The Snowflake herald., 1917-09-07

known to him, and she decided swiftly
that there must be no further conceal
ment.
Sonora A terrible thing" Jose
burst forth. "It is strange, unbeliev-
able! My head whirls-"
Alaire quieted him, saying in Span
ish, "Calm yourself, Jose, and tell me
everything from the beginning"
"But how can be calm? PanfilO
is completely dead. But-yOu know?"
Alaire nodded. "T-suspected."
JOse's dark eyes blazed; he bent for
ward eagerly. "What did you suspect,
and why? Tell me ALL"
1t was with peculiar, apprehensive
flutter in her breast that Alaire real
lied the crisis had come. Heretofore
she had blamed Law, but now, oddly
enough, she found herself interested in
defending him. AS calmly as she
could, she related all that had led
up to the tragedy, while Jose listened
with eyes wide and mouth open.
''You see, had no suspicion of the
truth" she concluded. cit was ter
rible thing, and Mr.. Law regrets it
deeply. He would have made report
to the authorities, only-he feared it
might embarrass me-"
Jose was torn with rage, yet plainly
a prey to indecision he rolled his eyes
and cursed under his breath. "These
Rangers ~ he muttered. 'That is the
kind of men they are. They murder
honest people,"
"'This was not a murder" Alaire
cried sharply. "Panfilo was aiding a
felon to escape. The courts will not
punish Mr.. Law"
"Bah! Who cares for the courts !?
This man is a gringo, and these are
and Panfilo was my cousin. We shall
See."
Don't be rash, JCse," she exclaimed,
warningly.
Jose continued to glover. Then,
turning away, he said, without meet
ing his employers eyes, Il would like
to draw my money
every well. am sorry to have you
leave Las Palmas, for l have regarded
you as one of my gente." Jose's face
remained stony. "What do you intend
to do? Where are you going"
The fellow shrugged. "Quien sabe !!
Perhaps shall go to my General Lon
gorio."
Alaire smiled family. "You will be
shot," she told him. "Those soldiers
have little to eat and no money at
ALL"
But JOse's bright eyes remained hos
tile and his expression battling. 1t
was plain to Alaire that her explana-
ton of his Cousins death had carried
not the slightest conviction, and she
even began to fear that her part in
the affair had caused him to look upon
her as an accessory. Nevertheless,
when she paid him his wages she gave
him a good horse, which Jose accepted
with thanks but without gratitude. AS
Alaire watched him ride away with
never a backward glance, she decided
that she must lose no time in appris-
ing the Ranger Of this new condition
of affairs.
She drove her automobile to Jones'
vile that afternoon, more worried than
she cared to admit. Law was nowhere
in town, and so, in spite of her reluc-
tance, Alaire was forced to look for
him at the Jones home. AS she had
never called upon Paloma, and had
made it almost impossible for the girl
to visit Las Palmas, the meeting of
the two women was somewhat formal.
But no one could long remain stiff or
constrained with Paloma Jones; the
girl had a directneSs of manner and
an honest, friendly smile that simply
would not be denied. Her delight that
Alaire had come to see her pleased and
shamed the elder women, who hesi-
tatingly confessed the object of her
visit.
"Oh, thought you were calling on
me-" Paloma pouted her pretty lips.
''Dave isn't here. He and father
have gone away"
1t needed no close observation to