HEART
I oftho
SUNSET
r&? REX BEACH.
Huthor of ‘ ‘ The Spoilers, “The Iron Trail*
“The Silxer Horde” Etc.
***** 4* hmp~ m Mm
SYNOPSIS.
CHAPTER I—Set afoot and alone by an
accident ill the desert near the Rio Grande
Mrs. Alaire Austin, mistress of Las 1’al
Bias and I .a F'eria ranches, meets Dave
Law. Texas Ranger, at a water hole and
is compelled to spend the night there with
him. as he is in ambush for a murderer
and cannot leave his post.
CHAPTER II—Next day at evening the
murderer appears with a companion.
CHAPTER III—I -a w captures the mur
derer but is compelled to kill his compan- I
ion, Pantllo Sanchez, who happens to be
a cousin of Mrs. Austin's horsebreaker,
Jose Sanchez.
CHAPTER IV—At Las Palmas Alaire
tells her husband, Ed, that his carousals
and inebriety must stop. Her cattle
at Ijr Feria, the Mexican ranch, are con
fiscated by laingorio, Mexican federal i
general, and she finds that it Is because
Ed has been helping the rebel junta.
“After supper I’m going to show yon
our town,” Blaze declared, “It's the
finest city in south Texas, and grow
ing like a weed. All we need is good
farmers. Those we’ve got are mostly
back-to-nature students who leaped u
drug counter expecting to 'light In the
lap of luxury. In the last outfit we
sold there wasn’t three men that knew
which end of u mule t« put the collar I
on. But they’ll learn. Nature’s with
’em, and so am I. God supplies ’em |
with nil the fresh air and sunshine !
they need, and when they want any- !
thing else they come to Old Blaze.
Ain’t that right, Paloma?”
“Yes', father.” ✓
Paloma Jones had vtdopod won
derfully since Dave Law had last seen
her. She had grown Into a most whole
some and attractive young woman,
with an honest, humorous pair of
hrown eyes. During dinner she did
her part with a grace that made watch
ing her a pleasure, and the Ranger
found it a great treat to sit at her
table after his strenuous scouting days
In the mesquite.
“I’m glad to hear Janesville is pros
perous,” he told his host. “And they
say you’re in everything.”
"That’s right; and prosperity’s no
name for it. Everybody wants Blase
to have a finger in the pie. I’m inter
ested in the bank, the sugar mill, the
hardware store, the ice plant— Say,
the ice plant’s a luxury for a town this
size. D’you know what I made out of
It last year?”
“I've no idea."
“Twenty-seven thousand dollars!"
The father of Jonesville spoke proud
ly, impressively, and then through
hahtt called upon his daughter for
verification. “Didn’t I, I'aloum?"
Miss Paloma’s answer was unexpect
ed, and came with equal emphasis:
“No, you didn't, father. The miserable
thing lost money.”
Blaze was only momentarily dis
mayed. Then he Joined his visitor’s
laughter. “How can a man get along
without the co-operation of his own
household?” he inquired naively. "May
be it was next year I was thinking
about.” Thereafter he confined him
self to statements which requir'd no
corroboration.
Dave had long since learned that to
hold Blaze Jones to a strict account
ability with fact was to rob his so
ciety of its greatest charin'. A slavish
accuracy in tigures, an arid lack of
imagination, reduces conversation to
the insipidness of flat wine, and
Blaze’s talk was never dull. He was a
been, shrewd, practical man, but some
where In his being there was con
cealed a tij'inendous, lopsided sense
of humor which took the form of a
bewildering Imagery. An attentive au
dience was enough for him, and, once
his fancy was in full swing, there was
no limit to his outrageous exaggera
tions. A light of credulity in a hear
er’s eye filled him with prodigious
mirth, and it is doubtful If his listen
ers ever derived a fraction of the
amusement from his fabrications that
he himself enjoyed, l’aloina’s spirit
of contradiction was the only H.v In
his ointment; now that his daughter
was old enough to “keep books” on
him, much of the story-teller’s joy wus
denied him.
