Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-03-14

Nomef0 TO investigate personally tho
ranchcr's disappearance.
Now, throughout all this public
eianior, truth, as usual, lay hidden n:
] the bottom of It's well, and few even
Of Ricardo's closest friends suspected
the real reason for his murder.
louisville, of course, could think or
talk of little else than this outrage,
and Blaze Jones, as bcGittcd its lead.
ing citizen, was loudest In his criticism
of the governments policy. Blazc's
conception of diplomacy was peculiar.
IF potosi didn't talk straight that
consul oughta bent gun BARI over
the old ruf!ian's bean and telcphoned
for q couple hundred battlcshll.. We
Americans are cusscd with notions Of
brothcrly love ana universal peace.
Bah! We're bound to have war, Dave,
some day or other"
Dave nodded his agreement. "Yes.
But--cverybody has the wrong idea of
this Guzman killing. The federal Off
GERS in Romero didn't frame 1t up"
"No? Who didy
Tad Lewis"
Jones started. "Nhat makes you
think that?'
"Listen Tad was afraid to LIT Ur-
bina come to trial. RicardO's dead and
the other witness-is gone. Now draw
your own conclusions"
Jones was amazed. "Say, Dave" he
cried, "thnt means your case has blown
up, eh?"
absolutely. Lewis has been selling
wet stock to the fcdcrals, and he
probably arranged with some of them
to murder Ricardo"
Blaze cursed eloqucntly. "Id like to
hang 1t onto Tad; I'd sure clean house
down his way il was positive"
II sent man over to Romero" Dave
explained further. Gle tolls me Ricar.
do is dead, all right There's new
! grave in the little cemetery above the
, town. but there hasn't been death In
! Romero lately" The speaker watched
his friend closely. IF we had Ricnr.
dos body on this side it would put
an end to al the lies, and perhaps
force Colonel Blanco to make known
the real facts. II might even mean q
case against Tad Lewis
"What d'you say we 90 over there
and get Ricardo?"
Dave smiled. THAT'S what I've beer
leading up to. viii you take q
CHANGER
EYES,"
II knew you would. All we need Is
q pair of Mexcans to--do the work
liked Ricardo; owe him something.
: Suppose we're caught?'
I'm that case we'll have to run fol
It, and-I presume I'll be discharged
from the Ranger service"
II amt very good at runnin'-no
from Mcxicans." Blazes eyes were
q bright and hard at the thought. "It'
+ more'n possible that, if they discOye
: US, we can start a nice little wa
| Of our own"
8 That evening Dave managed to &c
i his Ranger captain by long-dlstanc
+ telephone, and for some time the tw'
0 talked guardedly. When Dave ram
> off they had come to a thorough I'm
e Outstanding.
:
t It had been ON easy matter for JOS
4 Sanchez to secure leave Of absenc
from Benito, but Alairc knew nothing
Q whatever about the matter until Jos
l. himself asked permission to see he
Q on matter OF Importance.
|. The man had ridden hard most Q
q the previous night. and his excitemen
!. WINS patent. Even before he spoke
n Alaire realized that panfllo's fate wa
known to him, and she decided swift
h that there must be no further conceal
I ment.
o "Senora! A terrible thing" JOS
y burst forth. 1T Ia strange, unbelie,
q able! My head whlrls-'' FL
e Alaire quieted him, saying in Spar
L ish, "Calm yourself, Jose, md tell m
y everything from the beginning"
but how can I be calm? Panfll
l. is completely dead. Dut--you know ?
It Alalre nodded "1--suspected."
n Jose's dark eyes b!azcd; he bent FOL