The Huttig news., 1917-03-03

ful for the gloom that hid her face. T rode out this way to examine a tract of grazing land"
 It seemed fully a minute before the Ranger answered; then he said in casual tone q reckon Las Palmas is quite ranch ma am"
 ''Yes. But we need more pasture"
 "I know your La Feria ranch, too. was with General Castro when we had that fight near there"
 You were a Maderista?"
 "f es'm. Machine-gun man. That's a fine country over there Seems like the Almighty got mixed and put the MeXicanS on the wrong side of the Rio Grande. But l reckon you haven't seen much of La Feria since the last revolution broke out"
 No. We have tried to remain neu- tral, but" Again she hesitated. MT. Austin has enemies. Fortunately both sides have spared La Feria.''
 Law shrugged his broad shoulders. "0h, well, the revolution isn't over! A ranch in Mexico is my idea of n bad investment" He rose and. taking his blanket, sought favorable spot upon which to spread it. Then he helped Mrs. Austin to her feet-her muscles had stiffened until she could barely stand-after which he fetched his sad dle for pillow. He made no apolo- gies for his meager hospitality. nor did his guest expect any.
 When he had staked out his horse for the night he returned to find the woman rolled snugly in her covering as in cocoon. The dying embers flick cred into flame and lit her hair redly. She had laid off her felt hat, and one loosened braid lay over her hard pill low. Thinking her asleep, Law stood m0tionless, making no attempt to hide his expression of wonderment until, unexpectedly, she spoke.
 "What will you do with me when your Mexican comes?' she said.
 Well, ma am, I reckon I'll hide you out in the brush till I tame him."
 Thank you. I'm used to the open"
 He nodded as if he we'll knew that she was; then, shaking out his slicker, turned away.
 As he lay staring up through the thorny mesquite branches that roofed him inadequately from the dew, he marYeled nightly. A bright, steady burning star peeped through the leaves 1t him. and as he watched it he remem- bered that this red-haired woman with the still, white face was known far and wide through the lower valley as The Lone Star" We'll. he unused, the name fitted her; she was, if reports were rue, quite as mysterious, quite as cold md fixed and unapproachable, as the title implied. Knowledge of her iden- ity had come as shock, for Law knew something of her history, and to ind her suing for his protection was quite thrilling. Tales of her pale beauty were common and not tame, put she was all and more than she lad been described.
 She had not been too proud and cold Q let him help her. In her fatigue she had allowed him to lift her and O make her more comfortable. Hot gainst his palms-palms unaccus- omed to the touch of woman's flesh he felt the contact of her naked feet, IS at the moment when he had placed hem in the cooling water. Her feeble assistance had only called attention to Ter seX-to the slim whiteness of her lnllles beneath her short riding skirt.
 Following his first amazement at be- holding her had come a fantastic ex- )lanation of her presence-for mo- nent or two it had seemed as if the 'ates had taken heed of his yearnings md had sent her to him out of the lusl-wild fancies, like these, bother nen who are much alone.