The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1917-09-06
CHAPTER XIV.
The Dawn.

Juan Garcia proved to be q good
guide, and he saved the refugees many
miles on their road to the Rio Grande.
Put every farm and every village was
a menace, and at first they were forced
to make numerous detours. As the
night grew older, however, they rode a
straighter course. urging their horses
TO the limit. hoping against hope to
reach the border before daylight over
took them. This they might have done
had It not been for Father O'Malley
and Dolores, who were unused to the
saddle and unable to maintain the pace
Juan set for them.
About midnight the party stopped on
the crest OF u filnty ridge to give their
horses breath and to estimate their
progress. The night was fine and clear;
outlined against the sky were the
stalks Of countless sotol-plants stand
ing slim and bare, like the upright
lnnces of an army ut rest; ahead the
road meandered across a mesa, COW
cred with grama grass and black, FORM
less Slots Of s%hrubbery.
Father O'Malley groaned and shift
&c his weight. Juan tells me well
rever reach Romero by morning. at this
rate" he said and Dave was forced to
agree. ~ think you and he and Alaire
had better 90 on and leave Dolores and
me to follow as best we can"
Dolores plaintively seconded this
suggestion. II would rather be burned
at the stake than suffer these %agonies."
she confessed. MY bones are broken.
The devil Is In this horse" She began
{ 0 weep softly. go. sonora. Save
yourself! It Is my accursed fat stom-
ach that binders me. Tell Benlto that
I persisted breathing his name, and see
TO 1t. when he remarrles, that he retains
none Of my treasures"
Alaire treasured her by saying: "We
won't leave you. Be brave and make
the best Of It."
"Yes. grit your teeth and hold on"
Dave echoed. "WeIl manage to make
1t somehow"
But progress was far slower than II
should have been. and the elder woman
continued to lag behind, voicing her
distress In groans and lamentations.
The priest, who was made Of sterner
stun, Old his best to bear his tortures
~cheerfully.
In spite Of their efforts the first rosy
herald Of dawn discovered them still a
long way from the river and just enter
ing q more thickly settled country.
Daylight came swiftly. and Juan finally
gave them warning,
ave can't 60 on the danger Is too
great" he told them. "If the soldiers
are still In Romero. what thenf'
"Have you no friends hereabouts
who would take US lnT" Dave inquired
The Mexican shook his head.
Dave considered for n momen you
must hide here" he told his compnn-
ions, "whlle ! ride On to Romero ana
see what can be done. / suspect
Blanco's troops have left, and in that
case everything will be all right"
Suppose they haven'tf" Alaire In
qulred. All night she had been In the
llghtest OF T. Gods. and had steadily re-
fused 20 IT, their perils seriously
Now her smile chased the frown from
her husbands face.
"well, perhaps I'll have breakfast
with them" he laughed.
"Silly. l won't let you co. she too
him, firmly and. reading the express
sion In her face, he felt n dizzy won
der. "We'ii find n nice secluded spot
then we'll sit down and wait for night
TO come. Wen pretend we're having
picnic"
Dolores sighed at the suggestion