Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-03-06
a@v REX BEACF1

tles IL uil Sttui u tIcy get CiiuIite.
| let Pine go, bout week back; but
he's been hangln' around, amin 10
visit some Of his relatives up in the
brush country. 1t was probably one
of them old Guzman saw. Anyhow, 1t
couldn't of been Adolfo Urbna; he
was over to Las Palmas all the after
noon."
did you send him there?"
"Sure. Ed Austin can tell you"
"Where Is Urbina now?'
II reckon he's asleep somewhere.
Wen Dig him up and talk to him, If
you say So"
Bat AdoifO Urbina was nowhere to
be found. No one had seen him since
about seven o'clock, nor could 1t be dis
covered where he was spending the
night. Dave remembered that it had
been about seven when he left Las Pal
nus. and ascertained. indirectly. that
Ind ha,l n telephone. ON his way from
iusin's I"" haf y" I'D at rancho
for q bite to eat. but he could forgive
himself for the delay If, us he sur
missed, Urbina had been warned by
wire of his coming.
"rhats too bad, amt it?" Lewis
said. "But he'll be around again in the
morning, and I'll get him for you. You
leave 1t to me-"
There was plainly nothing to do but
accept this offer, since it could avail
I nothing to wait here for Urbnas re-
I turn. Unless the fellow gave himself
up, ne probably could not be found,
now that the alarm was given, without
| n considerable search in view Of
which Dave finally remountcd his bor-
rowed horse and rode away in the d.
ractlon Of Jonesville.
1t was after daylight when he dis
mounted stitlly at Baze's gate. He
was wet to the skin and despatched
with mud; he had been almost con-
stanty in the saddle for twenty-four
hours, and Don Ricardos cow pony
i was almost exhausted.
Blaze and Palomn, Of course, were
tremendously interested in his story.
4 "Say, now, that's quick work." the
hitter exclaimed, heartily. "You'rt
some thlcf-buster, Dave, and if you'll
just stay around here little calves can
grow up with some comfort"
When Dave rode to Ionesville, after
breakfast, he found that the body OF
his victim bad.been brought in during
the night, and that the town was al
ready buzzing with news of the encoun
ter. During the forenoon Don Ricardo
= and his sons arrived. bringing add
tional information, which they prompt
ly impaired to the Ranger. The Guz
mans were people Of action. All three
of them had spent the night on horse
back, and Pedro had made discovery
On the day previous CARA had beer
seen riding in company with Il mar
astride sorrel pony, and this mar
had been recognized as Adolfo Urblna
Pedro's witness would swear it.
Their distance from Las Palmas a
the time when they had been seen to
gether proved beyond question that un
less Urblna had flown he could no
have arrived at the place in question
by noon, the hour Ed Austin had fixed
: This, significant bit of information
| however, Dave advised the Guzman
, not to make public for the time being
Toward midday Tad Lewis and thre
Of his men arrived with the news TIM
, Urblna had left for Pueblo before the,
could intercept him.
"He's got girl up there, and he
gone to get married. Tad explained
Pm sure sorry we missed him.
Dave smiled grimly at the speaker
"Are you sure he didn't cross to hi
other side?" he asked.
Lewis retorted warmly: "Adolfo's n
albright hombre, and I'll back HIN
Son Ed Austin. I guess me an r.
are responsible, amt WEI" Som
sseptical expression In his nearer
: face prompted him to inquire, brusqut
: ~, "Do you betteve Whit I'm tellin
you about his goin' to Pueblo?'
II guess he's gone--somewhere."
Tad uttered an angry exclamation
: 'Too!.s to mo like you'd made up you
I mind to sntltlc this thing onto hlt