Williston graphic., 1917-04-05


notebook, she gave him the scrap of
paper, which he carefully placed In his
nat; then shaking his mead 'dou0tftlly,
he left the car.
Flushed with triumph, Dolores took
the first occasion to enlarge upon her
theme.
"You will see what monster this
Longorio is," she declared. ut was
like him to steal your beautiful cattle; ;
he would steal crucifix."
1--WE heard that" Alaire said gravely.
In the course of time the military
train came creaking along on the main
track and stopped, to the great interest
OF the south-bound travellers. It was
made up of many stock cars crowded
with cavalry horses, and penned IN
with them were the women and the
children. The soldiers themselves,
were clustered thickly upon the car
roofs. Far down at the rear of the
train was rickety passenger coach,
and toward this Jose Sanchez made his
way.
There began a noisy interchange of
greetings between the occupants of the
two trains, and meanwhile the hot sun
glared balefully upon the huddled fig
ures on the car tops. A half.hour
passed, then occurred a commotton at
the forward end of Alaire's coach.
A group of officers climbed aboard.
and among them was one who could
be none other than Luis Longorio. As
he came down the passageway Alaire
identified him without the aid of his
insignia. for he stood head and shOul-
ders above his companions and bore
himself with an air of authority. He
was unusually tall, at least six feet
three, and very slim, very 1.-the:
young man; his cheeks were girlishly
smooth and of clear, pale. olive tint;
bis eyes were large, bold, brilliant; bis
nostrils thin and sensitive, like those
Of blooded horse. Disdain, hauteur,
impatience, were stamped upon the
generals countenance as he pushed
briskly through the crowd, turning his
head from side to side in search of
the woman who had summoned him.
Not until she rose did he discover
Alatre; then ne halted; his eyes fixed
themselves upon her with start of
startled amazement.
Alaire felt herself color family. for
the man seemed to be scanning her
from head to foot, taking in every de-
tail Of her face and form, and as he
did so his expression remained unal.
tered. For what seemed full minute
Longorio stood rooted; then the stitf:
vizored cap was swept from his head;
he bowed with the grace Of courtier
until Alaire saw the part In his oily
black hair.
"Senora! A thousand apologies for
my delay" he said. "Caramba! did
not drcam-I did not understand your
message" He continued to regard her
with that same queer intensity.
"You are General LongorioT" Alaire
was surprised to note that her voice
quavered uncertainty, and annoyed tc
feel her face still flushing"
"Your obedient servant"
routed out the occupants of the seat
ahead, and, reversing the back, took
position facing Alaire. Another order
and the men who had accompanied
him withdrew up the aisle. There wat
no mistaking his admiration. He
seemed enchanted by her pale beauty
her rich, red hair held him fascinated
and with Latin boldness he made hii
feelings crassly manifest. -
"You probably know why wished
to see yOu," Alaire began.
Longorio shook his head in vague
denial.
1T Is regarding my ranch, La Feria.'
Seeing that the name conveyed moth
ing, she explained, II am told that
your army confiscated my cattle"
"Ah, yes! Now understand" The
Mexican nodded mechanically, but II
was plain that he was not needing her
words In the least. AS If to shut out
vision or to escape some dazzling sight,
he closed his eyes. Alaire wondered
If the fellow had been drinking. She
turned to Dolores to find that good
woman wearing an expression OF stu
pefaction. It was very queer; 1t made
Alaire extremely i'll at ease.
Longorio opened his eyes and passed
a brown hand across his brow as II
to brush away perverse fancies that in.
terfered with his thoughts. Alaire no.
ticed that one Of his fingers was deco.
rated with a magnificent diamond-and.
ruby ring, and this interested her
queerly. No ordinary man could it.
tingly have worn such an ornament,
yet on the hand of this splendid bar
barian it seemed not at oil out Of
keeping.
"Dios', Longorio continued. "Your
ranch has been destroyed; your cattle
stolen, en-? We will shoot the perpe-
traitors OF this outrage at once.
Bueno!"
mo, no! don't want to see anyone
nnnShrh 7 merely want vOur govern