The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-07-07
CHAPTER XIII-continued.


Alaire drove as swiftly as she dared,
following the blurred streak of gray
that was the road. and taking the
bumps with utter recklessness. Ahead
doomed the dark ridge of the river
thicl1ets, Il dense rampant of mesquite.
But even before they were sheltered
from the mOOnlig PalOma saw the
lights of another automobile approach
ing along the main-traveled highway
behind them-the lights, evidently, of
Tad Lewis machine. a moment later
Alaire's car drove into the black shad-
Ows. 1t had been short, swift, eXcit-
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 ghOstly Rio Grande,
it's 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 rife, and this she
clutched nervOusly as she and Alaire
stood whispering. Conditions were ia
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
Paloma whispered excitedly.
There's the Lewis outfit at last"
In the Lewis car were several men.
They descended hurriedly, and when
one of them ran around the front of
the car to turn off its lights, both WON
en- saw that he carried a rife. Evil
IDENTIFY Tad Lewis had come prepared
for desperate measures.
4 small door gave entrance to the
pumphouse, and into the lock of this
Mrs. Austin fitted key; the next mo-
ment she and Paloma were safely in
side. Dusty, cobwebbed windows let
in a faint ghost-glOw of moonlight, but
prevented clear observation of any
thing outside; Alaire'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 blindIy 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 q wooden shell, they could plainly
hear the answer:
''The house is full of greasers. I
can't tell who they are"
A third man spoke, this time in
Spanish ''That was Tad Lewis who
just came, senior"
There followed some whispered
words indistinguishable to the listen
ers, then a rustic OF bodies moving
through the tall grass and weeds.
Paloma placed her lips close TO
Alaire's ear. who are those people?"
she breathed.
st don't know. They must be the
ones who came in that strange auto
mobile
Paloma chartered viciOusly: Every
body in Texas is here. I wish we'd
thought TO scatter 'tacks behind u.s."
Cautiously they swung the door back
and looked out. The open space along
the river bank was leyeled by the
moonlight; from Morales house, to
their right, came the sound of voices.
The women waited.
A few moments. then a number of
men appeared. Paloma judged there
were at least a dozen. but she was
too excited to count them. As they
came struggling toward the pumphouse
one of them called back:
Morales! Put out your lights"
Both women recognized Tad Lewis as
the speaker.
Alaire had stubbornly refused to
charge her husband with any active
share in this evil business, but her
faith In Ed suddenly vanished when
she heard him say:
Hush! You're making too much
noise. You'd better scatter out. too.
for there's no telling where they'll
land" Alaire leaned weakly against
the door. sPm going to leave, and let
you-aIl attend to the rest" he was
saying. But Tad Lewis halted him as
he turned from the group.
sThere are you going, Ed? You left