Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-03-16


must think of that. Now | will bid
you good night
"Where are you going?' demanded
Miss Jones.
/ may be needed, fer those men of
mine are stupid fellows, and there is
danger of Il Misunderstanding. In the
dark anything may happen. | should
like to meet this David Law; he is
a man Of my own kind Turning to
"Young Ed" he said "'There is rea-
son for haste, and horse moves slow
~. Would you do me the favor, if you
have an automobile"
"No. / WON'T" Ed declared. 81
don't want to see the Rio Grande to-
night | won't be involved"
But you are already involved.
/ Come! There is no time to waste, and
| have something 70 say to you. You
will drive me to the river, and my
horse will remain here until / return
for him"
There was no mistaking the COM
, mand in Longorio's tone; the master
Of Las Palmas rose as if under COM
pulsion He took his hat, and the two
men left the room.
ooh, Mrs. Austin" Paloma gasped,
"Theyll he in time. and 50 will the
Lewis gang"
4 "Quick, Ed will take his runabout--
we'll follow in nay ear Alaire fed
to make herself ready. A few moments
later she looked ont from her window
and saw the headlights of Eds run.
about flash down the driveway TO the
raid; then she and Paloma rushed to
the garage whore the touring car stood
"rhc moon is rising" Paloma half
sobbod. "Thpy'll be sure to see us
Do you think we're ahead of Tad
Lewis? p
"Oh, yes. He hasn't had time to get
here yet. but-hell come fast when h.
starts. This is the only plan l can
think Of"
! Alnire drove rs swiftly rs she dared
following the blurred streak Of gray
that was the road. and taking the
bumps with utter recklessness. Ahead
doomed the dark ridge of the river
thickets, a dense rampant of mesquite.
But even before they were sheltered
from the moonlight Paloma saw the
lights of another automobile approach
ING along the main-trayclcd highway
behind them--the lights. evidently, of
Tad Lewis machine. \ moment later
Alaire's car drove into the black shad-
ows. II had been n short, swift, excit-
ing ride. young Eds" runabout could
not be many minutes ahead Of them
The women got out, then breasted
the high grass and brambles between
their hiding place and the pumphouac
road. A hundred yards away they
could now see the ghostly Rio Grandc
it's saffron surface family silvcred by
the low moon; lights cleaned from the
windows of Morales house. In the
distance the vague outlines of the Mex
lean shore We're resolving themselves
and far beyond twinkled the evidence
that some belated citizens of Romero
were still awake.
Paloma had brought with her TIE
long-barreled rifle, and this sht
clutched nervously as she and AlairC
stood whispering. Conditions were ia
vorable for an approach to the pump
house itself They had nearly reached
their goal when out into the cearin.
behind them, with metallic rattle ant
clang, burst another automobile, ant
Paloma whispered excitedly.
"Theres the Lewis outfit at last"
In the Lewis car were several men
They descended hurriedly. and whcI
one of them ran around the front o
the car to turn off its lights, both WON
en- saw that he carried n rifle Evi
IDENTITY Tad Lewis had come prepared
for desperate measures.
A small door gave entrance to tn,
pumphouse, and into the lock Of thi!
Mrs Austin fitted key; the next mo
mcnt she and Paloma were safely in
side. dusty. cobwebbed windows IL
in faint ghost-glow Of moonlight. bu
prevented clear observation of any
thing outside; Alaire's fumbllng fin
gers found the latch aud began t.
lift n window, when someone spoke
just outside the building.
"What did you discover" inquire,
q voice which neither woman rccos
nizcd palomn clutched blndly for he
companion: the two eavesdroppor
stood rooted in their tracks. TIL
pounding Of their hearts sounded loud
J ~. Since the building was little NOR
= than n wooden shell, the" could plainl
hear the answer
"'rhe house is full Of grcascrs.
. cant tell who they are"
A third man spoke. this tlms i
Spanish. "That was Tad Lewis VII
just conc, scnur"
$ there followed some whlsparo
: words iuGletlnguishabc to the lister
, ers, then 4 rustic Of bodies moNiu
/ thsoagh the iail grass ami weeds.
| ralama placed her lips close. I