Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1917-03-30

Guzman caught his enemy's name,
and nodded.
"Ah! That sin verguenza! He sells
arms to the Candeleristas and horses
to the Potosistas. Perhaps he steals
my calves. Who knOws?"
"SenOr Lewis doesn't need to steal.
He has money" Jones argued.
"Truet But who is so rich that he
would not be richer? Lewis employs
men who are poor, and he himself is
above nothing. I, too, am friend of
the rebels. Panchito, the Liberator,
was q saint, and I give money to the
patriots who fight for his memory.
But I do not aid the tyrant Potosi with
my other hand. Yes, and who is richer,
for instance, than Senior Eduardo Aus.
tinY"
"Y01 surely don't accuse him of
double dealing with the rebels?" Blaze
inquired ouriously.
Il don't know. He is a friend Of
Tad Lewis, and there are strange sto-
rtes &foat.
Just what these stories were, how
ever, Ricardo would not say, feeling,
perhaps that he had already said too
much. The three men spent that eve
ming together and in the morning
Blaze rode home, leaving the Ranger
behind for the time being as Guzman's
guest.
Dave put in the next two days riding
the pastures, familiarizing himself
with the country, and talking with the
few men he met. About all he discov-
cred, however, was the fact that the
Guzman range not only adjoined some
Of Lewis leased land, but also was
bounded for several miles by the Las
PalmaS fence.
1t was pleasant to spend the days
among the shy brush-cattle. with Bes-
sic Belle for company. The mare
seemed to enjoy the excursions as
much as her owner. Her eyes and ears
were ever alert; she tossed her head
and SnOrted when a deer broke cover
or q jackrabbit scuttled out of her
path; she showed a friendly interest
In the awkward calves which stood
and eyed her with such amazement
and then galloped stif1y off with tails
high arched. Law had many times I'M
dertaken to break Bessie Belle of that
habit of fiinging her head high at sud
den sounds. but she was nervous and
lnquisitiye, and this was the one thing
upon which she maintained a feminine
obstinacy.
On the second evening the Ranger
rode home through a driZZle that had
materialized after a long, threatening
afternoon and now promised to be-
come a real rain. Ricardo met him
ut the door to say:
"You bring good fortune with you,
senior, for the land is thirsty. TO-mOr-
row, if this rain holds, we shall ride
together-yOu, Pedro and I. Those
thieves do their stealing when they
leave no tracks"
The sky was leaden, the rain still
fell in the morning when Dave and
his two companions set out. Until
afternoon they rode, their slickers
uIIpplhS, SWdyluS W TIC lII0lcSS IOA-
trot of their steaming horses, their
eyes engaged in watchful scrutiny.
At last Pedro, who was ahead,
refined in and pointed; the others saw
where the barbed-wire strands of the
fence they had been following were
clipped. A number of horse and calf
tracks led through the opening, and
after an examination Ricardo an
nounced:
"There are two men. They have
come and gone, with the calves tied
neck and neck"
"That is Las Palmas, isn't it?" Law
indicated the pasture into which the
trail led.
Father and son answered, Isl. Sc