Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1917-03-02

full for the gloom that hid her face. 81
rode out this way to examine a tract
OF grazing land"
1t seemed fully minute before the
Ranger answered; then he said, in
casual tone, Il reckon Las Palmas is
quite a ranch, ma'am."
Yes. But we need more pasture"
II know your La Teria ranch, too. /
was with General Castro when we had
that fight near there"
''You were Il Maderista?'
"Yes'm. Machine-gun man. That's
fine country over there Seems like
the Almighty got mixed and put the
Mexicans on the wrong side of the
Rio Grande. But I reckon you haven't
seen much of La Feria since the last
revolution broke out"
mo. We have tried to remain neu.
trai, but" Again she hesitated ''NIr.
Austin has enemies. Fortunately both
sides have spared La Feria."
Law shrugged his broa5 shoulders.
"Oh, we'll, the revolution isn't over!
A ranch in Mexico is my idea of a bad
investment He rose and, taking his
blanket, sought favorable spot upon
which to spread it, Then Ire helped
Mrs. Austin to her feet--her muscles
had stiffened until she could barely
stand-after which he fetched his sad
die for q pillow. He made no apollo
gies for his meager hospitality, nor did
his guest expect any.
When he had staked out his horse
for the night he returned to find the
woman rolled snugly in her covering,
as III Il cocoon. The dying embers flick
cred into flame and lit her hair redly.
She had laid off her felt hat, and one
IoOsened braid lay over her hard pill
low. Thinking her asleep, Law stood
m0tionless, making no attempt to hide
his expression of Wonderment until,
Unexpectedly, she spoke.
"What will you do with me when
your Mexican comes?" she said.
"Well ma am, I reckon I'll hide you
out in the brush till I tame him"
"Thank you. I'm used to the OPEN"
He nodded as if he we'll knew that
She was; then, shaking out his slicker,
turned away.
AS he lay staring up through the
horny mesquite branches that rooted
him inadeQuately from the dew, he
larveled nightly. A bright, steady
burning star peoped through the leaves
at him, and as he watched it he remem-
0ered that this red-haired woman with
lie still, white face was known far and
Vide through the lower valley as THE
Lone Star" Well, he unused, the name
fitted her; she was, if reports were
rue, quite as mysterious, quite as cold
and fixed and unapprOachable, as the
title implied. knowledge of her iden-
ity had come as shock, for Law
zneW something of her history and to
ind her suing for his protection was
lutte thrilling. Tales of her pale
beauty were common and not tame,
out she was all and more than she
lad been described.
Size had not been too proud and cold
. let him help her. In her fatigue
she had allowed him to lift her and
% make her more comfortable. Hot
against his palmS-paims unaccuS-
toned to the touch Of q WOmans flesh
he felt the contact of her naked feet,
IS at the moment when he had placed
;hem in the cooling water. Her feeble
resistance had only called attention to
ler sex--tO the slim Wilderness of her
ankles beneath her short riding skirt.
Following his first Amusement at be-
holding her had come a fantastic ex-
2lanatiOn of her presence-fOr mo-
nont or two it had seemed as if the
:atcs had taken heed of his warnings
and had sent her to him out of the
1usk-Wild fancies, like these, bother
men who are much alone.