Of course his proclivities occasion
ally led to misapprehensions; chance
acquaintances who recognized him as
an artful romancer were liable to con
sider him generally untruthful. But
even in this misconception Blaze took
a quiet delight, secure In the knowl
edge that all who knew him well re
garded him as a rock of integrity. As
a matter of fact, his genuine exploits
were quite as sensational ns those of
his manufacture.
When, after supper. Blaze had
hitched a pair of driving mules to his
huckhoard, preparatory to showing ids
guest the glories of Jonesvllle. Dave
suid:
"Paloma’s getting mighty pretty.”
“She’s as pretty as a blue-bonnet
flower,” he father agreed. “And she
runs me around something scandalous.
I ain’t got the freedom of a peon.'
Blaze sighed and shook ills shaggy
head. “You know me, Dave; I never
used to be scared of nobody. Well, it's ,
fljfferetrt now. &he rides jn& with a !
Spanish hit, and my soul ain't my
V'vn.” With :> sudden lightening of his
gloom, lie added : “Say, you're going to
stay right here with us as long :ts
you're in town; I want you to see how
I cringe.”
In spite of ltlaze’s plaintive tone it
was patent that he was inordinately
proud of Palorna and well content with
his serfdom.
.Tonesville proved to he a typical
Texas town of the modern variety, and
altogether different to the pictured
frontier village. All in all. the effect
was much like that of a prosperous,
orderly northern farming town. To its
happy founder it seemed well-nigh per
fect, and its destiny roused his mad
dest enthusiasm. lie pointed out the
Odd Fellows hall, the Palace Picture
theater, with Is glaring orange lights
and discordant electric piano; he con
ducted Law to the First National
bank, of which Blaze was a proud hut
somewhat ornamental director; then |
to the sugar mill, the Ice plant and
other points of equally novel interest, j
Everywhere he went Jones was j
hailed by friends, for everybody
seemed to know him and to want to
shake ids hand.
‘‘Some town and some body of men,
eh?" lie inquired, finally, and Dave
agreed:
i es. Mu's trot n grand framework.
Blaze. She'll he most as l>ijr as Fort
Worth when you fatten her up.”
Jones waved his buggy whip In a
wide eirele that took in the miles of
level prairie on all sides. “We've got
the whole blamed state to grow In.
And, Dave, I haven’t got an enemy in
the place! It wasn’t many years ago
that certain people allowed I'd never
live to raise this town. Why, It used
to be that nobody dared ride with
me—except Paloma, and she used to
sleep with a shotgun at her bedside.”
“You sure have been a* responsibil
ity to her.”
"But I'm as safe now as if I was in
church."
Law ventured to remark that none
of Blaze’s enemies had grown fat in
proseeuting their feuds, but tills wus
a subject which the elder mun inva
riably found embarrassing, and now
he said:
“Pshaw! I never was the blood
letter people think. Pm as gentle as
a sheep.” Then to escape further cu
riosity on that point, he suggested that
they round out their riotous evening
with a game of pool.
• **•**•
The next morning at breakfast Pn
loniu announced, “Father, you must
help Dave hunt down these cattle
thieves.”
“Ain’t that sort of a big order?"
Blaze queried.
“Perhaps, but you’re the very man
to do it. Iticardo Guzman is the only
person who knows the Lewis gang as
well us you do.”
Jones shook bis head doubtfully.
"Don Kicardo has been working up his
own private feud with that outfit. If 1
was the kind that went looking for a
tight. I wouldn't have paid freight on
myself from the Panhandle down here.
I could have got one right at home,
any morning before breakfast.”
Kicurdo uuziunu is something or a
black sheep himself,” Law spoke up.
