The Snowflake herald., 1917-06-29


citizenship is mostly matter of form.
The stOckmen, pushing ahead of the
neSterS and the tillers of the soil, were
the first to invade the lower Rio
Grande, and among these "Old Ed"
Austin was a pioneer. Like the other
cattle barons, he was hungry for land
and took it where or how he could.
Those were crude old days; the piO-
neers who pushed their herds into the
far pastures were lawleSS fellows, ruth
less, acquiSitive, mastered by the EN-
pire-builders urge for acres and still
more acres.
AS other ranches grew under the
hands Of such unregenerate owners, so
also under "Old Ed" Austin's manage
ment did Las Palmas increase and
prosper. 1t comprised an expanse of
rich overland backed by miles Of
range where ''Box A" cattle lived and
bred. In his later years when the old
man handed Las Palmas to his son,
young Ed" as a wedding gift, the
ranch was known far and wide for its
size and richness. Las Palmas had
changed greatly since Austin, senior,
painfully scraWled his slanting sigma
ture to the deed. 1t was a different
ranch now to what the old man had
known; indeed, it was doubtful if he
would have recognized it, for even the
house was new.
Alaire had some such thought in
mind as she rode up to the gate on
the afternoon following her departure
from the water hole, and she felt
thrill of pride at the acres of sprouting
corn, the dense green field of alfalfa
so nicely fitted between their fences
They were like clean, green squares of
mating spread for the feet of summer
A Mexican boy came running to care
for her horse, Mexican woman greet
ed her as she entered the wide, cool
hall and went to her room. Dolores
fixed bath and laid out clean clothes
with running accompaniment of chat
ter concerned with household affairs.
She was a great gossip, and possessed
such a talent for gaining information
that through her husband, BenitO, the
range boss, she was able to keep her
mistress in fairly intimate touch with
ranch matters.
Alaire, as she leisurely dressed her
self, acknowledged that it was good to
feel the physical comforts of her own
house, even though her homecoming
gave her no especial joy. She made it
a religious practice~to dress for dinner,
regardless of Eds presence, though
often for weeks at a time she sat in
solitary state, presiding over an empty
table. Tonight, Ed was at home. 1t
was with grave preOccupation that
she made herself ready to meet him.
In the dining room, Ed acknowl-
edged his wife's entrance with a care
less nod, but did not trouble to re-
move his hands from his pockets. AS
he seated himself heavily at the table
and with unsteady fingers shook the
folds from his napkin, he said
"YOu stayed longer than you intend
ed. Um-m-you were gone three days.
weren't you?"
-Four days." Alaire told him, real
izing with a little inward start how
very far apart she and Ed had drifted.
She looked at him curiously for an in
slant, wondering if he really could be
her husband, Or-if he were not some
peculiarly diSagreeable stranger.
Ed had been handsome boy, but he
was growing fat from drink and soft
from l.; e.
his eyes too sluggish; there was an
unhealthy redness in his cheeks. In
contrast to his wife's semi-formal
dress, he was unkempt-unshaven and
soiled. His preparations for dinner
this evening had been characteristically
simple; he had drunk three dry cock
tails and flung his sombrero into cor
net.
I've been busy while you were
gone" he announced. "Been down to
the pump house every day laying that
new intake. 1t was a nasty job, too.
| had Morales barbecue cabrito for
my lunch, and it was good, but TIA
hungry again" Austin attacked his
meal with an enthusiasm strange in
him. He was a heavy and a constant
drinl1er at all times. What little ex-
ercise he took was upon the back of a
horse, and, as no one knew better than
his wife, the physical powers he once
had were rapidly deteriOrating.
By and by he inquired, vaguely:
Lets see. Where did you go
this timer"
II went up to look over the Ygnacio
tract"
"Oh, yes. Think you'll lease it?"
Il don't know. l must find some
place for those La TTeria cattle"
Austin shook his head Better leave
'em where they are, until the rebels
take that country. stand mighty well
with them"
That's the trouble" Alaire told
him. "You stand too weIl-so we'll
that 1 want to get my stock out of
federal territory as soon as possible
Ed shrugged careleSSly. "Suit YOUR