The Lamar register., 1917-09-12
Lewis gang

Lewis gang
Quick Ed will take his runabout-
Wen follow in my car" Alalre fed
to make herself ready. A few moments
later she looked out from her window
and saw the headlights Of Eds run
about flash down the driveway to the
raid; then she and Paloma rushed to
the garage where the touring car stood.
"The moon is rising" Paloma half
sobbed. "Theyn be sure to see US.
Do you think we're ahead of Tad
Lewls?"
"oh, yes. He hasn't had time to get
here yet, but-he1l come fast when he
starts. This is the only plan 1 can
think Of"
Alaire drove as swiftly as she dared,
following the blurred streak of gray
that was the road. and taking the
bumps with utter reckIessness. Ahead
loomed the dark ridge of the river
thickets, a dense rampant Of mesquite
But even before they were sheltered
from the moonlight Paloma saw the
lights of another automobile approach
ing along the main-trnveled highway
behind them-the lights, evidently. of
Tad Lewis machine. A moment later
Alaire's car drove into the black shad.
ows. II had been n short, swift, exclt-
ing ride. "Young Eds" runabout could
not be many minutes ahead of them.
The women got out, then breasted
the high grass and brambles between
their hiding place and the pumphouse
road. A hundred yards away they
could now see the ghostiy Rio Grande,
its saffron surface family silvered by
the low moon lights CLEANED from the
windows Of Morales house. In the
distance the vague outlines Of the Mex
lean shore were resolving themselves,
and far beyond twinkled the evidence
that some belated citizens of Romero
were still awake.
Paloma had brought with her the
long-barreled rifle, and this she
clutched nervously as she and Alaire
stood whispering. Conditions were fa.
vOrable for an approach to the pump
house itself. They had nearly reached
their goal when out into the clearing
behind them, with metallic rattle and
clang, burst another automobile, and
fhloula whispered eNclteulN.
There's the Lewis outfit at last"
In the Lewis car We're several men.
They descended hurricdly, and when
one Of them ran around the front OF
the car to turn of its lights. both wom-
en- saw that he carried a rifle. Evi-
IDENTIFY Tad Lewis had come prepared
for desperate measures.
A small door gave entrance to the
pumphouse, and into the lock of this
Mrs. Austin fitted a key; the next mo-
ment she and Paloma were safely in
side. Dusty, cobwebbed windows let
in faint ghost-glow of moonlight, but
prevented clear observation of any
thing outside; Alnire's fumbling fin
gers found the latch and began to
lift a window, when someone spoke,
Just outside the building.
"What did you discover" inquired
a voice which neither woman recog-
nized. Paloma clutched blindly for her
companion; the two eavesdrOppers
stood rooted in their tracks. The
pounding of their hearts sounded loud
ly. Since the building was little more
than a wooden shell, they could plainly
hear the answer:
1.-THE house is full of greasers.
can't tell who they are"
A third man spoke, this time in
Spanish. "That was Tad Lewis who
Just came, senor."
There followed some whispered
words indistinguishable to the listen
ers, then rustic Of bodies moving
through the tall grass and weeds.
Paloma placed her lips close to
AIaire's ear. "who are those peopleT'
she breathed.
'T don't know They must ba tha