Big Stakes
1
It doesn't take much argu-
ment to start something.
Once started, there is only
one way to finish it.
2
Of course a woman was
at the bottom of it -
'twas always thus.
3
However, Mary Moore, waitress
in the White Star, and the most
popular girl in town, was worth
fighting over.
. . . Wilamae Carson
4
Bully, Brand, owner
of the local pool hall,
and fond of Mary.
. . . Les Bates.
5
Jim Gregory, foreman of the
"Crazy Snake" Rancho, a
devil-may-care-buckaroo that
refuses to take life seriously.
. . . JAMES B. WARNER
6
'Skinny' Fargo, his best friend
and the 'goat' in many of
Jim's wild escapades.
. . . H. S. Karr
7
"An' I smiled at Mary
and the big clodhopper
jumped on me."
8
"I'll have to go to the
office for my key."
9
The Mexican side of the
border, a Fiesta is taking
place at the Rancho del
Rada.
10
Senorita Mercedes Aloyez, the
proud Castillian daughter of
Don Enrico, master of the
Rancho del Rada.
. . . Eleanor Fair
11
El Capitan Montoya, Com-
mandant at Sonoratown, to
whom she is betrothed.
. . . Robert H. Gray
12
"Ah, Senorita - when your
father, Don Enrico, re-
turns next month from
Pozo - then shall we be
wed."
13
"El Capitan - my father
gave you my hand -
but not yet have I given
you my heart."
14
"A fine oil can you are.
That toss sure was the
snake's hips."
15
"I leave now, Senorita, to
join my men at Senora-
town. Will you kiss me
farewell?"
16
"My favors are not given
so cheaply, El Capitan.
I will race you to the
cross-roads - for that
kiss."
17
Pascal, a Yaqui goat-herder,
of the Rancho del Rada.
. . . A. Knott
18
"You get the dang steer
yourself. When you
come back you can buy
me a pair of crutches."
19
But steers are 'onery critters - Jim
and his cow-horse did their best.
The long-horn beat him to it. With-
out passport, without benefit of
American Consul, not even pausing
to say good-bye, the stampeding
brute invaded the State of Sonora.
20
"You have lost, El Capitan.
The brave Americano
- has won the race."
21
"We were racing - for
a kiss - - - "
22
"Will the El Capitan be
good enough to get
my horse?"
23
Jim returned to the ranch,
riding upon air, dazed by
the beautiful vision that
knocked him for a row of
hot tamales.
24
"Just because you ain't
popular with the ladies,
like I am, you're sore!"
25
"Gosh a'mighty! You ought
to have seen her - she's
a peach - a regular dog-
goned peach."
26
"She's a gold-dusk maverick
millin' around in a flock
of chickasaw cayuses. Say,
that dame - - - "
27
"Dame - - - where's
that steer?"
28
"Thunderation! I plumb for-
got about the blamed long-
horn! The way he was
runnin' he's probably down
in the neighborhood of
Pozo by now - - - "
29
"She's a satin-finished ten
of hearts in a deck of
greasy paste-boards."
30
"I knew a feller once who
was ridin' for th' Lazy S -
and he fell in love with a
Senorita that lived across
the border in Chihuahua,
and - - - "
31
"And that's what'll
happen to you."
32
"I'm betting he died a
joyous death!"
33
"Oh, the ravens wheel, an' the coyotes
squeal,
An' a buzzard sets in a
tree;"
34
"You're answerin'!"
35
"But a maiden fair, with
midnight hair,
"Is a callin' - - - a-callin'
me!"
36
"Brand has threatened to
kill you on sight! He's on
his way here now! Please
get away quick before
he comes!"
37
"I'm not built for runnin',
Mary. I've got bends in
my legs from ridin' a horse.
Reckon I'll have to stay an'
take my medicine."
38
"Jim, I'd die if anything
happened to you - - - "
39
"Looks like you're gettin'
ready to play a harp. Ain't
you ever goin' to learn that
dynamite's a tame sport
to foolin' around with
women - - - "
40
"When Brand shows up,
tell him that he'll find
me here - waitin' for
him."
41
"Pascal, keep you a close
watch on the Senorita
Mercedes as the eyes
of her duenna are dim
and her ears they are dull."
42
"If you are faithful - five
- ten - of the brinca-
dores, the little jumping
beans, shall be yours."
43
"Where's Gregory?"
44
"Now, it's an even
break - - -"
45
"Grab your gun, you
poor excuse - I'm
waitin'."
46
"I just come to warn you
to get out of the country.
I'm givin' you just one
week to pack an' travel."
47
"Yellow!"
48
"Say, what's a nice present
for the Senorita? I'm
callin' on her tonight."
49
"An' you're goin' along
to stand watch so that
no Spiggoties pot me
in the interlude."
50
The trysting place.
51
"You little black-eyed lump
of Paradise, you've got
my heart roped, throwed,
and double-half-hitched
for keeps."
52
"And sometime - you
will take me - to your
people?"
53
"You bet your life -
sure. You and me are
permanent."
54
"Ah, I like - much -
the Senor Americano."
55
"We're even. I'm loco
about the Senorita
Mercedes."
56
"Tomorrow night the
Senor Americano will
return?"
57
"Nothing could keep me
away. I'm for you, mi
amigo, till grass grows
on the ocean."
58
"Listen! Sheba was only a
cross-eyed witch beside
my little Queen. If she
wanted the moon I'd put
wings on my horse and
ride to heaven."
