"_Si_," the latter said, meekly.
Venustiano appeared from the outer darkness, as if by magic, and rushed to
Pedro's aid. They lifted the stricken Pell, and carried him away.
The distasteful business finished, Lopez turned to Gilbert.
"Now, zen, you all right some more, eh?" he asked.
Gilbert could not understand. "I guess so," he said, "I--I thought you were
captured!"
"Me?" said Lopez in surprise, "It is not me, ees my double!"
"Your double?" Gilbert, amazed, answered.
"Ees idea what I get from ze moving pitchers."
Gilbert and Lucia stared at each other; then at the bandit.
"Then it wasn't you they captured?" Gilbert said.
He flicked the ashes from his cigarette. "I should be capture by ze damn
ranger? Ees a idea!" He roared with mirth. "No, no! Long time I 'ave fix
zat."
"But how? How do you work it?" Gilbert inquired, his brain in a tumult.
"I pick from my men ze best rider. I make 'im for look like me. So when ze
ranger wish for chase me, 'e go while I remain be'ind. It save me moch
hexercise. Say, why you no kill 'im yourself? You got ze gun." Lopez was
mystified.
"I--I couldn't," Gilbert answered.
"Ees no difference from us three--me, you, and 'im," Lopez explained.
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