The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1917-05-03

why, even II cows recognition of her
W calf was not evidence for q court,
and alibls were easily proved. Unless
the thieves were caught In the very
act there was no case against them,
and-por Dios !-one could not be for
ever on guard. Who could tell where
the malefactors would strike next?
Now, In Mexico one could afford to
kill an undesirable nelghbor without
so much Formally. But, thank God!
Don Ricardo was not u Mexican. No,
he was a good American citizen. 1t
was something to make him sleep well
In these VAR times.
"Just the same, I'll bet he'd sleep
better IL the Lewis outfit was cleaned
up" Dave ventured, and Blaze agreed.
Guzman caught his enemy's name,
and nodded.
"Ah! That sin verguenza! He sells
arms to the Candeleristas and horses
to the Potosistas. Perhaps he steals
my calves. Who knows?"
"Senor Lewis doesn't need to steal.
He has money" Jones argued.
LUZ iub ~ % So = Nitt a'
would not be richer? Lewis employs
men who are poor, and he himself is
above nothing. I, too, am n friend of
the rebels. Panchito, the Liberator,
vas n saint, and l give money to the
patriots who fight for his memory.
But l do not aid the tyrant Potosi with
my other hand, Yes, and who Is richer,
-. A.. ..-. ll 49,
TIM"
"You surely don't accuse him of
double-dealIng with the rebels?" Blaze
inquired c~uriously.
II don't know. He Is n friend of
Tad Lewis, and there are strange sto'
rics ailoat.
Just what these stories were, how.
ever, Ricardo would not say, feeling
perhaps that he had already said too
much. The three men spent that eve.
ming together, and In the morning
Blaze rode home, leaving the Ranger
behind for the time being as Guzman's
guest.
Dave put In the next two days riding
the pastures, famlllarlzing himself
with the country, and talking with the
few men he met. About all he dlscov'
cred, however, was the fact that the
Guzmnn range not only adjolned some
Of Lewis leased land, but also wa,
bounded for several miles by the La,
Palmas fence.
1t was pleasant to spend the day:
among the shy R~rush.cattle, with Bes
sic Belle for company. The mar,
seemed to enjoy the excursions n:
much as her wne Her eyes and ear.
were eve alert; she tossed her heaC
and snorted when a deer broke cover
or a Jackrabbit scuttled out OF hel
path she showed n friendly interesi
In the awkward calves which stooC
and eyed her with such amazemen'
and then galloped stifly of with tail.
high arched. Law had many times uu
dertaken to break Bessie Belle of tina
habit of fi'nging her head high at sud
den sounds, but she was nervous ant
inquisitlve, and this was the one thin!
upon which she maintained a femlnln,
obstlnacy.
On the second evening the Ranger
rode home through n drlzzle that hat
materlallzed after n long, Threatening
afternoon and 10Y promised to be
come n real rain. Ricardo met hin
ut the door TO say:
"You bring good fortune with you
senior, for the land Is thirsty. To-mor
row, II this rain holds, we shall rid,
together-you, Pedro and /. Thos,
thieves do their stealing when they
leave no tracks"
The sky vas leaden. the rain still
fell in the morning when Dave an,
his two companions set N Unit
afternoon they rode, their slicker,
dripping, swaying to the t~ireless fox
trot of their steamlng horses. theil
eyes engaged In a watchful scrutiny
At last Pedro, who was ahead
refined In and pointed; the others saw
where the barbed-wlre strands OF tn
fence they had been following wer'
clipped. A number of horse and cal
tracks led through the opening, anC
; after an examination Ricardo IN
nounced:
} "There are two men. They hav,
come and gone, with the calves tie'
neck and neck"
"That Is Las Palmas, isn't IT." Law
indicated the pasture into which tn
i. trail led.
, Father and son answered, "Si, Sc
: nor"
| For n time the Ranger lounged side