BORDER SEARCH 27

elias rode into tucson. he wasnt sure where his cusins lived but he felt confident he would find them. he stopped at a low roofed cantina and started to dismount when a young boy stepped up" for a centavo i will hold your horse." the boy held out his hand. " if you can tell me the home of roberto elias i will give you a silver doller." hector resat his saddle. " the boys eyes grew wide" follow me" he said and trotted off up a side street.hector followed along his give out horse tripping every few steps. the boy stopped at a gate in a adobe wall. " he lives here" the boy held up his hand. hector fished in his saddle pocket and dropped the coin in the boys hand. the boy turned and ran back the way they had come. eppi sat in the brush behind the encampment where del, maxine harry and andy were. the sun was going down and he could just make out what they were doing . andy had moved the horses and the mules to a fresh patch of grass after watering them. now the four were sitting around the fire eatiing. eppi s stomach rumbled reminding him of his own hunger. he fished in the sack he carried for something to eat. it was a crust of bread and the hungry vaquero bit into it letting it soften in his mouth. below maxine was takeing some bedding and spreading it to one side of the camp. eppi took note that it would be easier to abduct her there. just had to get dark first. it was a moonless night, inky dark the fire in the camp had died down to a pile of red coals. eppi sat his sack to one side where he could find it later. then carefuly started into the camp. he was thankful he no longer had the large rowel spurs to clink as he walked. with a bravado attitude he drew his pistol and soft steped to the sleeping form where he knew maxine would be. as he drew close he leaned over and whispered" i am here to take you to the silver mine senorita"the sleeping form rolled over so the face was inches from his"i know how to get there eppi" a pistol barrel pushed into eppis mouth. the mexican made a whinning sound and fell over backwards right into the bed of coals. he let out a scream as the coals burned into his back he lept to his feet and started to run but tripped on a sleeping form. the pistol in his hand went off into the air, at that point three other weapons fired and eppi was riddled with lead. the only bullits that found him were from andy and harry who eppi thought was maxine. del was still at his spot next to the wagon." sleep boys, we can clean up the mess in the morning. if he would have looked in her direction he would have seen maxines face peering from the back of the wagon where she had her bed, " good night she whispered.