The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1917-07-19

shaken by the tragedy.
"What time did it happen?"
ut vas noon when I came in."
Dave consulted his watch, and was
surprised to discover that it was now
only a few minutes past me-. 1t was
evident, therefore, that Benito had in
deed lost no time, and that his alarm
had met with instant response.
snow tell me, who did It'll"
Benito flung his hands high. "God
knows! Some enemy, Of course; but
Don Eduardo had many"
"Not that sort of enemies. There
was nobody who could wish to kill
him."
"That is as it is"
Haven't you any suspicions?"
"No, senor."
"You say Mrs. Austin is gomez"
EYES,"
"Where?"
II don't know"
Dave spoke brusquely: "Come, Benz
to; you must know, for your wife went
with her. Are you trying to keep
something back?"
mo, no! AS God is my judgew
Benito declared. II didn't know they
were going until the very last, and
even then Dolores would tell me moth
ing. We were having bad times here
at Las Palmas; there were stormy
scenes yonder in the house. Senior Ed
was drinking again, you understand?
The sonora had reason to 60"
"You think she ran away to escape
him?"
Exactly"
Dave breathed more easily, for this
seemed to settle Strange's theory. The
next instant, however, his %apprehen-
sions were doubled, for Benito added:
mo doubt she went to La Feria."
Law uttered an incredulous exclama.
ton. "Not there! Surely she wouldn't
go to La Feria at such a time. Why.
that country is ablaze. Americans arc
fleeing from Mexico"
II hadn't thought Of that" Benito
confessed. "But if she didn't go there,
where did she go? Saints above! It
is a fine condition of affairs when a
wife keeps secrets from her husband,
ell? I suppose Dolores feared l would
tell Don Eduardo, God rest his soul !
This much I do know, however: not
long ago there came q letter from
General Longorio, Offering settlement
for those cattle he stole in his govern
sonora was highly pleased and was go
ing to Mexico for her money. 1t was a
mark Of Longorio's favor, you under
stand me? He's q great-friend, an
ardent admirer." Benito winked. do
lores told me all about that, too. No,
1 think they went to La Feria."
Dave remembered his first conversa-
ton with Phil Strange and the fortune
teller's insistence that some powerful
person was behind Jose Sanchez. More
than three weeks ago Strange had fore.
cast something very like this murder
of Ed Austin. Dave felt as If he We're
the victim Of an h~ysterical imagina.
ton. Nevertheless, he forced himself
to ask, quietly:
as Jose Sanchez anywhere about?"
The range boss shrugged. II sent
him to the east pasture this morning."
did he go"
"Eh? So! You suspect Jose of this.
God in heaven! Jose is a wild boy
But wait! I'll ask Juan if he saw him
yes, and Victoria. too. That is Victoria
you hear squalling in the kitchen. Wait
here"
Benito hurried away, leaving Dave a
prey to p%erplexity; but he was back
again in a few moments. His face was
grave.
"Jose did not go to the east pas.
ture," he said.''"
"Where is he now?"
"No one seems to know"
Law walked to his horse, mounted,
and galloped away. Benito, who
watched him, saw that he turned to.
ward the river road which led to the
Las Palmas pumping plant.
The more Dave thought about Ed
Austin's death, the more certain he be.
came that it was in some way con.
nected with Alaire's disappearance
and the loose end by which the tangle
might be %unraveled, it seemed to him,
lay in the hands of Rosa Morales,
Jose's sweetheart. That Sanchez was
, the murderer Dave now had little
doubt; but since the chance Of appre-
r bending him was small, he turned his
attention to the girl. He would make
Rosa speak, he told himself, if he had
) to use force-this was no time for gen.
tie methods. If she knew aught of
Alaire's whereabouts or the mystery of
her departure from Las Palmas, he
would find a way to wiring the truth
from her. Dawes face, a trif1e too som
Der at all times, took on a grimmer
aspect now; he felt a slow fury kind
ling in his breast.
:. (TO BE CONTINUED.)
In nannAp