The hacienda was its usual brightly lit self. That was the only thing that seemed normal on this night.
This was an evening filled with worry and concern.
Dwan José Valdez had not trusted either of the strange men his vaqueros had brought to him at gunpoint a few hours earlier. It was strange for this most generous of men to distrust anyone, but the Hardy brothers just brought out the worst in the elderly gentleman.
He had supplied them with food and with wine, but not with the things that he normally provided. These were men that did not seem worthy of his trust. Therefore he did not give them any
The vaqueros had removed all the Hardy brothers’ weapons before bringing them into the hacienda courtyard.
Valdez had ordered them not to be left unguarded. He had more on his mind than two stray drifters. His thoughts were with the tall, shadowlike Iron Eyes.
Tom and Whit were treated well. The brothers had their horses groomed, watered and fed by Valdez’s stable hands.
Supplies were given to them freely before Dwan José Valdez came to the small tack room where they were being kept.
‘You are free to go on your way,’ Valdez started to tell the two rough riders, ‘as long as you leave my property and head back across the border.’
Tom gazed up at the old man, who was flanked by his heavily armed vaqueros. ‘You ordering us out of Mexico?’
‘I am.’ Valdez’s eyes narrowed.
‘What the hell for?’ Tom felt insulted.
‘Because we have enough filth in our country without stealing more from yours.’ The elderly man was in no mood to argue with anyone.
‘Can he kick us out of Mexico, Tom?’ Whit Hardy was still enjoying the free wine that had been provided by their host.
‘I can do anything I want,’ Valdez interrupted.
‘Guess we are leaving,’ Tom shrugged.
‘We have seen to your horses. They are fresh now, and able to carry you back home.’ Valdez turned to leave the tack room, when he was stopped by a question that struck him unexpectedly.
‘You heard of a critter named Iron Eyes?’ Tom Hardy asked.
Valdez kept his back to the men. ‘I think you will leave my hacienda very quickly.’
‘How come, old-timer?’ Tom stood and smiled at the back of his host.
Dwan José turned. ‘Otherwise my men will shoot you and bury you out in the sand for the ants to eat.’
Whit jumped to his feet and grabbed his older brother’s arm in terror.
‘What’s wrong, boy?’ Tom asked.
‘Shut the hell up, Tom. These folks ain’t civilized like us.’
Tom shook his head at the floor.
‘You still scared of ants, Whit?’ he sighed.