The Snowflake herald., 1917-09-07

he asked-'is it that you are indeed
apprehensive for meY
Alaire tried to speak quietly. !
should never forgive myself if yoU
came to harm here at my ranch"
Longorio sighed. "And l hoped for
q warmer welcome especially since
have done you another favor. You
saw that hombre who came with meY
eyes,"
"Well, you would never guess 1t is
your Jose Sanchez. He was distracted
at the news of his cousins murder,
and came to me"
"His cousin was not murdered"
Exactly! 1 told him so when I
learned the facts. l said to him, Jose,
my boy, it is better to do nothing than
to act wrongly. Go back to your beau
tiful employer, be loyal to her, and
think no more about this unhappy af-
fair. 1t required some argument,
assure you, but-he is here. He comes
to ask your forgiveness and to resume
his position of trust"
81 am glad to have him back If he
feels that way. l have nothing what
ever to forgive him."
'sThen he will be happy, and have
served you. That is the end of the
matter" With graceful gesture Lon
gorio dismissed the subject. "It Is to
be my pleasure" he next inquired,
ito meet Senior Austin, your husband?"
81 am afraid not"
''Too bad. 1 had hoped to know
him and convince him that we fede-
rales are not such bad people as he
seems to think. We ought to be
friends, he and l."
Under this talk Paloma stirred un-
easily, and at the first opportunity
burst out: ''It's far from safe for you
to remain here, General LOngoriO.
This neighborhood is terribly excited
over the death of Ricardo GuZman,
and if anyone learned"
$50! Then Guzman is deadT Lon
gorio inquired, with interest.
"Isn't he?" blurted Paloma.
"Not so far as / can learn. Only
today / made official report that moth
ing whatever could be discovered about
him. Certainly he is nowhere in RO-
nero, and it is my personal belief that
the poor fellow was either drowned
in the river or made way with for his
money. Probably the truth will never
be known"
LongOriO had come to spend the
evening, and his keen pleasure in
Alaire Austin's company made him so
Indifferent to his personal safety that
nothing short of a rude dismissal
would have served to terminate his
visit. Neither Alaire nor her cOmpan-
ion, however had the least idea how
keenly he resented the presence of Pa
Iona Jones.
1t was a remarkable wooing; on the
one hand this half-savage man. gnawed
by jealousy, needless of the illicit ma
ture of his passion, yet held within the
bounds of decOrum by some fag-end
of respectability; and on the other
hand, a woman, bored, resentful and
tortured at the moment by fear about
what was happening at the river bank.
| It was late when Austin arrived.
| Visitors at Las Palmas were unusual
| OF any time; hence the sound of
strange voices in the brightly lighted
| living room at such an hour surprised
him. He came tramping in, booted
and spurred, belligerent look of in
quiry upon his bloated features. But
when he had met his wife's guests, his
| surprise turned to black displeasure.
His own sympathies in the Mexican
struggle were so notorious that Longo-
rios presence seemed to him to have
but one possible significance. Why
Paloma Jones was here he could not
imagine.
Alaire's caller remained at ease, and
appeared to welcome this chance of
meeting Austin. Luis LOngoriO was
the sort of man who enjoys a strained
situation, and one who shows to the
best advantage under adverse condi-
tions. Accordingly, Eds arrival, in
stead of fastening his departure, mere
ly served to prolOng his stay.
1t was growing late now, and Palo-
ma was frantic Profiting by her first
opportunity, she whispered to Alaire,
''For Gods sake, send him away"
Alaire's eyes were dark with excite
ment. "Yes," said she. "Talk to him,
and give me a chance to have a word
alone with Ed
The opportunity came when Austin
went into the dining room for a drink
Alaire excused herself to follow him.