Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-10-12
HEART OF THE SUNSET BsREx M E. BEACH a j

which he stIli bent upon her. I'VE con.
nscate everything--lt Is necessity OF
war" he murmured.
But this Is different. The ranch Is mine
and am an American"
There was a pause. The General made a
Visible EFFORT 90 gather his wits. IL was
now quite patent that the sight OF Alaire
the sound OF her voice. her first glance
had stricken him with an odd semlparaly-
els. AS II to shut out vision or to escape
some dazzling sight. he closed his eyes
Alaire wondered II the fellow had been
drinking. She turned 10 Dolores to find
that good woman wearing an expression OF
stupefaction Il was very queer; IL made
Alaire extremely III at ease.
Longorio opened his eyes and smiled. 'lt
seems that I have seen you before---as "
we were old friends-or as II had come
face to face with myself" said he. Il am
affected strangely. IL is unaccountable, l
know you we'll - completely--everything
about you is familiar to me, and yet we
meet for the first time, eh7 How do you
explain that. unless a miracle"
1T is merely your Imagination"
such beauty-here among these COM
mon people, was unprepared" Longorio
passed a brown hand across his brow 20
brush away these perverse fancies that 80
interfered with HIS thoughts.
In moments OF stress tho attention often
centers upon trivial things and tho mind
photographs unimportant objects. Alaire
noticed now that one OF Longorio's fingers
was decorated with n magnificent diamond
and-ruby ring. and this interested her
queeriy. No ordinary man could fttlngly
have worn such an ornament. yet on the
hand Of this splendid barbarian II seemed
not at all out OF keeping
"Dlosl Let me take hold OF myself, for
my wits are I'm mutiny," Longorio con-
"a a.. AA,A NaNl
need not assure you, sonora, that you have
only 20 command me. Your ranch has been
destroyed: your cattle stolen, ehg'
Yes. At least"
I'VE will shoot the perpetrators OF this
outrage at once. Bueno! Come with me
and you shall see Il with your own eyes"
mo. mol You don't understand"
80? What then7"
II don't want 20 see any one punished
] merely want your government to pay me
for my cattle" Aiaire laughed nervously
"Ahl But n lady OF refinement should
iA n matter for men. Bother your pretty
head no moro about IL. and leave me 70
punish tho guilty In my own way"
She endeavored TO speak In brisk. bus
iness-like tone. la Feria belongs to me-
personally, and have managed II for sew
eral years. just as 1 manage Las Palmas.
across the river. am n woman OF anairs,
General Longorio. and you must talk to me
as you would talk to a man. When heard
about this raid l came to look into Ito
see you or whoever is In charge OF this dis
trict, and TO make claim for damages.
Also, intend TO see that nothing similar
occurs again. l have delayed making rep
reservations TO my own government In the
hope that could arrange satisfactory
settlement, and 30 avoid serious complica'
tions. Now you understand why l arm here
and why wished to sec you"
'valgame Dicsl This Is amazing. be-
come more bewildered momentarily.'
There is nothing extraordinary about II.
that can see"
You think not? You consider such a
woman as yourself ordinary? The men of
my country enshrine beauty and worship
IT, They place II apart az a precious gift
from God which nothing shall defile. They
do not discuss such things with their
women. Now this sordid affair is some
thing for your husband"
MFR. Austins business occupies his time,
this is my own concern. 1 am not the only
practical woman In Texas"
Longorlo appeared to be laboriously di-
gesting this statement. "Sol" he said Mt
last. when you heard OF this--you came,
sh? You came alone into Mexico, where
we are fighting and killing each other?
well That is spirit. You are wonderful,
superb" He smiled, showing the whitest
and evenest teeth.
Such extravagant homage was embar-
RAISING yet no woman could be wholly dis
pleased by admiration 80 spontaneous and
intense as that which Longorio manifested
In every look and word.
II was plain TO Alaire that something
about her had completely bowled him over
perhaps II was her strange red hair and
her white foreign face, or perhaps some
thing deeper. something behind all that.
Sex phenomena are strange and varied I'm
their workings Who can explain the in
slant attraction or repulsion OF certain
Yhxr hn Ntasss s.rf
head. a smile. a glance, move us to the
depths? Why does the touch OF one
Strangers hand thrill us. while anothers
leaves us quite impasslve? Whence springs
that personal magnetism which has the
power 10 set the very atoms Of our being
into new vibrations, like a highly charged
electric current?
Alaire knew the susceptibility of Mexican
men. and was immune to ordinary hattery;
yet there was something exciting about
this martial hero's complete captivation.
To have charmed him 10 the point OF be-
wilderment was unique triumph. and
under his hungry eyes she felt an ad-
venturous thrill.
II is true that Luis Longorio was utterly
alien. and I'm that sense almost repellent 10
Alaire; moreover, she suspected him OF
being a monster so depraved that no decent
woman could bring herself 10 accept his
attentions. Nevertheless In Justice TO the
fellow. she had to acknowledge that ex-
ternally. at least, he was immensely su-
perior TO the Mexicans she had met Then.
too, his arlstocracy was unmlstalkable. and
Aiairo prded herself that she could recog-
nize good blood In men as quickly as In
horses. The fellow had been favored BY
birth. by breeding and by education: and
although military service IN Mexico was
little more than form OF banditry, never
theless Longorio had developed a certain
genius for leadership, nor was there any
doubt as 10 his spectacular courage. In
some way he was q second cid--another
figure out OF Castiliah romance.