E-text prepared by Al Haines Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 15438-h.htm or 15438-h.zip: (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/5/4/3/15438/15438-h/15438-h.htm) or (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/5/4/3/15438/15438-h.zip) THE BELLS OF SAN JUAN A Novel by JACKSON GREGORY Author of _Judith of Blue Lake Ranch_, _The Joyous Trouble Maker_, _Man to Man_, etc. Illustrated by Frank Tenney Johnson New York Grosset & Dunlap Publishers 1919 [Frontispiece: Having come closer he reined in his horse, stared at her a moment in surprised wonderment. . .] TO RODERICK NORTON GREGORY CONTENTS FOREWORD--THE BELLS CHAPTER I. THE BELLS RING II. THE SHERIFF OF SAN JUAN III. A MAN'S BOOTS IV. AT THE BANKER'S HOME V. IN THE DARKNESS OF THE PATIO VI. A RIDE THROUGH THE NIGHT VII. IN THE HOME OF CLIFF-DWELLERS VIII. JIM GALLOWAY'S GAME IX. YOUNG PAGE COMES TO TOWN X. A BRIBE AND A THREAT XI. THE FIGHT AT LA CASA BLANCA XII. WAVERING IN THE BALANCE XIII. CONCEALMENT XIV. A FREE MAN XV. THE KING'S PALACE XVI. THE MEXICAN FROM MEXICO XVII. A STACK OF GOLD PIECES XVIII. DESIRE OUTWEIGHS DISCRETION XIX. DEADLOCK XX. FLUFF AND BLACK BILL XXI. A CRISIS XXII. THE BEGINNING OF THE END XXIII. THE STRONG HAND OF GALLOWAY XXIV. IN THE OPEN XXV. THE BATTLE IN THE ARROYO XXVI. THE BELLS RING ILLUSTRATIONS Having come closer he reined in his horse, stared at her a moment in surprised wonderment . . . . Frontispiece Then came the second meeting with Jim Galloway "Come, and I'll share my secret with you" On through the bright moonlight came the sheriff's posse FOREWORD THE BELLS He who has not heard the bells of San Juan has a journey yet to make. He who has not set foot upon the dusty road which is the one street of San Juan, at times the most silent and deserted of thoroughfares, at other times a mad and turbulent lane between sun-dried adobe walls, may yet learn something of man and his hopes, desires, fears and ruder passions from a pin-point upon the great southwestern map. The street runs due north and south, pointing like a compass to the flat gray desert in the one direction, and in the other to the broken hills swept up into the San Juan mountains. At the northern end, that is toward the more inviting mountains, is the old Mission. To right and left of the whitewashed corridors in a straggling garden of pear-trees and olives and yellow roses are two rude arches made of seasoned cedar. From the top cross-beam of each hang three bells.