The Raymer enterprise., 1917-08-16

! during Ier stay IN Br0WnsNllie, ana ne
| failure TO do so was q grave dlsap
p0intment as she knew that he was II
town attending court. Yet she toll
herself that 1t was brave OF. him t,
obey her injunctions so literally and Il
leave hei unembarrassed by his pres
ence at this particular time. II In
spired her 10 be equally brave anc Il
walt patiently for the day when sh'
could welcome him with clean hand
and a soul unashamed.
In the midst Of Alaire's uncertainty
Of mind II grailhed her TO realize tha
Dave alone would know OF her where
abouts. She wondered II he woul
come TO see her. He was q reckless
headstrong lover, and his desires wer,
all too likely TO overcome his delib
crate resolves. She rather hoped thai
In spite OF his promise he would ven
ture TO cross the border SO that sht
could see and be near him. IL only foi
a day or for an hour. The possibility
frightened and yet pleased her. The
conventional woman within hel
froYned, but her outlaw heart beat
fast at the thought.
Alaire did not explain her plans even
to DOOres, but when her preparations
sere complete she took the Mexican
woman with her. and during Eds alb
sence SLIPPED away from the ranch
Boarding the train at Jonesville, she
was In Pueblo that night.
1t seemed at last that war with
Mexico was imminent. After months
Of uncertainty the question had come
to issue, and that lowering cloud which
had hung above the horizon took oml
nous shape and size. Ellsworth awoke
one morning to learn that an ultima,
tum had gone forth to President Po
tosi; that the Atlantic fleet had been
ordered south; and that marines were
being rushed aboard transports pend
Ing general army mobilization. II
looked as If the United States had
finally risen In wrath, and as II moth
ing less than miracle could now aver
the long-expected conflict.
Blaze Jones took the San Antonio
paper out upon the porch and com
posed himself In the hammock to read
the latest war news. Invasion. Troops
The Stars and Stripesl Those Were
words that stirred Jones deeply and
caused him to neglect his work. Now
that his country had fully awakened
to the necessity OF war with Mexico
"A necessity he had long felt-he was
fired with the loftiest patriotism and q
youthful eagerness to enlist. Blaze
realized that he was old aud fat and
near-sIghted; but what OF that? He
could fight. Fighting, In fact, had
been one of his earliest accomplish
ments, and he prided himself upon
knowing as much about II as any
man could learn. He believed in fight
ing both as a principle and as an ex'
erclse; In fact. he attributed his good
health TO his various neishborly "un'
pleasantnesses,' and he had more than
once argued that no great fighter ever
died of sluggish liver or of any one
Of the other Ills that beset sedentary,
peace-loving people. Nations were
like men-too much ease made them
tiabby. And Blaze had his own ideas
of strategy, too. So during the perusal
Of his paper he bemoaned the mis-.
takes his government was making
Why waste time with ultimatumsf he
argued to himself. He had never done
so. Experience had taught him that
the way to win battle was TO beat
the other fellow to the draw; hence
this diplomatic procrastination filled
him with impatience. Ii seemed al
most reasonable to one of Blaze's in'
tense patriotism.
He was engaged In laying out plar
OF campaign for the United State,
when he became conscious of voices
behind him, and realized that for some
time Paloma had been entertaining Q
caller In the front room. Their con
yersation had not disturbed him al
first, but now an occasional word ol
sentence forced its meaning through
his preoccupation, and he found him
sell listening.
Paloma's visitor was woman, an(
as Blaze hardened to her voice, he fel
his heart sink. 1t was Mrs. Strange
She was here again. With difficulty
Blaze conquered an impulse to flee
for she was recounting story all tot
familiar TO him.
"Why, II seemed as II the whole cit,
Of Galveston was there, and yet no
body offered to help u.s." the dress
maker was saying. "Phil was q per
feet hero. for the ruflian was twIc'
his size. Oh. 1t was an awful fight
! hate to think of It."
what made him pinch you?
Paloma inquired.
Heaven only knows. Some men ar
dreadful that way. Why, he left |
black-and-blue mark"
Blaze broke Into a cold sweat an'
cursed feebly under his breath.
"He wasn't drunk, either. He wa
just naturally depraved. You coult
see II In his face"
How did you escapeT'
"Well. I'll tell you. We cha sed hin