Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-10-13


by impatient hoofs lie was glad that most
OF the boys preferred saddles 70 soft Upholst-
cry, for Il argued that soma vigor stlll re-
mained IN Texas manhood and that the
country had not been entirely ruined by
motors, picture shows. low shoes and high
collars OF course the youths of this day
were nothing like tho youths OF his own. aud
yet-Blazo let his gaze linger fondly on the
high-bred mare and her equ,pment-here
AZ least was person who knew n good
Morse a good saddle and a good gun.
As he came up the walk he heard Paloma
laugh, and his own face ughtened, for
falomas merriment was contagious. Then
as ne mounted the steps and turned tho
corner Of the gallery" he uttered a hearty
greeting.
drop fromg"
Law uncoiled himself and took the ranch
mans hand Hello. Blazet been ordered
uowh here Go keep you straight"
Dave?"
why I'm with the Rangers"
Never knew n word OF H. Last | heard
derstas"
Blaze seated himself with a grateful sigh
whore the brceEe played over him He was
big, hear-lke, swarthy man with the
spuare-hown, deep-llned face OF a tragedian
and head OF long. curly hair which he
wore parted In line ovOr his left ear. Jones
was character, a local landmark This
part OF Texas had grown up with Blaze,
ana lhasmuch as he had sprung from n
Tree race Of pioneers he possessed a splen-
did Indifference TO the artificial fads OF
dress and manners tt was only since Pa
Iona had attained her womanhood that he
had been forced TO fight down his deep
seated dstrust OF neckwear and store
clothes and the like; hut now that his
daughter had definitely asserted her rights.
he had acquired numerous unwecome
graces and no longer ventured among
strangers without the stamp OF her APP
proNal upon his appearance. ouly at home
did he maintain what ne considered "A
manly independence of speech and habit.
Today, therefore. found him in a favorite
suit Of baggy, wrinked linen and with a
weeks stubble OF beard upon his chin. He
was so plainly an outdoor man that the air
OF erudttion lent him by the pair of gold
| trimmed spectacles owlishly perched upon
his sunburped nose was strangely lncon-
gruous.
$50 you're a Ranger, and got notches on
your gun" Blaze rolled and III a tiny
cigarette scarcely larger than a wheat
| straw. 'Well, you'd ought to make a
right able thief catcher, Dave, only for
| your sze--you're too long for man and
you ain't long enough for a snake still
| reckon n thief would have trouble getting
| out of your reach, and once you got close TO
him How many men have you klled?"
Counting Moxicans?" Law inquired, with
| a smile.
Hell! Nobody counts them"
mot many"
That's good" Blaze nodded and reIt his
| cigarette, which he had permitted promptly
| 10 smolder out '"The Force amt what II
| was. Most of the boys nowadays join SO
they can ride horse oross-lots. pack a pair
| OF guns and give rein to the predictions OF
vicious ancestry. They're bad rams, most
| OF em."
There aren't many" said Paloma,
Dave tells me the whole Force has beer
| cut down to sixteen"
That's plenty" her father averred. TITS
like when Cap'n Bin Mcdonald was sent
to stop n riot In Dallas. lie came 10 town
alone, and when the citizens asked him
whore his men was. he said He'll Amt
l enough? There's only one riot Are you
workin up a case, Dave7"
"Um-m-yes People are missing a loi
OF stock hereabouts."
IT'S these blamed refugees from tn,
war A Mexican has to steal something oil
he gets run down and pore. II Il Amt stock
| it's something else. Why. ono morning
| rode into Jonesville in time 10 see foul
| Greasers wallIin' down the main street with
feed sacks over their shoulders, Each on'
| Of these gunnies had something long ant
fiat and heavy In II, and growed curious
| When investigated what do you suppose
|
| marble beauties fresh from the cemetery
| Well, II made me right sore, for I'd helped
to start Jonesville l was It's city father
| I'd made the place 1T 10 live in and aimed
to keep II safe 10 die in and so bein' sor
OF left-handed, self-appolnted deputy sher
| in, l rounded up those ghous and droy,
'em TO the county seat In my spring wagon
II had tho evidence propped up against
the front Of our real estate office-'Sacred
to the memory Of four of our leading
citizens--so ! jailed EN-, But that's all
the good II did"
Couldn't convict, eh?"
Blaze lit his cigarette for the third time
The prosecuting attorney and l wasn't
very good friends, seeing az how I'd had
To kill his daddy, 80 he turned 'em loose
I'm damned II those four GreaseTs didn't
beat me back 10 Jonesyille." Blaze shool
his head Tuminatlyely, "This was a hard
country, those days. There wasn't but two
honest men in this whole valley--and thu
other one was n nigger'
Dave Laws duties as a Ranger restet
lightly upon hlmi his instructions wer'
vague and he had leisurely method o.
working w" his evidence. Since he knew
that Blaze possessed thorough knowlsdg,
uu,a..as WHch mad brought him to th'
Jones home this afternoon.
Strictly speaking, Blaze was not
rancher, although many of his acres wer,
under cultivation and he employed sizabl'
army OF field hands, His disposition wal
too adventurous, his life had been too swift
and varied, for him to remain interested IL
slow agricultural pursuits; therefore, HI
had speculated heavily In raw lands. and
for several years past no had devoted hi
energies TO a gigantic colonization scheme
Originally Blaze had come TO the RiC
Grande valley as a stock raiser, but th'
natural advantages Of the country had Rp
pealed 10 his gambling instinct and he hat
gone broke" buying land,
He had located some fifteen miles below
the borders OF Las Palmas, and there HI