“What does ‘Smooth’ say?” “He allows they just natch’rally drifted.” “Are you riding the east range every day, Luke?” “Most days. Course it takes me nigh onto a week to cover it, an’ oncet in a while ‘Smooth’ sends me som’ers else. Yistiddy, he sent me plumb down to the south ranch—me an’ ‘Kansas.’” “Well, keep your eyes open for that bunch, Luke—they might have drifted.” “Well, I wouldn’t say they would of and I wouldn’t say they wouldn’t of.” [Illustration: “How would you like to go home, Nejeunee?”] Chapter Sixteen The Jack of Spades =L=UIS MARIEL, profiting by the example of the Americanos, stood up to “Dirty” Cheetim’s bar and drank cheap whiskey. “Wot you doin’, Kid?” asked Cheetim. “Nothing,” replied Luis. “Want a job, or hev you still got some dinero left?” “I want a job,” replied Luis. “I am broke.” “You got a hoss, ain’t you?” “Si, Senor.” “Come ’ere,” he motioned Luis to follow him into the back room. There Luis saw a tall man with sandy hair sitting at a table, drinking. “Here’s a good kid fer us,” said Cheetim to the sandy haired man. “He ain’t been up here long; an’ nobody don’t know him, an’ he don’t know nobody.” “Does he savvy U. S.?” demanded the man. “Si, Senor,” spoke up Luis. “I understand pretty good. I speak it pretty good, too.” “Can you keep your mouth shut?” “Si, Senor.” “If you don’t, somebody’ll shut it for you,” said the man, drawing his forefinger across his throat meaningly. “You savvy?” “What is this job?” demanded Luis. “You ain’t got nothin’ to do but herd a little bunch o’ cattle an’ keep your trap closed. If anyone asks you any questions in United States you don’t savvy; and if they talk Greaser to you, why you don’t know nothin’ about the cattle except that a kind old gentleman hired you to ride herd on ’em.” “Si, Senor.” “You get thirty five a month an’ your grub—twenty five fer ridin’ herd an’ the rest fer not knowin’ nothin’. How about it?” “Sure, Senor, I do it.” “All right, you come along with me. We’ll ride out, an’ I’ll show you where the bunch is,” and the sandy haired man gulped down another drink and arose. He led Luis north into the reservation, and at last they came to a bunch of about fifty head grazing contentedly on rather good pasture. “They ain’t so hard to hold,” said the sandy haired man, “but they got a hell of a itch to drift east sometimes. They’s a c’ral up thet draw a ways. You puts ’em in there nights and lets ’em graze durin’ the day. You won’t hev to hold ’em long.” He took a playing card from his pocket—the jack of spades—and tore it in two. One half he handed to Luis. “When a feller comes with tother half o’ this card, Kid, you kin let him hev the cattle. Savvy?” “Si, Senor.” “Oncet in a while they may a couple fellers come up with some more critters fer you. You jest let ’em drive ’em in with your bunch. You don’t hev to say nothin’ nor ask no questions. Savvy?” “Si, Senor.”