59
"Let's get out of here
quick. I've got a funny
feeling up an' down
my spine."
60
"Don't be foolish. If you
get shot I'll see that you
get a swell headstone."
61
"It is not for me, the re-
venge. It is not for me
Pascal, to kill! Another
that pleasure shall have!
62
At the barracks of the
El Capitan in Sonora-
town.
63
"It is about the Senorita
Mercedes - one other
Americano there is and
he waits. Both may be
taken."
64
"Ten of my best men at
once - with equipment
for a week's trip."
65
"Bring along the reptil
Diablo, and the Padre,
there will be a marriage."
66
"And the brincadores,
El Capitan - the little
jumping beans - - -"
67
Six nights Senor Jim came to
meet the fair Senorita while the
reluctant 'Skinny' patiently stood
watching by the banks of the
Santa Cruz. On this, the seventh
night - - -
68
"I fear, Senor - - - "
69
"Pascal, the Yaqui, has been
away. Tonight he returned,
bringing with him the terrible
gila monster - the reptil
Diablo! He looks at me -
so - I am afraid - - - "
70
"Now, now, my little wild-
rose sweetness, don't get
shaky! Everything will
pan out plumb all right."
71
"Listen Angel kid, tonight
we'll get an American
Padre - or a Justice of
the Peace - and be
married permanent and
regular!"
72
"What th' hell - - - "
73
In Vallejo, other events are
shaping themselves - guided
by the unseen hand of Brand,
the secret leader of the
Night Riders.
74
"It's bite is death."
75
"Well, here's where we
kiss the Angels. I hope
you're satisfied."
76
"You're lover - shall feel
the bite of the Reptile
Diablo - - - "
77
"But before that there shall
be the marriage. Senorita
Mercedes, to me, El
Capitan Montoya, by
Padre Agonza."
78
"No, perhaps the Seno-
rita would rather be
the victim."
79
"I will die."
80
"So? The pleasure shall
be yours."
81
"You're a hell of a brave
Captain - to torture a woman!
You're afraid to face a man
- without a pack of your
dirty wolves at your back!"
82
"El Capitan ain't no sport! He
wouldn't take a chance on a
cinch. He wouldn't bet on four
aces - unless he had another
one up his sleeve - he's afraid
to take a gamble."
83
"It is a lie! El Capitan
would bet life itself on
the dice, the horse, the
brincadore - - - "
84
"Now you're talking!
Prove that you're a
game sport and will
gamble on the jumpers!"
85
"The stakes?"
86
"They shall be the lives of
'Skinny' and me - and the
love of Senorita Mercedes
- against your life!"
87
"If I win, we go free an'
the Senorita goes with
us - an' - El Capitan
lets the reptil bite him - -"
88
"You don't care how
you gamble away my
life, do you?"
89
"El Capitan accepts the
wager!"
90
"It might interest you to
know that your friend
Gregory is across the
border tonight making
love to a Spanish Senorita."
91
"One of my men followed
him. I know where to
get him when I want him."
92
"This is your last chance.
Marry me and I promise
to let Gregory go.
Otherwise - - - "
93
"I won't - I love him - - - "
94
"Tonight your lover
dies!"
95
"Take this note to Gregory
- you know where to
find him."
96
Certain it is when a bet is made
on the brincadores the pledge
must be kept: else the soul of
the one who refuses shall be,
in purgatory, forever as the
bouncing bean - unable to
find repose!
97
"I'll take the little spotted
fellow - - - "
98
"The brincadore that first
jumps out of the circle
shall be the winner. The
Padre shall referee."
99
"Go to it, you little son-
of-a-seed-pod, keep
moving! You're doing
fine!"
100
"It is not fair! The
brincadores should
not be talked to!"
101
"Gosh, can't a fellow
boost for his own
bean."
102
"According to the rules the
Senor Americano must
neither talk to the bean nor
tickle it with a straw to
make it go quicker."
103
"It is finished - Senor
Jim's bouncer is the
victor!"
104
"Safely permit the Vaqueros
Americanos to return again
to the Rancho del Crazy
Snake."
105
"Hold on a minute, El Capitan.
Before you feed yourself
to the gila monster tell that
hombre to give us back our
guns."
106
"Senorita Mercedes, to you,
farewell - adios! The hand
that you do not desire I
shall offer to the reptil
Diablo."
107
"You're too white."
108
"El Capitan, you gave me
a chance for life - now
I'll give you a chance
for love!"
109
"Take your choice,
Senorita, we're leavin'
it all to you!"
110
"A boy brought it to me
- I don't know anything
about it."
111
"I must go in a hurry,
Senorita. Let us decide
this matter when I return."
112
"This may be a trap set
by Brand. You had
better follow."
113
"You shall watch him
die!"
114
"Americano Jim is - what
you call - a good sport.
I will take my men and
go with you."
115
"I'll wait here, you
fellows get Gregory."
116
"If you come near me
I'll jump!"
117
A woman's decision.
118
"For the Senor Americano - - "
119
"It is the romance, the
friendship, the respect.
Him I shall always -
admire."
120
"But for El Capitan -
my brave El Capitan - - "
121
"Now, I have discover
- in my heart, it is -
love."
122
"Well, you poor, love-sick
calf - are you sorry the
Senorita give you the
gate?"
123
"No, I'm not. When those
beans got to jumpin' I
got to thinkin' that Mary
was a pretty good sort
of girl, after all."
The
END
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