The Huttig news., 1917-03-31
CHAP lx.
Lonoorio Makes Bold.

had the soldiers taken Il great many head of cattle, but they had practically cleared the ranch of horses, lea.Jng scarcely enough with which to carry on the work
 Life in the rOomy, fortresslike adobe house was pleasant enough. Aaire welcomed the change in her daily life. Everything about La Feria was rest fully un-American. from the house it. self, with it's bare walls and floors, it's brilliantly Towering patio, and it's primitive kitchen arrangements, to the black -shaWled, barefooted Indian wom- en and their naked children rolling in the dust. Even the timberless noun tainS that rose sheer from the west ward plain into a tumbling purple shadoWed rampant were Mexican. La Feria was several miles from the rail road; therefore il could not have been. more foreign had it lain in the very heart of Mexico rather than near the northern boundary.
 In such surroundings, and in spite of faint misgivings, it was not strange that, after few days, Alaire's unhap- pineSS assumed vaguely impersonal quality and that her life, for the mo- ment seemed not to be her own. Even the thought of her husband Ed Austin, became indistinet and unreal. Then all too soon she realized that the pGr- pose of her visit was accomplished, and that she had no excuse for re- maining longer. She was now armed with sufficient facts to make q definite demand upon the federal government.
 The homeward journey was rep etition of the journey out Jose. as before. was neWsgatherer. Hour after hour they crept toward the border. un- til at last they were again laid out on q siding for an indefinite wait.
 The occasion for this was made plain when an engine drawing a single ca boose appeared. Even before it had come to a pause, q tall figure in spot less uniform leaped to the ground and strode to the waiting coaches. It was Luis Longorio. He waved signal to the conductor, then swung aboard the north-bound train.
 The general was all smiles as he came down the aisle, and bowed low over Alaire's hand
 Dolores gasped and stiffened in her seat like a woman of stone.
 Heaven be praised You are safe and we'll p said the newcomer. Il have blamed myself for allowing you to take this abominable journey! l have been in torment lest something befall you. Every night 1 have prayed that you might be spared all harm. When 1 received word that you were coming, made all speed to meet you Dolores and I are greatly in your debt" Alaire told him.
 ''But you stayed so long,
 "There was more work than I thought. General you have ruined me"
 Longorio was pained: his face be- came ineffably sad. Please! I beg of you" lie entreated. "I have ar ranged for reparation of that miser- able mistake. I shall see haf you re- ceive justice. If the government will not pay, I will. All I possess would be too little to buy your happiness
 You embarrass me. I'm afraid you don't realize what you say Alaire re- mained cool under the mans proteSta- tians. ''I have lost more than thou- sand head of cattle.'
 We shall say two three thousand. and the government will pay" Longo- ,.i, for your figures. and no one will ques- ton them, for I am man of honor"
 "No! All I want"
 "It is done. Let us say no more about the affair. Sonora, have thought of you every hour; the duties that held me in Nuevo Pueblo were like irksome chains. 1 was in madness. I would have flown to La Feria butt could not"
 My husband will thank you for your great courtesy to me" Alaire managed to say.
 But the mention of husbands was not agreeable to one of Longorio's sen sitiveness, and his face betrayed Il hint of impatience.
 "Yes. yes" he agreed cafelessly. "Senor Austin and I must know each other better and become friends"
 That is hardly possible at present. When the war is over-''
 'Bah This war is nothing. I go where I please. You would be sur prised to greet me at Las Palmas some day soon. eh? When you tell Your husband what friend I am, he would be glad to see me, would lie not?''
 "Why-of course. But surely you wouldn't dare"
 "And why not? I have made incui- ries, and they tell me Las Palmas is beautiful, heavenly, and that you are the one who transformed il. 1 believe them. You have the power to trans form all things. even Ii mans heart and soul No wonder you are called The Lone Star But wait You will see how constantly I think of you" Longorio drew from his pocket several photographs of the Austin ranehhouSe.
 "Where did you get thosef" Alaire asked in astoniShment.