"He'll give Manuel enough dust to buy what I need; and I ought to let him know how we made out, anyway." A blank leaf from the little memorandum book he always carried, and a bullet for pencil--perforce, the note was brief; but it told what he wanted: gold to buy a riding outfit, his pistols which Perkins had taken from him, and news of Bill's well-being.

When the paper would hold no more and hold it legibly, he folded it carefully so that it would not smudge, and gave it to his host.
"What if the Committee catches you with that buckskin, Manuel ?" he asked abruptly.

The risk Manuel would run had not before occurred to him.

"Dade he's liable to get into trouble, if they catch him with that horse; let's turn the darned thing loose." "Me, I shall not ride where the gringos will see me," broke in Manuel briskly.

"The senors need not be alarmed.