h only half an ear, was about to make some
off-hand reply, as he had always done before. But suddenly a strange,
stirring idea flashed through his brain. Could it be? Could that be what
Archulera meant? He glanced at the man. Archulera was watching him with
bright black eyes--cunning, feral--the eyes of a primitive fighting man,
eyes that had never flinched at dealing death.

Ramon knew suddenly that his idea was right. Blood pounded in his temples
and a red mist of excitement swam before his eyes.

"Yes!" he exclaimed, leaping to his feet. "Yes! When my uncle is dead I
will pay you the five thousand dollars which the estate owes you!"

The old man studied him, showing no trace of excitement save for the
brightness of his eyes.

"You swear this?" he demanded.

Ramon stood tall, his head lifted, his eyes bright.

"Yes; I swear it," he replied, more quietly now. "I swear it on my honour
as a Delcasar!"

CHAPTER XII

The murder of Don Diego Delcasar, which occurred about three weeks later,
provided the town with an excitement which it thoroughly enjoyed. Although
there was really not a great deal to be said about the affair, since it
remained from the first a complete mystery, the local papers devoted a
great deal of space to it. The _Evening Journal_ announced the event in a
great black headline which ran all the way across the top of the first
page. The right-hand column was devoted to a detailed description of the
scene of the crime, while the rest of the page was occupied by a picture
of the Don, by a hastily written and highly inaccurate account of his
career, and by statements from prominent citizens concerning the great
loss which the state had suffered in the death of this, one of its oldest
and most valued citizens.

In the editorial columns the Don was described as a Spanish gentleman of
the old school, and one who had always lived up to its highest traditions.
The fact was especially emphasized that he had commanded the respect and
confidence of both the races which made up the population of the state,
and his long and honourable association in a business enterprise with a
leading local attorney was cited as proof of the fact that he had been
above all race antagonisms.

The morning _Herald_ took a slightly different tack. Its editorial writer
was a former New York newspaperman of unusual abilities who had been
driven to the Southwest by tuberculosis. In an edi