“Pshaw! He’» all right. I reckon
he has changed a few hratiijs In his
time, but so has everybody else. Why,
that's how ‘Old Ed’ Austin got his
start. If a cowman tells you he never
stole anything, lie’s either a good liar
or a bad roper. Hut Kienrdo’s going
straight enough now.”
“He has lost his share of stock,” Pa
buna explained, “and he’ll work with
you if father asks him. You go along
With Dave—”
“Pm too busy,” Blaze demurred,
“and I ain’t feeling good. I had bud
dreams all night.”
“I don’t want you around me here
(his morning. That new dressmaker
is coming.”
Jones rose abruptly from the table.
“I reckon my business can wait.
Hustle up, Dave.” A few moments
later, ns they were saddling their
horses, he lamented: “What did I tell
you? Here I go, on the dodge from a
dressmaker. I s’pose I’ve got to live
like a road-agent now, till something
happens.”
*******
Don Itlcardo Guzman was an Ameri
ca n. but he spoke no English. An ac
cident of birth had made him a citizen
of the United States—his father hav
ing owned a ranch which lay north
instead of south of the Rio Grande.
Inasmuch as the property had fallen
to Itlcardo, his sons, too, were Yan- j
kees in the eyes of the law. Hut in j
all other respects Don Iticardo and ;
bis family differed not at all from the
many Guzmans who lived across the
border. The Guzman ranch composed
a goodly number of acres, and. since
live stock multiply rapidly, its owner
had in some sort prospered. On the
bank of a resaca—a former bed of t he ;
Hit) flrande—stood I h»» house, n'n adoRe
structure, square, white and unprotect
ed from the sun by shrub or tree. Be
hind it were some brush corrals and
n few scattered mud jaculs, in which
lived the help.
Ricardo had just risen from n siesta
when his two visitors rode up, and lie
made them welcome with the best he
had. In the cool of the afternoon Ri
cardo rode with his visitors, and then,
cordial relations being now estab
lished. he began to divulge information
of value to Law.
Yes, he had endured many depreda
tions from thieves. It was shameful,
but doubtless God willed that a certain
amount of stealing should go on in
the world. The evildoers were cer
tainly favored by nature. In this local
ity, for the great expansb of brush
country to the north and east offered
almost perfect security, and the river,
to the south, gave immunity from pur
suit or prosecution. The beeves were
driven north into the wilderness, but
the horses went to Mexico, where the
war had created a market for them.
The federals had plenty of money to
buy mounts.
Whom did Don Ricardo suspect?
The old man was noncommittal.
Suspicion was one thingf, proof was
quite another; and conviction was diffi
cult under the best of circumstances. :
Why, even a cow’s recognition of her
own calf was not evidence for a court, !
and alibis were easily proved. Unless
the thieves were caught in the very
act there was no case against them,
and—por Dios!—o»e could not be for
ever on guard. Who could tell where
tlie malefactors would strike next?
Now, in Mexico one could afford to
kill an undesirable neighbor without
so much formality. But, thank God!
Don Ricardo was not a Mexican. No,
he was a good American citizen. It
was something to make him sleep well
in these war times.
Must tho some. 111 bet he'd sleep
better if thi' Lewis outfit was cleaned
up.” Have ventured, and Blaze agreed.
(Suzman caught his enemy’s name,
and nodded.
“Ah ! That sin verguenza ! Re sells
arms to tin* f’undeleristas and horses
to tho Potosistas. Perhaps he steals
my calves. Who knows?”
“Senor Lewis doesn’t need to steal.
He has money,” Jones argued. •
“True! lint who is so rich that he
would not be richer? Lewis employs
men who are poor, and he himself is
above nothing. I, too, am a friend of
the rebels. 1’anchlto, the Liberator,
was a saint, and I give money to the
pat riots who tight for his memory.
But I do not aid the tyrant Potosl with
my other hand. Yes, and who is richer,
for instance, than Senor Eduardo Aus
tin?”
