The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1917-07-26

have been across the Rio Grande-
with Rosa and all her fine clothes, Ell?
Now you will be hanged. Well, that is
how fortune goes"
The horse-breaker tossed his head
and shrugged with a brave assumption
of Indifference; he laughed shortly.
"You a prove nothing"
EYES," continued Dave, "and Rosa
will go to prison, too. Now-suppose
I should let you go? Would you help
me? In ten minutes you could be safe"
He inclined his head toward the
muddy, silent river outside. "Wou!d
you be willing to help met"
Jose's brows lifted. whats this
you are saying" he inquired, eagerly.
II would only ask you a few ques-
tions."
"What questions?"
"Where is Sonora Austin?"
Jose's face became blank. II don't
know"
"Oh yes, you do. She started for La
Feria. But-did she get there? Or did
Longorio have other plans for her?
You'd better tell me the truth, for
your general can't help you now" Dave
did his best to. read the Mexican's ex-
preston, but failed. "Senor Eds death
means nothing to me-" he went on,
but I must know where his wife is.
and I'm willing to pay, with your lib
erty." In spite of himself his anxiety
was plain.
Jose exclaimed: "Ho! I under
stand. sHe was in your way and you're
glad to be rid Of him. Well, we have
no business fighting with. each other"
"Will you tell me-?"
"Ill tell you nothing, for I know
nothing"
Come! I must know"
Jose laughed insolently.
Laws face became black with sud-
den fury. His teeth barred themselves.
He took a step forward, crying:
"By heaven! You will tell me! !"
Selling his prisoner by the throat, he
pinned him to the wall then with his
free hand he cooked Longorio's re-
volver and thrust it's muzzle against
Jose's body. "Tell met" he repeated.
His countenance was so distorted, his
expression so m%aniacal, that Jose felt
his hour had come. The latter, being
in all ways Mexican, did not struggle;
instead, he squared his shoulders and,
staring fe%arlessly into the face above
him, cried:
"Shootw
For q moment the two men remained
so then Dave seemed to regain control
Of himself and the murder light flick
cred out of his eyes. He flung his pris-
oner aside and cast the revolver into
a corner Of the room.
Jose picked himself up, cursing his
captor e%loquently. "You gringos don't
know how to die" he said. Death?
Pah! We must die some time. And
supposing I do know something about
the sonora, do you think you can force
me to speak? Torture wouldn't open
my lips"
Law did not trust himself to reply;
and the horse-breaker went on with
growing defiance:
II am innocent of any crime; there
fore I am brave. But you-the blood
of innocent men means nothing to you
-Panflo's murder proves that-so
complete your work. Make an end Of
me-"
"Be still!" Dave commanded, thickly.
But the fellows hatred was out Of
bounds now, and by the bitterness Of
his vituperation he seemed to invite
death. Dave interrupted his vitriolic
curses to ask harshly:
evil you tell me, or will you force
me to wiring the truth out of you?"
Jose answered by splitting at his cap
tor; then he gritted an ~unspeakable
epithet from between his teeth.
Dave addressed him with an air of
finality. "You killed that man and
your life is forfeit, SO it doesn't make
much difference whether I take it or
whether the state takes it. You are
brave enough to die-most of you Next
cans are-but the state can't force you