"How would you go about it?"
Pancho shrugged. "That is the trouble. We would have to march
around Texas, I presume."
"Around Texas?"
"Yes. You see, Texas is a bad country; it is full of--barbarians
who know how to fight. If it were not for Texas we would have the
United States at our mercy." After some consideration he ventured
this opinion: "We could afford to pay the Texans for allowing us
to ride through their country, provided we stole nothing and paid
for the cattle we ate. Well, Longorio is a great one for schemes;
he is talking over the telegraph with somebody at this moment.
Perhaps it is the President of Texas."
"You are a poor man, are you not?" Alaire inquired.
"Miserably poor."
"Would you like to make a great deal of money?"
"Dios! That is why I'm a soldier."
"I will pay you well to get me two horses--"
But old Pancho shook his head vigorously. "Impossible! General
Longorio is going to marry you. We all got drunk last night to
celebrate the wedding. Yes, and the priest is waiting."
"I will make you rich."
"Ho! I wouldn't live to spend a single peso. Felipe disobeyed
orders, and the general shot him before he could cross himself.
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