“You surely don’t accuse him of
double-dealing with the rebels?” Blaze
inquired curiously.
“I don’t know. He Is a friend of
Tad Lewis, and there are struuge sto
ries afloat.
Just what these stories were, how
ever. Ricardo would not say, feeling,
perhaps that he had already said too
much. The three men spent that eve
ning together, and in the morning
Blaze rode home, leaving the Hunger
behind for the time being us Guzman’s
guest.
Dave put In the next two days riding
i he pastures, familiarizing himself
with the country, and talking with the
few men he met. About all he discov
ered, however, was the fact that the
Guzman range not only adjoined some
>f Lewis’ leased land, but also was
bounded for several miles by the Las
Palmas fence.
It was pleasant to spend the days
among the shy brush-cattle, with Bes
sie Belle for company. The mare
seemed to enjoy the excursions as
much as her owner. Her eyes and ears
were ever alert; she tossed her head
and snorted when a deer broke cover
or a jackrabhit scuttled out of her
path; she showed a friendly interest
in the awkward calves which stood
and eyed her with such amazement
and then galloped stithy off with tails
high arched. Law had many times un
dertaken to break Bessie Belle of that
habit of flinging her head high at sud
den sounds, but she was nervous and
Inquisitive, and this was the one thing
upon which she maintained a feminine
ohst innov.
On the second evening the Ranger
rode home through u drizzle that had
materialized after a long, threatening
afternoon and now promised to be
come a real rain. Ricarijo met him
at the door to say:
“You bring good fortune with you.
senor, for the land Is thirsty. To-mor
row, if this rain holds, we shall ride
together—you, Pedro and I. Those
thieves do their stealing when they
leave no tracks.”
The sky was leaden, the rain still
fell in the morning when Pave and
his two companions set nut. Until
afternoon they rode, their slickers
dripping, swaying to the tireless fox
trot of their steaming horses, their
eyes engaged in a watchful scrutiny.
At last Pedro, who was ahead.
reined In and pointed; the others saw
where the barbed-wire strands of the!
fence they had been following were
clipped. A number of horse and calf
tracks led through the opening, and
after tin examination Ricardo nn-|
Bounced:
“There are two men. They have
come and gone, with the calves tied
neck and neck.”
“That is Las Palmas, isn’t it?” Law
indicated the pasture into which the
trail led.
Father and son answered, “Si, se
nor.” j
For n time the Rnnger lounged side
wise in his saddle, studying the coun
try before him. Perhaps a half-mile
away a long, narrow patch of woods,
with 11ft tops of occasional oaks
showing, ran'paraHel with the fence
for u considerable distance.
“They took them in’ yonder, to
brand,” he said, straightening him
self. “Maybe we’ll be in time.”
Side by side the three men rode off
Oilman’s land, following the tracks
to the nearest point of woods; there
Law stopped to give his directions.
“Pedro, you rhie down this sidp;
Ricardo, you skirt the outside. T shall
keep to the middle. Walk your horses,
for I shall go slowly.” With a dubious
shake of the head Ricardo rode away,
while Dave guided Bessie Belle into
the grove.
CHAPTER VII.
A Ranger’s Horse.
Onward through the dense foliage
the two friends wound. Now and
then they stopped to listen, but the:
rain was heavy enough to drown all
other poises. Kncounterlng fresh
tracks finally, Dave leaned from hi*
saddle and studied them. lie had
gone perhaps half a mile when Bessie
Belle raised her head, and lie noted
thnt her nostrils were working sensi
tively. Law fancied that he could de
tect the smell of a wood fire. Farther
along they came to a place where the
brush was low, and there, rising
through the treetops beyond, he saw a
wavering plume of blue smoke.
