The Huttig news., 1917-03-24
@D REX BEACFA

opduISH bll, ana my soul am my ewn.' With sudden Tightening of his gloom, he added Say, you're going to stay right here with us as long as you're in town; want you to see how I cringe"
 In spite of Blaze's plaintive tone it was patent that he was inordnatelv proud of Paloma and well content with his serfdom.
 Jonesville proved to be typical Texas town of the modern variety. and frontier village. All in all, the effect was much like that of prosperous. orderly northern farming town. To it's happy founder it seemed well-nigh per feet, and its destiny reused his mad dest enthusiasm. He pointed out the Odd Fellows hall. the Palace Picture theater with Is glaring orange lights and diScordant electric piano; he con ducted Law to the First National bank, of which Blaze was proud hut somewhat ornamental director: then to the sugar mill, the ice plant and other points of equally novel interest
 Everywhere he went Jones was hailed by friends, for everybody seemed to know him and to want to shake his hand.
 Some town and some body of men. eh?" he inquired. finally, and Dave agreed:
 "Yes. She's got n grand framework Blaze. She'll be most as big as Fort Worth when you fatten her up"
 Jones waved his buggy whip in wide circle that took in the miles of level prairie on all sides. We've got the whole blamed state to grow in. And, Dave. I haven't got an enemy in the place! It wasn't many years ago that certain people allowed I'd Lever live to raise this town. Why, it used to be that nobody dared ride with me-except Paloma, and she used to sleep with a shotgun at her bedside.
 You sure have been as responsibil- ity to her."
 But I'm as safe now as If was In church."
 Law ventured to remark that none of Blaze's enemies had grown fat in prosecuting their feuds, but this was q subject which the elder man inva- riably found embarrassing, and Eow he said:
 "Pshawl I never was the blood letter people think. I'm as gentle as Il sheep" Then to escape further cu- rfosity on that point, he suggested that they round out their riotous evening with a game of pool.
 
 The next morning at breakfast Pa loma announced, Father, you must help Dave hunt down these cattle thieves"
 "Ain't that sort of a big order?" Blaze queried.
 Perhaps, but you're the very man to do it. Ricardo Guznlan is the only person who knows the Lewis gang as well as you do."
 Jones shook his head doUbtfully. Don Ricardo has been working up his own private feud with that outfit. If was the kind that went looking for fight, I wouldn't have paid freight on myself from the Panhandle down here. I could have got one right at home, any morning before breakfast"
 Ricardo Guzman is something of a black sheep himself" Law spoke up.
 "Pshaw, He's all right. I reckon he has changed few brands In his time, but so has everybody else. Why, that's how Old Ed Austin got his start If a cOwman tells you he never stole anything. he's either good liar or bad roper. But Ricardos going straight enough now"
 'He has lost his share of stock" Pa loma explained, "and he'll work with you if father asks him. You go along with Dave"
 "Tm too busy" Blaze demurred, "and 1 ain't feeling good. 1 had bad dreams all night"
 q don't want you around me here this morning. That new dresSmaker is coming"
 Jones rose abruptly from the table. 'T reckon my business can wait Hustle up, Dave" A few moments later, as they were saddling their horses, he lamented: "What did I tell you? Here I go, on the dodge from a dressmaker. I s'pose I've got to live like road-agent now, till something happens"
 . 
 Don Ricardo GuZman was an Ameri- can, but he spoke no English. An ac- cident of birth had made him citizen of the United States-his father hay ing owned ranch which lay north instead of south of the Rio Grande. Inasmuch as the property had fallen to Ricardo his sons, too, were Yan- kees in the eyes of the law. But in all other respects Don Ricardo and his family differed not at all from the many Guzmans who lived across the border. The Guzman ranch comprised fl goodly number of acres, and, since live stock multiply rapidly, its owner had in some sort prospered. On the bank of resaca-a former bed of the