The Snowflake herald., 1917-07-13

with them were the women and the
children. The soldiers themselves
were clustered thickly upon the car
roofs. Far down at the rear of the
train was a rickety passenger coach,
and toward this Jose Sanchez made his
way.
There began a noisy interchange of
greetings between the occupants Of the
two trains, and meanwhile the hot sun
glared balefully upon the huddled fig
ures on the car tops. A half-hour
passed, then occurred cOmmOtiOn at
the forward end of Alaire's coach.
A group of officers climbed aboard,
and among them was one who could
be none other than Luis Longorio. AS
he came down the passageway Alaire
identified him without the aid of his
insignia, for he stood head and shoul-
ders above his companions and bore
himself with an air of authority. He
was unusually tall, at least six feet
three, and very slim, very 1.-THE;
young man his cheeks were girhshly
smooth and of clear, pale, olive tint;
his eyes were large, bold, brilliant; his
nOstrils thin and sensitive, like those
of blooded horse. Disdain, hauteur,
impatience, were stamped upon the
generals countenance as he pushed
briskly through the crowd, turning his
head from side to side in search of
the woman who had summoned him.
Not until she rose did he discover
Alaire; then he halted; his eyes fixed
themselves upon her with start of
startled amaZement.
Alaire felt herself color family, for
the man seemed to be scanning her
from head to foot, taking in every de-
tail of her face and form, and as he
did so his expression remained unal-
tered. For what seemed a full minute
LOngorio stood rooted; then the stiff
viZOred cap was swept from his head
he bowed with the grace of courtier
until Alaire saw the part in his oily
black hair.
"Senora! A thousand apologies for
my delay" he said. "Caramba did
not dream-I did not understand your
message" He continued to regard her
with that same queer intensity.
"YOu are General Longorio?" Alaire
was surprised to note that her voice
quavered uncertainty, and annoyed to
feel her face still flushing"
"YOur obedient servant"
Longorio, with brusque command,
routed out the occupants of the seat
ahead, and, reversing the back, took
position facing Alaire. Another order
and the men who had accompanied
him withdrew up the aisle. There was
no mistaking his admiration. He
seemed enchanted by her pale beauty,
her rich, red hair held him fascinated,
and with Latin boldness he made his
feelings crassly manifest.
"YOu probably know why I wished
to see you," Alaire began.
Longorio shook his head in vague
denial.
"It is regarding my ranch, La Feria."
Seeing that the name conveyed moth
ing, she explained, II am told that
your army confscated my cattle"
"Ah yes! Now / understand" The
Mexican nodded mechanically, but it
was plain that he was not needing her
words in the least. AS If to shut out a
vision or to escape some dazzling sight,
he closed his eyes. Alaire wondered
if the fellow had been drinking. She
turned to Dolores to find that good
woman wearing an expression Of stu
pefaction. 1t was very queer; it made
Alaire extremely ill at ease.
Longorio opened his eyes and passed
a brown hand across his brow as if
to brush away perverse fancies that in
terfered with his thoughts. Alaire no.
ticed that one of his fingers was deco
rated with magnificent diamond-and-
ruby ring, and this interested her
Queerly. No ordinary man could fit
tingly have worn such an ornament,
yet on the hand of this splendid bar
barian it seemed not at all out of
keeping.
''Diosp' Longorio continued. ''Your
ranch has been destroyed; your cattle
stolen, eh? We will shoot the perpe-
traitors of this outrage at once.
Bueno"
''No, mol don't want to see anyone
punished. / merely want your govern
ment to pay me for my cattle" Alaire
laughed nervOuSly.
"Ah! But a lady of refinement
should never discuss such a miserable
business. 1t is matter for men,"
She endeavored to speak in a brisk,
businesslike tone. LA Feria belongs
to me. / am woman of affairs, Gen.
eral Longorio, and you must talk to
me as you would talk to a man. When
I heard about this raid came to look
into ito see you, or whoever is in
charge of this district, and to make a
claim for damages"
"Valgame Dios! This is amazing"
'There is nothing extraordinary
about 1t, thak can see."
''You consider such a woman as
yourself ordinary? The men of my