The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1917-09-06

done since uien, ne was 30 DuuIy
shaken by the tragedy.
"What time did Ii happen2"
at was nooa when I came In"
Dave consulted his watch, and was
surprised to discover that 1t was now
only a few minutes past one. 1t was
evident, therefore, that Benito had In
deed lost no time, and that his alarm
had met with instant response.
snow tell me, who did itT'
Benito flung his hands high. God
knowsi Some enemy. Of course; but
Don Eduardo had many"
"Not that sort of enemies. There
was nobody who could wish to hu
him."
THAT Is as 1t IS"
Haven't you any suspicionsr
mo, senior"
"You say Mrs. Austin is gomez"
Eyes"
"WhereT'
81 don't know
Dave spoke brusquely: "Come, BENZ
to; you must know, for your wife went
with her. Are you trying to keep
something backT
"No, no! AS God Is my judgeT"
Benito declared. ~ didn't know they
were going until the very last, and
ever then Dolores would tell me moth
ing. We were having bad times here
ut Las Palmas; there were stormy
scenes yonder in the house. Senior Ed
was drinking again, you understand
The sonora had reaso to 60"
"You think she ran away to escape
him?'
Exactly"
Dave breathed more easily, for this
seemed to settle Strange's theory. The
next instant, however, his apprehen-
sions were doubled, for Benlto added:
mo doubt she went to La Feria."
Law uttered On incredulous exclama-
ton. mot therel Surely she wouldn't
go to La Feria at such a time. Why,
that country is ablaze. Americans are
fleeing from Mexico"
IL hadn't thought Of that" Benito
confessed. "But if she didn't go there,
where did she go? Saints above! II
is a fine condition Of affairs when a
wife keeps secrets from her husband,
eh? / suppose Dolores feared / would
tell Don Eduardo, God rest his soul !
This much 1 do know, however: not
long ago there came q letter from
General Longorio, offering settlement
for those cattle he stole In his govern
ment's name. Dolores told me the
sonora was highly pleased and was go
ing to Mexico for her money. 1t was q
mark of Longorlo's favor, you under.
stand me? He's q great-friend, an
ardent admlrer." Benito winked. do.
lores told me all about that, too. No,
l think they went to La Feria."
Dave remembered his first CONVERSE
ton with Phil Strange and the fortune
teller's insistence that some powerful
person vas behind Jose Sanchez. More
than three weeks ago Strange had fore
cast something very like this murder
of Ed Austin. Dave felt as If he were
the victim of an h~ysterical imagina.
ton. Nevertheless, he forced himself
to ask, quietly:
as Jose Sanchez anywhere about7'
The range boss shrugged. II sent
him TO the east pasture this morning"
did he go?"
sch? So! You suspect Jose of this.
God in heaven! Jose is a wild boy
But waitl I'll ask Juan If he saw him ;
yes, and Victoria, too. That Is Victoria
you hear squalllng In the kitchen. Wait
here"
Benito hurried away, leaving Dave o
prey to perplexity; but he was back
again in o few moments. His face was
grave.
"Jose did not go to the east pas
ture," he said.
where is he ncwY"
mo M seems to know"
Law walked to his horse, mounted,
and galloped away. Benito, who
watched him, saw that he turned to-
ward the river road which led to the
Las Palmas pumping plant.
The more Dave thought about I'd
Austin's death, the more certain he be-
came that 1t was in some way con.
nected with Alaire's disappearance /;
and the loose end by which the tangle
might be ~unraveled, 1t seemed to him,
lay in the hands of Rosa Morales,
Jose's sweetheart. That Sanchez was
the murderer Dave now had little
doubt; but since the chance of appre-
bending him was small, he turned his
to the girl. He would make
Rosa speak, he told himself, If he had
to use force-this was no time for gen.
tie methods II she knew aught OF
Alaire's whereabouts or the mystery Of
her departure from Las Palmas, he
would find a why to wiring the truth
from her. Dawes face, a triie too SOM
Der at oil times, took on q grimmer
aspect now; he felt q slow fury kind.
ling In his breast.
Gro BE coNTTNUED)
I