Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1917-08-25
CHAPTER vi.
Blaze Jones and His Neiqhbors.

Blaze Jones rode up to his front gate
and dismounted in the shade of the big
ebony tree. He stepped back and ran
an approving eye over another animal
tethered there. OF course the youths
of this day were nothing like the
youths of his own, and yet-Blaze let
his gaze linger fondly on the highbred
mare and her equipment-here at least
was a person who knew a good horse,
good saddle and good gun.
AS he came up the walk he heard
Paloma laugh, and his own face light
ened for his daughters merriment was
contagious. Then as he mounted the
steps and turned the corner of the
gallery" he uttered hearty greeting.
Dave Law! Where in the world
did you drop from?"
Law uncOiled himself and took the
ranchman's hand. Hello, Blaze! /
been ordered down here to keep you
straight"
"Psbaw! Now who's been giving
you orders, Dave?
"Why, I'm with the Rangers"
Never knew word of it. Last l
heard you was filibusterlng around
with the Maderistas."
Blaze seated himself with a grateful
sigh where the breeze played over him.
He was big, bearlike, swarthy man
with the square-hewn, deep-lined face
OF a tragedian, and a head of long,
curly hair, which he wore parted in a
line over his left ear. Jones was a
local landmark. This part
of Texas had grown up with Blaze,
and he possessed a splendid indiffer-
ence to the artificial fads of dress
md manners. He was plainly an out
door man.
$50 you're Ranger, and got notches
On your gum" Blaze rolled and lit
liny cigarette, scarcely larger than a
wheat straw. "Well, you'd ought to
make a right able thief-catcher, Dave,
only for your size-you're too long for
man and you amt long enough for
snake. Still, reckon a thief would
nave trouble getting out of your reach,
md once you got close to him How
many men have you killed."
Counting Mexicans?" Law inquired
With smile.
Nobody counts them"
"Not many
That's good" Blaze nodded and
elit his cigarette, which he had per-
nitted promptly to smolder out. "The
orce amt what it was. Most of the
'oys nowadays join so they can ride
horse cross-lots, pack a pair Of
.uns, and give rein to the predictions
# vicious ancestry. They're bad |
ans, most of EN-"
There aren't many" said Paloma.
Dave tells me the whole force has
'een cut down to sixteen"
That's plenty" her father averred.
It's like when Cap'n Bill Mcdonald
vas sent to stop riot in Dallas. He
anne to town alone, and when the citi-
ems asked him where his men was,
lie said Amt enough? There's only
me riot Are you workin' up a case,
)ave?"
"Um-m--yes! People are missing a
OF of stock hereabouts."
TITS these blamed refugees from the
var! A Mexican has to steal some
hing or he gets run down and pore.
( 1t amt stock, it's something else"
Dave Laws duties as Ranger rest
ID lightly upon him; his instructions
we're vague, and he had a leisurely
method of working up his evidence. |
since he knew that Blaze possessed a
borough knowledge Of this section and |
is people, 1t was partly business which
lad brought him to the Jones home
his afternoon.
Strictly speaking, Blaze was not a
ancher. He had specialized heavily In
aw lands, and for several years past
le had devoted his energies to a gi-
ante colonization scheme. 1t was by
10 means small operation in which
lie was engaged. The venture had
AIKEN foresight, courage, infinite hard
york; Blaze was burdened with re-
that would have broken
lown a man of weaker fiber.