ico, and she died clean--with the Serpent under her feet!"

* * * * *

In a dawn all silver and gold and rose after the storm, there was only
a trace at the edge of the sand where two horses had carried riders to
the treacherous smiling arroya over which a coyote would not cross.

And one of the Indian women of Palomitas tied a _reata_ around the
body of her baby son, and sent him to creep out as a turtle creeps to
that thing cast by Tula to the women cheated of their Judas.

The slender naked boy went gleefully to the task as to a new game, and
spit in the dead face as he dragged it with him to his mother who had
pride in him.

It was kicked before the women back over the desert to Soledad, and
the boys used it for football that day, and tied what was left of it
between the horns of the roped wild bull at the corral. The bellowing
of the bull when cut loose came as music to the again placid Indian
women of Palomitas. They were ready for the home trail with their
exiles. It had been a good ending, and their great holiday at Soledad
was over.

CHAPTER XXI

EACH TO HIS OWN

A straggling train of pack mules followed by a six-mule wagon, trailed
past Yaqui Springs ten days later, and was met there by the faithful
Chappo and two villainous looking comrades, who had cleaned out the
water holes and stood guard over them until arrival of the ammunition
train.

"For beyond is a dry hell for us, and on the other side the Deliverer
is circled by enemy fighters who would trap him in his own land. He
lies hid like a fox in the hills waiting for this you bring. Water
must not fail, and mules must not fail; for that am I here to give the
word for haste."

"But even forty mule loads will not serve him long," said Kit
doubtfully.

"Like a fox in the hills I tell you, Senor Capitan,--and only one way
into the den! Beyond the enemy he has other supplies safe--this is to
fight his way to it. After that he will go like a blaze through dry
meadows of zacatan."

Kit would have made camp there for the night, but Chappo protested.

"No, senor! Every drop in the sand here is for the mules of the army.
It is not my word, it is the word of my general. Four hours north you
will find Little Coyote well. One day more and at the crossing of Rio
Seco, water will be waiting from the cold wells of La Partida. It is
so arrange, senor, and the safe trail is made for you and for
excellencia