Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1917-09-08
CHAPTER Xlx.-continued.

yar believe you're-the man in the
,a.a" When Dave nodded, he vented
Ais amazement in long whistle. After
moment he asked, "Well. why did you
want me to come here alone, ahead of
8 the others"
Because I want you TO know the
ohola inside of this thing so that you
d oan get busy when I'm gone; because /
want to borrow what money you
have
8 "What you amin to, pull OFF," Blaze
injured. suspiciously.
I'm going to find her and bring her
out"
~You? Why. Dave, you can't get
through. This is a job for the sol
diers"
But Dave hardly seemed to hear hiln
sYou must start things moving at
opce" he said urgently. spread the
news get the story into the papers,
notify the authorities. Get every in
fuqnee at work, from here to head
oaar.ers; get your senator and the
governor of the state at work. ELS
worth viii help you. And now give
ne your last dollar"
Blaze emptied his pockets, shaking
his shaggy head the while. la Feria
Is o hundred and fifty niles ill.," he re-
monsrated.
By rail from Pueblo, yes. But it's
barely q hundred, straight from here"
You amt got a chance, single-hand-
ed You're crazy to try it,"
Dave turned a sick, colOrless face 30
MS friend. They'll carve a stone for
LoogoriO if l do get through" He
called to Montrosa, and the mare came
to him, holding her head to one side
SO as not to tread upon her dragging
relus
I'm most tempted to go with you"
Blaze stammered uncertainty.
No Somebody has to stay here and
stir things up. If we had twenty men
Ike you we might cut our way in and
out but there's no time to organize,
and, anyhow the government would
probably stop us. I've got a bunch
thar III make it. If l don't-why, it's
all right"
The two men shook hands lingering
". awkwardly; then Blaze managed to
w,sh his friend luck. IF you don't
come back" he said. with a peculiar
catch in his voice, II reckon there's
enough good Texans left to follow your
trail. I'll sure look forward to it."
Dave took the river bank to Sangre
de CcistO, where, by means of the di-
iapdated ferry, he gained the Mexican
SHE. once across. he rode straight up
toward the village Of Romero. When
challenged by an understood soldier
ne merely spurred Montrosa forward,
eyLng the sentry so grimly that the
man did no more than finger his rifle
uncertainty, cursing under his breath
tne oyerbearing airs of all gringos Nor
CD the rider trouble to make the slight
EST det0ur, but cantered the full length
OF homero's dusty street, the target OF
more than one pair of hostile eyes. To
NOSE who saw him, soldiers and civil
lahs alike, it was evident that this
stranger had business, and no one felt
called upon to question its nature,
There are men who carry an air more
potent than a bodyguard, and Dave
Law was one Of these. Before the vii
45ge had thoroughly awakened to his
coming he was gone, without a glance
10 The right or left, without a word to
anyone.
"nen Romero was at his back he
roe Tor mile or two through region
u tny scattered farms and neglected
garden patches, after which he came
0Nt into the mesquite. For all the
Signs he saw, he might then have been
IL the heart of foreign country. Mex
ieo mad swallowed him.
As the afternoon heat subsidized, Mont
rosa let herself out into a freer gait
ana began to cover the distance rapid
" heading due west through a land
cactus and dagger. of thorn and
Darn and bramble.
me roads were unfenced, the mea-
.'"s desolate; the huts were frequent
~ 1Atenanted. Ahead the sky burned
1'.eAlldly' and the sunset grew more
'."aat more dazzling, until 1t gIori-
- the whole meen, thirsty, cruel
countryside.
A4Ve's eyes were set upon that riot
Ok blazing colors, but for the time it
'Aied TO thrill him. In that welter of
hanging hues and tints he saw only
red Red That was the color of
.''1 1t stood for passion, lust, VIC
s''.e and 1t was a fitting badge OF
'r FOR this land of revolutions and
as At first he saw little else
N-spt the hint Of black despair to fol-
w. But there was gold in the sunset,
the yellow gold of ransom! That
rs AeKico-red and yellow, blood and
-4 last and license. Once the riders
began to work In this fashion. 1t
'4 not rest, and as the sunset grew
>A-~ndor he found in it richer mean
-9. lied was the color Of a woman's
yes, and a womans hair. The
'-1ing blue Of the high sky over
vas the hue Of a certain woman's
a warm, soft breeze out of the
es5 beat into his face. and he. remem-
3rleQ bow warm end soc. Atat-o,.