The Ranger rode into sight of the
branding fire with his repeater*
across ills saddle horn and his thumb
upon the hammer; what followed
came with almost the Winding sud
denness of a lightning crash. First
there was the picture of a sandy glade,
in the center of which burned a tire
tv
With the First Jerk of His Horse’s
Head His Own Cun Leaped to His
Shoulder.
with branding irons in it, and a spot
ted calf tied to u tree, hut otherwise
no sign of life. Then, without warn
ing, Bessie Belle threw up her head
in that characteristic trick of hers, and
simultaneously Dave saw a figure rise
out of the grass at his left with a
rifle leveled. With the first jerk of
his horse’s head his owu gun had
leaped to his shoulder—he was not
conscious of having willed It to do
so—and even ns he pressed the trig
ger he felt Bessie Belle give way. The
next instant his feet, still in the stir
rups, were on the ground and his
horse lay between them, motionless.
That nervous fling of her head had
saved Dave's life, for the rustler’s
bullet had shattered her skull in its
flight, and she lay prone, with scarcely
u muscular twitch, so sudden had been
her end.
For a moment the Ranger wns
dazed. Tie stood staring down at his
pet; then the truth engulfed him. He
realized that he had ridden her to
her death, and nt the thought he be
came like a woman bereft of her
child, like n lover who had seen his
sweetheart slain.
A snout—It was a hoarse, inarticu
late cry; a swift, maddened scrutiny
that searched the sodden scene of the
ambush; then he was down beside the
mare, calling her name heartbrokenly,
Ills arms around her neck, his face
against her warm, wet, velvet hide.
I.aw knew that two men had en
tered the thicket, and therefore one
still remained to he reckoned with,
but he gave no thought to that. From
the corner of his eye he could see a
pair of hootsoles staring at him out
of the grass, and they told him there
was not need for investigation. Near
the body he heard the calf stirring, but
he let it struggle.
Bessie Belle's bright eyes were glaz
ing; she did not hear her lover’s
voice. Don Uicardo and his son burst
out of the brush from opposite direc
tions almost at the same moment, to
find the Banger with his face buried
in his horse’s mane.
“Carumba ! What is this?” The old
man Hung himself from the saddle
and came running. “You are injured?"
Pedro, too, hent over the officer, his
brown face pale with apprehension.
“Mother of God!” breathed the latter.
“It was a wild thing to do, to rifle
alone—”
“I’m all right.” I,nw said, rising
stiffly, whereupon both Mexicans
voiced thejr relief.
“The saints be praised!”
“Si! What happened? There was
a shot! Did you see nothing?”
Law Jerked his bend in tin* direc
tion of the fallen man at his back and
Pedro uttered a loud cry.
“Look!” Father and son ran through
the grass, then recoiled and broke
Into a Jargon of oaths and exclama
tions.
“Bight in the mouth! The fellow
wns In floats Uefore "he realized it.''
“See! It is us we thought, Pedro;
one of Lewis’! Tse! Tse! Tse!
Whitt a sight!"
“Who is he?" queried the officer.
“Pino Garza, one of the worst!"
chimed the two Guzmans.
Iticardo wns dancing in his excite
ment. “I told you that Lewis knew
something. The other one got pnst
me. but I cannot shoot like—this."
It was difficult to secure a connected
story from Ricnrdo, hut he finally
made it plain that at the first report
the other thief had fled, exposing him
self only long enough for the old inau
to take a quick shot in his direction.
Ricardo had missed, and the miscre
ant wns doubtless well away by this
time. Tie had ridden a sorrel horse
that was all Ricnrdo could remember.
Law looked only briefly at the grue
some results of his marksmanship,
then he turned back to the body of his
beloved mare. Ricnrdo noticed at
length that he was crying; as the
Ranger knelt beside the dertd thor
oughbred, the old Mexican whispered
to his son;
“Valgnme Dios! Tfiis is a strange
fellow. He weeps like a woman. He
must have loved that horse as a man
loves his wife. Who can understand
these gringos?” After a time he ap
proached cautiously and inquired;
“W hat shall we do with this hombre,
seiior? Pedro has found his horse.”
