The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1917-08-30

night, like this?" she asked. 81 shall
be surprised If we are not a~ssassinated
before morning."
HE must have meant it." Alaire
spoke with a conviction she did not
entirely feel. "Father O'Malley aroused
the finer side of his nature"
"Perhaps," agreed the priest. "Some-
where in him there is a fear Of God"
But Dave was skeptical. "More like
ly a fear of the gringo government"
said he. "Longorio is a fourf1usher.
When he realized he was licked he
tried to a " his face by a grandstand
play. He didn't want to let US go"
"Then what is to prevent him from
well, from having us followed?"
Alaire inquired.
Nothing" Dave told her.
AS they climbed the bank and rode
onward into the night she said: mo
matter what happens. dear, I shall be
happy, for at last n of my dreams
has come true" He reached out and
patted her. you've no idea what a
coward I vas until you came. But the
moment I say you all my fears van
ished. I was like a lost child who sud-
denly sees its father; in your arms I
felt perfectly safe, for the first time in
all my life, I think. II couldn't bear
to 60 on without you, after this"
Dave found nothing to say; they
rode along side by side for a time in
a. great contentment that required no
speech. Then Alaire asked:
"Dear, have you considered how we
are going to explain our marriage?"
"Won't the circumstances explain
it,"
perhaps. And yet It seems ages
since I learned-what happened to Ed.
but in reality it's only a few hours.
Won't people talk?"
Dave caught at the suggestion. Il
see. Then let's keep it secret for the
present"
With a little reckless laugh she con-
fessed, "I-I'm afraid I'll find it diff
cult to be conventional"
my wife" he cried in sharp agony.
Leaning far out, he encircled her with
his arm; then, half lifting her from
her saddle, he crushed his lips to hers
It was his first display of emotion since
Father O'Malley had united them.
There were few villages along the
road they followed, and because of the
lateness of the hour all were dark.
hence the party passed through with.
out exciting attention except from an
occasional wakeful dog. But us morn
ing came and the east began to glow
Dave told the priest:
"We've got to hide out during the
day or we'll get into trouble. Besides.
these women must be getting hungry"
II fear there is something feminine
about me-" confessed the little man,
"T'm famished, too"
At the next rancho they came to they
applied for shelter, but were denied
in fact, the owner cursed them 50
roundly for being Americans that they
were glad to ride onward. A mile or
two farther along they met a cart the
driver Of which refused to answer
their greetings. AS they passed out OF
his sight they saw that he had halted
his lean oxen and was staring after
them c%uriously. Later, when the sun
was well up and the world had fully
awakened, they deserted a mounted
man, evidently a cowboy, riding
through the chaparral. He saw them
too, and came toward the road, blu!
after a brief scrutiny he whirled his
horse and galloped off through the cac
tus, shouting something over his shout
der.
"This won't do" O'Malley declared
uneasily. II don't like the actions Of
these people. Let me appeal to the
next person we meet. l can't believe
they all hate u.s."
Soon they came to a rise in the road
and from the crest of this elevation be
held ahead of them q small village OF
white houses shining from the shelter
of a grove. The rancheria was perhaps
two miles away, and galloping TOWARD
it was the vaquero who had challenged
them.
"That's the Rio Negro CROSSING
Dave announced. Then spying a little
house squatting a short distance bach
from the road, he said: "We'd better
try yonder. If they turn us down wei
have to take to the brush"
O'Malley agreed. "Yes, and we have
no time to lose. That horseman is go
ing to rouse the town. I'm afrait
we're-in for it." t
Dave nodded silently.
Leaving the beaten path, the refu
gees threaded their way through cac
tus and sage to a gate, entering which
they approached the straw-thatchec
jacal they had cen A naked boy baby
watched them draw near, then scuttled
for shelter, piping al alarm. A man
appeared from somewhere, at sight Of
whom the priest rode forward with 6
pleasant greeting. But the fellow was
u%nfriendly. His wife, too, emerged from
the dwelling and Joined her husband in
warning Father O'Malley away.
"Let me try" Allure begged, and