The Broncho Rider Boys with the Texas Rangers Part 37

Would anyone believe his story without some other evidence-evidence which he did not have? But Don Pablo had the evidence-the drafts on the Bank of England. Those were what he needed and those he must have.

Without a moment's hesitation he turned and grasped the stern of Don Pablo's boat, which was slowly moving away under the power of only one oar.

CHAPTER XXVII.

HUSTLING FOR EVIDENCE.

After what seemed an age to Billie, although the time actually consumed could not have been more than fifteen minutes, the boat reached the sh.o.r.e at a spot with which he was most familiar. It was the end of the trail leading from the river to Don Pablo's _hacienda_.

As soon as the boat touched the beach, Don Pablo sprang ash.o.r.e and pulled it up onto the land and made it fast to a post. The oarsman followed more slowly, while Billie remained in the water until both men started up the trail.

Then he came ash.o.r.e and silently followed after. He was barefooted and bareheaded. He was wet through and had no weapon; still he was undaunted.

He kept as close to the two men as he dared, fearing he might lose sight of them in the dark. He had no idea of what time it was, but figured that he must have been away from General Sanchez' headquarters at least three hours. This gave him only three hours to finish his mission and return. His heart sank, as he thought what might happen in case he should fail, and a great sob welled up in his throat, as the faces of his chums came to his thoughts.

"I can't fail!" he declared to himself. "I have just got to win."

The men ahead of him walked rapidly, and in a comparatively short time reached the _hacienda_. Billie remembered it well-every spot he had noticed upon his first visit to the _hacienda_ had impressed itself upon his memory.

Reaching the big gate, Don Pablo knocked l.u.s.tily and the gate was quickly opened.

Here was Billie's first real difficulty. How was he to enter? Once the gate was shut, he knew it might take him hours to find a way in.

Something had to be done and done at once.

Picking up a good-sized stone, Billie let it drive with all his might at the boy who stood in the gateway holding the light. It was a good shot and struck the boy on the shin. With a cry of pain he dropped the lamp and grabbed the injured member.

"_Caramba_, what is that?" exclaimed Don Pablo, as he drew his revolver.

"Are we attacked by thieves, or is the spirit of evil in the air?"

"It is neither," replied the boy who had been hit. "It must be Juanito who threw the stone. He is jealous because I have a better place than he."

"What is Juanito doing outside the _hacienda_ at this time of night?"

demanded Don Pablo. "Go bring him in, and do you, Luis," turning to the oarsman, "give him a good beating. Then take three men and go and bring the body of Emilio to the _hacienda_."

As soon as he had thrown the stone Billie had glided quickly to the adobe wall which surrounded the _hacienda_, and, as the boy and Luis went in search of the supposed Juanito, and Don Pablo pa.s.sed within the gate, Billie darted in behind him and hid himself behind one of the bushes which he remembered seeing in one corner of the _patio_.

Stopping only for a moment to take a drink from a jar, which stood at the foot of the stairs, Don Pablo ascended to the second floor. A moment later, seeing that the way was clear, Billie followed, just in time to see Don Pablo enter one of the rooms which opened out onto the great corridor, for it must be said that the _casa_ of Don Pablo was a large and handsome one.

Having located the room, Billie sat down in the dark to wait.

He did not have to wait long, for in a few minutes Luis and the boy returned, much chagrined over their inability to locate little John.

"What's that?" asked Don Pablo, coming to the door in his shirt-sleeves, "can't you find him?"

"No, _senor_," was the reply. "It is too dark."

"Well, let him go until morning. Then give him a good beating."

"Who is that you are going to whip?" called a woman's voice from somewhere down below.

"Juanito. He threw a stone and made us a lot of trouble."

"Why, he couldn't," replied the woman. "He is here with me and hasn't been out tonight."

"What," queried Don Pablo, "hasn't been out tonight? Then there is something wrong! Quick, Luis, call some of the men and make a thorough search."

The servant hastened to obey, while Don Pablo went back into his room.

Through the open door Billie saw him take an envelope from the pocket of the coat which he had thrown over a chair and place it in the drawer of a great secretary. Then, seizing his hat, he ran quickly downstairs, closing the door behind him.

"I thought I would stir things up," mused Billie, as he crept silently toward the room which Don Pablo had just vacated. "Now, if I can get that envelope and get out of here while the men are hunting for me, I'll be all right!"

Reaching the door, he waited until the voices below told him that the men had gone out. Then he softly pushed open the door and entered.

It was a larger room than he had thought from the glimpse he had from without, but it lay just as he expected. Quickly he opened the drawer of the secretary and took therefrom the envelope. By the light of the oil lamp that hung from the ceiling he saw that it bore the name of a New York bank and he had no doubt it contained the evidence he sought.

He closed the drawer, and as he turned to leave the room caught sight of Don Pablo's cartridge belt and revolver hanging on the back of a chair.

"I might need something like this," he thought, and without a single qualm of conscience he buckled the belt around him, drew out the revolver, and loaded the empty chamber which Don Pablo had fired while in the boat.

With the revolver in his hand he was about to leave the room, when a soft voice-a voice which he never could forget-said quietly:

"Don't you think, _senor_, that you are making yourself almost too much at home?"

At the sound of the voice, Billie turned as though shot.

"Santiago!" he exclaimed. "Where did you come from?"

If Billie had been surprised by the sound of the voice, Santiago was even more surprised when he recognized the visitor.

"Don Guillermo!" he cried. "Is it really you? I did not recognize you in that attire!"

"You mean in this lack of attire," replied Billie quizzically, as he regarded his bare feet and drabbled condition.

"But why are you here?" asked Santiago.

In just as few words as possible Billie explained.

"And you have seen Pancho Villa?" queried Santiago.

"Yes, and things are just as I tell you. Don Rafael and Don Pablo are both enemies of Mexico. They are both working for their own advancement.

You know that a war with the United States is the last thing honest Mexicans desire."

"Undoubtedly. And you think the possession of these drafts will aid you in preventing it?"

"Unquestionably," was Billie's emphatic reply.