Law roused himself. With his own
hands he gently removed Bessie Belle's
saddle, bridle and blanket, then he
gave his orders. '
“I’ll take your horse, Ricardo, and
you take—that fellow's. Get a wagon
and move him to Jonesvllle.”
“And you?"
‘Tin going to follow that man on the
sorrel.”
The dead man’s saddle was left be
side the body; then when the ex
change of mounts had been effected,
and all was ready, Law made a re
quest that amazed both father and son.
"If I'm not back by morning, I want
you to bury my mare.” His voice
broke; he turned away his face. “Bury
her deep, Ricardo, so—the coyotes
can't dig her up; right where she fell.
I ll be back to see that it’s done right.
Understand?"
“Bueno! I understand perfectly.
She was a pretty horse. She was your
honlta, eh? Well, you have a big
heart, senor, as a brave man should
have. Everything shall be done as
you wish; 1 give you my hand on It.”
Ricardo reached down and gripped
Law’s palm. “We will name our pas
ture for her, too, because it is plain
you loved her dearly. So, then, until
tomorrow.”
Law watched his two friends ride
away, then, with a miserable ache in
his throat, he mounted and rode off
to pick up the trail of the mnn on the
sorrel pony.
The fellow had ridden in the direc
tion of Las Palmas, which Dave Judged
must be fully twelve miles away, and
when they continued to maintain this
course the Ranger became doubly in
terested. He risked his own interpre
tation of the rider’s intent and pushed
on without pausing to search out the
trail step by step. At the second gate
the signs indicated that his man was
little more than an hour abend of him.
The prospect of again seeing the
ruddy-haired mistress of Las Palmas
stirred Law more deeply than he cared
to admit. Nevertheless, he was uncom
fortably aware that she had a hus
band. Not only so, hut the sharp con
trast in their positions was disagree
able to contemplate; she was unbeliev
ably rich, and a person of influence in
the state, while he had nothing except
his health, his saddle and his horse—
No; no horse now, she was gone.
The mist and an early dusk prevent
ed him from seeing Las Palmas itself
until he was well in among the Irri
gated fields. A few moments later,
when lie rode up to the outbuildings,
he encountered a middle-uged Mexicun,
who proved to be Benito Gonzalez, the
range boss.
nave made hnnsolf known, and Be
nito answered his questions with ap
parent honesty. No. he had seen noth
in;; of a sorrel horse or a strange rider,
hut he had just come in himself.
Doubtless they could learn more from
luan, the horse-wrangler, who was
somewhere about.
Juan was finally found, but he
proved strangely recalcitrant. He ad
mitted that he had seen a horse of
the description given. Probably It be
longed to some stranger.
Dave changed his tactics. “Oiga!” he
said, sternly. “Do you want to go to
jail?” Juan had no such desire. “Then
tell the truth. Where •«? the horse
now?"
Juan insolently declared he didn’t
know and didn’t care.
“Oh, you don't, eh?” Law reached
for the boy, and shook him until he
yelled. “You will make a nice little
prisoner, Juanito, and we shall find a
way to make you speak.”
(lonzalez was inclined to resent apch
high-handed treatment of his under
ling, but respect for the Hangers was
deep-rooted, and Juan's behavior was
inexplicable.
At last the horseboy confessed. He
had seen both horse and rider, but
knew neither. Mr. Austin and the
stranger had arrived together, and the
latter had gone on. That was the
truth.
“Bueno!” Law relensed his prisoner,
who slunk away rubbing his shoulder.
"Now, Benito, we will find Mr. Aus
tin.”
A voice answered from the dusk:
"lie won’t take much finding.” and Kd
Austin himself emerged from the stable
door. "Well, what do you want?”
“You are Mr. Austin, I reckon?”
“1 am. What d’.vou mean by abus
ing my help?" The muster of Las Pal
mas approached so -near that hta
threatening scowl was visible. "I don’t
allow strangers to prowl around mj
premises.”
