Long before
noon there were those who had laughed at Patten before, but who now
accused themselves of having failed to do him justice.
Virginia Page had remained all night with her patient in Las Estrellas.
The first rumor she had of the fight in the Casa Blanca was borne to
her ears by Ignacio's bell as she rode back toward San Juan. Only a
few hours ago she had talked with Galloway, watching him banter with
Florrie Engle; but a little before that, earlier in the same day, she
had seen Rod Norton. Before she galloped up to the old Mission garden
her heart was beating excitedly, and she was asking herself, a little
fearfully: "Is it Galloway or is it Rod Norton?" For she was so sure
that in the end Ignacio would ring the Captain for one of them.
Ignacio told her the story. Norton was lying in the hotel,
unconscious, Patten working over him; Jim Galloway and Antone were in
the little jail and soon would be taken to the county-seat; Kid Rickard
was shot through the lung but would live, Patten said; Vidal Nunez,
over whom the whole thing had started, was dead.
"If _mi amigo_ Roderico die," mumbled Ignacio, "it will be two
Nortones, two sheriffs, that die because of Galloway. If Roderico
live, then the next time he will kill Galloway. You will see,
_senorita_.
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