The Huttig news., 1917-06-30

never reach Romero by morning, at this rate," he said and Dave was forced to agree. "I think you and he and Alairt had better go on and leave Dolores ano ne to follow as best we can."
 Dolores plaintively seconded thi. suggestion. q would rather be burned at the stake than suffer these agonies,' she confessed. My bones are broken The devil is in this horse" She begal to weep softly. "Go, senora Save yourself! It is my accursed fat stom ach that flinders me. Tell Benito tha fperished breathing his name, and set to it, when he remarries, that he retains none of my treasures"
 Alaire reassured her by saying: "W, won't leave you. Be brave and make the best of it."
 "Yes, grit your teeth and hold on, Dave echoed. "We'lI manage to makt 1t somehow"
 But progress was far slower than i should have been, and the elder wemar continued to lag behind, voicing hel distress in groans and lamentations The priest, who was made of sternel stuff, did his best to bear his torturel cheerfully.
 In spite of their efforts the first ros, herald of dawn discovered them still { long way from the river and just enter Ing more thickly settled country Daylight came swiftly, and Juan finally gave them warning.
 "We can't go on the danger is too great" he told them. If the soldiers are still in Romero, what then?"
 Have you no friends hereabouts who would take us in?" Dave inquired.
 The Mexican shook his head.
 Dave considered for moment. You must hide here" he told his compan- ions, "while I ride on to Romero and see what can be done. 1 suspect Blanco's troops have left, and in that case everything will be all right
 Suppose they hayen't?" Alaire in quired. All night she had been in the lightest of moods. and had steadily re fused to take their perils seriously. Now her smile chased the frown from her husbands face.
 "Well, perhaps I'll have breakfast with them," he laughed.
 "Silly. won't let you go," she told him, firmly; and, reading the express sion in her face he felt dizzy won der. "We'll find a nice secluded spot i; then we'll sit down and wait for night to come. We'll pretend we're having a picnic"
 Dolores sighed at the suggestion. That would be heaven, but there can be no sitting down for me-"
 Garcia, who had been standing in his stirrups scanning the long, fiat road ahead, spoke sharply: "Caramba ! Here come those very soldiers now !! See .''
 Far away, but evidently approaching at smart gait, was a body of mounted men. After one look at them Dave cried:
 Into the brush, quick!" He hurried his companions ahead of him, and when they had gone perhaps hun dred yards from the road he took Juan's repeater, saying: Ride in a little way farther and wait. I'm going back. If you hear me shoot, break for the river. Ride hard and keep under cover as much as possible" Before they could remonstrate he had wheeled M0ntrosa and was gone.
 This was luck, he told himself. Ten miles more and they would have been safe, for the Rio Grande Is not diff ficult river either to ford or to swim. He dismounted and made his way on foot to a point where he could com inand view, but he had barely estab- lished himself when he found Alaire at his side.
 "Go back" he told her. But she would not, and so they waited together.
 There were perhaps a dozen men in the approaching squad, and Dave saw thst they were heavily accoutred. They rode fast too, and at their head gal loped q large man under a wide brimmed felt hat. It soon became evil dent that the soldiers were not uni- formed. Therefore, Dave reasoned, they were not federals, but more prob ably some rebel scouting band from the south, and yet He rubbed his eyes and stared again.
 | Dave pressed forward eagerly, h. credulously; the next instant lie had broken cover with shout. Alaire was at his side, clapping her hands and laughing with excitement.
 The cavalcade halted; the big man tumbled from his saddle and came straddling through the high grass, wav- 1 ing his hat and yelling.
 "Blaze You old scoundrelf ]" Dave cried, and seized one of the ranchman's s palms while Alaire shook the other.
 Say! We're right glad to see you all," Jones exclaimed. We reckoned you might be havln' sort of unpleas- antness with Longorio, so we organized up and came to get you"
 The other horsemen were crowding close now. and their greetings were noisy. There were the two Guzman
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