Amazed by this hostile greeting, Law
explained in a word the reason for hi*
presence.
“I don't know anything about youi
man. What d’yon want him for, and
who are you?”
Have Introduced himself. “I want
him for stealing Guzman's calves. ]
“I Don’t Know Anything About You.*
trailed him from where he and hli
partner cut Into your south pasture.’
Benito stirred and muttered an outh,
but Austin was unmoved. “I reckon
you must be a bad trailer," he laughed
“We’ve got no thieves here. What
makes you think Guzman lost anj
calves?”
Dave’s temper, never too well con
trolled at best, began to rise. He could
not imagine why a person of Ed Aus
tin's standing should behave In this
extraordinary manner, unless, perhaps,
he was drunk.
“Well, I saw the calves, and I left
the fellow that wus branding them
with a wet saddle blanket over his
face.”
“Eh? What’s that?” Austin start
ed, and Gonzalez uttered a smothered
exclnrnation. “You killed him? He’s
dead?”
“Dead enough to skin. I caught him
with his irons in the fire and the calves
necked up In your pasture. Now 1
want his eompanero.”
“I—hope you don’t think we know
anything about him," Ed protested.
“Where’s that man on the sorrel
horse?”
Austin turned away with a shrug.
“You rode In with him,” Dave per
sisted.
Ed wheeled quickly. "How do you
know I did?"
“Your boy saw you.”
The ranchman’s voice was harsh as
j he said: “Look here, my friend, you're
I on the w rong track. The ft How I w as
with had nothing to do with this af
fair. Would you know your man? Did
you get a look at him?"
“No. But I reckon Don Itlcardo
could tell his horse,"
“Humph !” Austin grunted, disagree
ably. “So Just for that you come
prowling around threatening my help,
eh? Trying to frame up a case, may
be? Well, it don’t go. I was out with
one of Tad Lewis’ men.”
"What was bis name?” Dave man
aged lo inquire.
“Urbina. He had a sorrel under him,
but there are thousuuds of sorrel
horses.”
“What time did you meet him?”
“1 met him at noon, and—I’ve been
with him ever since. So you see you’ru
wrong. I presume your man doubled
back and is laughing at you.”
Law’s first bewilderment had given
place to n black rage; for the moment
he was in danger of disregarding the
reason for “Young Ed’s” incivility and
giving rein to his passion, hut he
cheeked himself in time.
“Would you mind telling me what
you nnd this Urbina were doing?”
Austin laughed mockingly. "That’s
my business,” said he.
Dave moistened his lips. ITe hitched'
Ids shoulders nervously. Ho was aston
ished at Ids own self-control, though
the certainty that Austin was drunk
helped him to steady himself. Never
theless, lie dared not trust himself to
speak.
Construing this silence as an ac
knowledgment of defeat. Ed turned to
go. Some tardy sense of duty, how
ever, prompted him to fling back, care
lessly :
"I suppose you’ve come a pood ways.
If you're hungry. Rontto will show you
the way to the kitchen.” Then he
walked away Into the darkness, fol
lowed by the shocked gaze of. his
range boss.
Benito roused himself from his
amazement to say, warmly: “Si, com
padre. You will enjoy a cup of hot
coffee.”
But Law ground out fiercely:
not used to kitchen hund-outs. f rt-ek
on I <?nn chew my bridle reins If I gel
too hungry.” Walking to his horse, he
vaulted Into the saddle.
Benito laid a hand upon his thigh
and apologized. “Henor Ed is a strange
man. He Is often like this lately* You>
understand me? Will you come to my
house for supper?" i
“Thank you, hut I (hink I’ll rjde on
to Tad Lewis’ and. see Urbina.”
At this the Mexican shook his head1
as Ir apprehensive of the result, but he
suid nothing more.
(Continued Next Week.)
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