "I beg that the