The Snowflake herald., 1917-08-24

IneFe luFkeu Lne IdlnIeSJ Twinkle.
Cornell" said he.
Alaire gasped. After a while she re-
marked, stiffiy, 'You have a peculiar
sense of humor."
"Now don't be offended" he begged
her. I'm a good deal like a chame-
leon; uncOnsciously change my color
to suit my surroundings. When we
first met saw that you took me for
one thing and since then I've tried not
to show you your mistake"
"Why did you let me send you those
silly books? 1 dare say you've had a
fine laugh at my expense?"
"No" gravely denied the man.
They had come to an arroyo contain
ing a considerable stream of muddy
water, and Law was forced to get out
to plug the carburetor and stop the oil
intakes to the crank-case. This done,
Alaire ran the machine through on the
self-starter. When Jose's "Caram-
bas!' and Dolores shrieks had sub
sided, and they were again under way,
Mrs. Austin, it seemed, had regained
ner gOOQ nuInOr.
"You will receive no more of my ia
vorite authors she told Dave, spite
fully. "Pll keep them to read my
SELF"
do you still believe in chivalry?"
Alaire turned her eyes upon the
questioner, and there were no girlish
illusions in them. "Do your" she quer-
led, with a faint curl of her lip.
"Why-yes."
She shook her head. Men have
changed. Nowadays they are all self
ish and sordid. Butt shouldn't gen.
eralize, for I'm a notorious man-hater,
you know"
He nodded, whereupon she eyed him
speculatively. Let us see. You are
a man-how far would you go for the
woman you loved?"
"The limit"
Mrs. Austin frowned at this light
seeming answer. 81 suppose you mean
that you would make any sacrifice"
eyes; that's it."
"Would you give up the woman her
self, if you considered it your dutyT"
"No. There couldn't be any duty
higher than love-to my way of think
ing. But you shouldn't take me as
a specimen. I'm not a good represen-
tative of my sex"
II think you are very good one,"
Alaire said quietly, and Dave realized
that no flattery was intended.
Despite the rough roads, they made
fair time, and the miles of cactus and
scrawny brush rolled swiftly past. The
morning sun swung higher, and by
midday the metal Of the automobile
had become as hot as a frying pan.
They stopped at various goat ranches
to inquire about AdOlfo Urbina, and at
lunch.
Dave was refilling the radiator when
he overheard Jose in conversation with
Mrs. Austin.
Nowhere a trace!" the horse
breaker was saying. mo one has seen
him. Poor Rosa Morales will die OF
q broken heart"
Alaire explained to her guest '"Jose
is worried about his cousin PanfilO. 1t
seems he has disappeared"
$50! You are Panfilo's cousin?'
Dave eyed the Mexican with new in
terest.
"Si!"
'You remember the man?' Alaire
went on. "He was with that fellow
you arrested at the water-hole."
"Oh, yes. / remember him." With
steady fingers Dave shook some to-
baccO into cigarette paper. He felt
Alaire's eyes upon him, and they were
eloquent of inquiry, but he did not
meet them.
Jose frowned. "NO one at La Feria
has seen him, land in Pueblo there was
not word. 1t is strange"
"Panfilo was in bad company when
I saw him." Law finished rolling his
cigarette and lit it, still conscious of
Alaire's questioning gaze. "He may
have had trouble"
HE was a good man." the horse
breaker asserted. eff he is dead"
The Mexican's frown deepened to a
Scowl.
.What then?'
Jose significantly patted the gift re-
volver at his hip. "This little fellow
will have something to say"
Dave looked him over idly, from
head to heel, then murmured: "You
would do well to go slow, compadre.
Panfilo made his own quarrels."
I'VE were like brothers, and do
not know of any quarrels. But 1 shall
find out. l am not given to boasting.
senor, but am a devilish bad man in
my way"
Nothing more was said during the
luncheon, but when Alaire had finished
eating and her two employees had be-
gun their meal, she climbed the bank
of the arroyo Ostensibly to find a cool
spot. Having succeeded, she called to
Dave:
There is a nice breeze up here"
Tho DonOor'c Pooo cak civ