It was within half an hour of dinner time when he reached the Otega ranch, and he was received by the señor and his lovely wife most cordially.
“You are going to be our guest for several days, I hope?”
“Thank you, no, for I must go on my way this afternoon.”
“I am sorry; but we will soon have dinner.”
Señora Otega left the room to see to it, when the señor remarked:
“Now, which way, señor, for I am sorry to see you alone on a trail?”
“I have company, sir, but they are not visible.”
“My friend, Texas Jack, will be here this afternoon, and will you give him a couple of men whom you feel that you can really trust as guides?”
“I can give him a dozen men, Señor Cody, but candidly, and with shame I say it, I know of but one man on my ranch whom I would fully trust. The fact is, I do not know in whom to place confidence. They may be all faithful, and yet one may not be so, and that one might be the person I select for you.”
“But one man I am sure of, Palma, my cowboy chief, and he will go with you where you please.”
“Thanks, señor, he will do, and if you will allow him to go with Texas Jack I will feel obliged.”
“I am going to make a visit, señor, to the hacienda of the fair recluse.”
“Yes, and I wish you to give me full directions for reaching there.”
“I will, yet---- I do not wish to see you go there.”
“Is not the Señorita Suelo a protection upon her own ranch?”
“In your mysterious but seemingly sure way you are working for an end, señor, and I say Heaven speed you.”
“When I come back from my visit to the hacienda of the Señorita Suelo, I will get your cowboy chief to come to the Mission Ranch for a visit of several days, and he will guide us around to the other side of that range, for up there is the retreat of the secret foes.”
“I believe you are right. But I also will go, for you, a stranger, must not run all the risk in working for us here in this valley, who have suffered at the hands of the secret foes. I will accompany you, señor, and you may need my aid, as well as that of Palma.”
“I shall be only too happy to have you go, señor, for I shall go there for work, deadly work.”
Buffalo Bill rode away from the home of Señor Otega half an hour after he had enjoyed one of the señora’s most substantial dinners.