The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1917-05-24
"How did you happen to read Ana
tole France" Alaire asked, with q

"How did you happen to read Ana
tole France?" Alaire asked, with a
sharp stare Of surprise.
The Ranger stirred, but he did not
meet her eyes. "Well," said he, II
read most anything I can get. A fell
Ter meets up with strange books just
like he meets up with strange people,"
"Not books like-that." There was
a brief silence. "Mr. Law, you went
to school in the East, didn't you?
Where's" The mar hesitated, at which
she insisted, "Where?"
Dave reluctantly turned upon her a
pair of eyes in the depths of which
there lurked the faintest twinkle.
Cornell" said he.
Alaire gasped. After q while she re-
marked, stifiy, "You have a peculiar
sense Of humor."
"Now don't be offended" he begged
her. "I'm a good deal like a chame-
leon; I unconsciously change my color
to suit my surroundings. When we
first met I saw that you took me for
one thing, and since then I've tried not
to show you your mistake"
"Why did you let me send you those
silly books? I dare say you've had a
fine laugh at my %expense?"
"No" gravely denied the man.
They had come to an r contain
ing a considerable stream Of muddy
water. and Law was forced to get out
to plug the carburetor and stop the oil
intakes to the crank-case. This done,
Alaire ran the machine through on the
self-starter. When Jose's "Caram-
bas!" and Dolores shrieks had sub
sided, and they were again under way,
Mrs. Austin, it seemed, had regained
her good humor.
,"You will receive no more Of my ia
vorite authors" she told Dave, spite
fully. "Ill keep them to read my
self"
do you still believe in chivalry?"
Alaire turned her eyes upon the
questioner, and there were no girlish
illusions in them. do you?" she quer-
led, with q faint curl of her lip.
"Why-yes."
She shook her head. "Men have
changed. Nowadays they are all self
ish and sordid. Butt shouldn't gen
e~ralize, for I'm a notorious man-hater,
you know"
He nodded, whereupon she eyed him
s%peculatively. "Let us see. You are
a man-how far would you go for the
woman you loved"
"The limit!
Mrs. Austin frowned at this light
seeming answer. II suppose you mean
that you would make any sacrifce?"
Eyes; that's it."
"Would you give up the woman her
self, If you considered it your duty?'
mo. There couldn't be any duty
higher than love-to my way Of think
ing. But you shouldn't take me as
a specimen. I'm not a good represen-
tative Of my sex"
II think you are a very good one,"
|'Alaire said quietly, and Dave realized
that no fattery vas intended.
Despite the rough roads, they made
fair time, and the miles of cactus and
scrawny brush rolled swiftly past. The
morning sun swung higher, and by
midday the metal Of the automobile
had become as hot as a frying pan.
They stopped at various goat ranches
to inquire about Adolfo Urbina, and at
noon halted beside a w~atercourse for
lunch.
Dave was refilling the radiator when
he overheard Jose in conversation with
Mrs. Austin.
Nowhere a trace" the horse
breaker was saying. "No n has seen
him. Poor Rosa Morales will die Of
a broken heart"
Alafre explained to her guest: "Jose
is worried about his cousin Panflo. 1t
seems he has disappeared"
$50! You are Panflo's cousin?"
Dave eyed the Mexican with new in
terest.
Isl"
"You remember the MANI" Alaire
went on. "He was with that fellow
you arrested at the water-hole."
"Oh, yes. I remember him" With
steady fingers Dave shook some to-
bacco into a cigarette paper. He felt
Alaire's eyes upon him, and they were
eloquent of inquiry, but he did not
meet them.
Jose frowned. "No one at La Feria
has seen him, and in Pueblo there was
not a word. 1t is strange"
"Panflo was in bad company when
I saw him." Law finished rolling his
cigarette and lit it, still conscious Of
Alaire's questioning gaze. HE may
have had trouble"
HE was a good man." the horse
breaker asserted. IF he is dead"
The Mexican's frown deepened to q
scowl.