The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-03-10
DOWN BY The
RIO CRANDE
The Bravery of a Woman and
the Saving of a Life.
Nv cuRRAN r. GREENLEY.
BY cURRAN r. GREENLEY.

The long gray adobe walls Of the
hacienda lay bathed in the quiver Of
yellow light. Alleyne watched Mar
garet's face for sign of truce, but the
shadows came and went between the
vines that draped the patio as the in
terminable Sabbath afternoon dragged
away and Margaret remained buried
In her book. And all about a beg
carly horse thief" he murmured TO
himself as he sat up straight and sent
the pile of magazines crashing TO the
floor.
There was a look of consciousness
about the back of that shapely brown
head that held itself 80 persistent1y
sverted, but Alleyue deemed 1t wiser
not to reopen the subject of Miguel.
Over in the corral things wore a de-
serted air. Two or three men lounRed
IN the shade of the high wall Alleyne
yawned and looked at his watch and
at q faint movement of the figure in
the rocker Margaret, r. Crack.
ack-ack! Somewhere away to the west
three shots rang out in rapid success
sion. a pause and then three more.
Over in the corral the lounging hg-
ures sprang to life. and an instant
later three ponies were galloping in the
direction of the shots. Alleyne dashed
into the house. reappearing with the
fieldglasses. They've got him" He
was peerinS at a collection of black
dots on the edge of the horizon.
"Got whoT Margaret laid her hand
upon his arm.
1.-THE mischiefr Alleyne jerked the
glasses down. 81 forgot you were
here" Under her steady gaze his col
or changed Yes. If you will have the
whole CHASTITY truth and cannot be per.
suaded to stay out of it. it's that
scoundre Miguel"
Margaret shrank away from him
with low cry of distress. The look
in her eyes went straight to Alleyne's
heart, and his voice softened to a ten,
der pleading as he tried to draw her
to him. Little woman, you cannot be
the judge of these matters. and you
cannot shield a horse thief. l could
have told you this morning. but pre-
ferred to let you think me a bit hard
on Miguel than to shock you with the
truth. There have been some queer hap
penings lately both here at the Alaho
and at Jose's. Last night a bunch Of
Jose's best ponies came up missing
and the boys have been trailing him
since sunrise"
"John Alleyne. do you mean to let
those savages Of yours murder man
here on the Alaho just for the sake OF
a few bronchos2" Margaret faced him
sternly, and Alleyne lost his hard kept
patience.
"YOu forget that there are mems
laws to be considered as well as Gods,
and out here on the fringe of the world
the code knows no greater crime than
lifting a broncho, and the lifting Of
many bronchos aggravates the case II
is not a question in which my wife
may meddle" And Alleyne strobe to
ward the corral. while Margaret picked
up the glasses.
The wind blown stretch of bare
brown mesa told her nothing of the
tragedy brewing behind its crest. She
watched Alleyne until her eyes ached
clatter OF hoofs and a voice calling
her name brought her TO the door
where a half broken cayuse snorted
and paved Astride Of him sat Bright
Eyes. Miguel's Indian wife. the brown
baby swung to her back. There was
a queer ashen pallor on the woman's
stolid face as she slid from the pOny's
back. one hand clutching at the deer
49, h.
"White man got Miguel. Miguel he
die" Here she poiNtNd to her throat
and made a Rasping sound. "White
squaw much hurree. Miguel he no die
kaber
Margaret covered before the awfu
Pieading in those savage eyes "Noi
a question in which my wife may med
de" John had said. but there was no
time to weigh scruples. and Eve min.
utes later a strangely assorted pair
rode into the face of the setting sun,
and the rough little cayuse strove 10
keep pace with the swinging stride Of
the Hindu mare. Far ahead a black
DOT moved against the sky that Marga,
ret knew TO be Alleyne A gimmer of
consequences flashed across her mind,
but the sweet young mouth only grew
q little frmer as she struck the trail OF
many horses and knew the goal to be-
IA sight
On and on. sagebrush and prickly
pear. the yellow sand beneath, and
overhead the blue melting into the
evenings violet crown. natures own
smile upon the scene that swept into
view. where men and horses were
grouped around the impassive figure
wrapped in the ragged ponchO that
lounged in careless grace against the
white SCARED trunk of a large mes
quite. MargarPts eyes went instinc
lively to the lariat knOtted about the
bronze throat II was not the first time
that Miguel had felt il there, but Rusty
Pete himself held the end of this one.
The voices hushpd Instantly. and TO
man the wide sombreros were lifted as
Margaret slipped from the saddle and
stood looking from one dark face to
another An vful sense of self en-