The Lamar register., 1917-07-25

expectin' Is a Mexican, and day before
yesterday he killed man over in Jim
Wells county. They got me by phone
at Hebbronville and told me he'd left
He's headIn' for the border, and he's
due here about sundown, now that Ar.
royo Grande's dry. l was aimin' to
let you ride his horse"
"Then-you're an officerf'
"Yes'm. Ranger So you see I can't
help you to get home tin my man
comes. Do you live around hereT'
The speaker looked up inquiringly. and
after an instant's hesitation the wom-
an said quietly:
81 am Mrs. Austin" She was CRATE
full for the gloom that hid her face. II
rode out this way to examine tract
of grazing land
II seemed fully a minute before the
Ranger answered. then he said, in a
casual tone, 81 reckon Las Palmas is
quite a ranch, ma'nm."
ayes. But we need more pasture"
81 know your La Feria ranch, too. 1
was with General Castro when we had
that fight near there"
"You were MaderistaY"
"Yes'm. Machine-gun man That's a
fine country over there. Seems like
the Almighty got mixed and put the
MeXicans on the wrong side of the
Rio Grande. But l reckon you haven't
seen much Of La Feria since the last
revolution broke out"
"No. We have tried to remain neu-
trail. but" Again she hesitated. "Mr.
Austin has enemies Fortunately both
sides have spared La Feria."
Law shrugged his broad shoulders.
"Oh, well, the revolution isn't over
a ranch in Mexico is my idea Of bad
Investment" He rose and taking his
blanket, sought favorable spot upon
which to spread II. Then he helped
Mrs Austin TO her feet-her muscles
had stiffened until she could barely
stand-after which he. fetched his sad
die for a pillow. He made no apollo
giles for his meager hospitality, nor did
his guest expect any.
When he had staled out his horse
for the night he returned to find the
woman rolled snugly in her covering,
AS in cocoon. The dying embers flick
cred into flame and lit her hair redly.
She had laid OF her felt hat, and one
loosened brnid lay over her hard pill
low. Thinking her asleep, Law stood
motionless, making no attempt TO hide
] his expression Of wonderment until
Unexpectedly, she spoke.
"Whnt viii you do with me when
( your Mexican comes7" she said.
"Well ma'am, I reckon I'll hide you
out in the brush till l tame him"
"Thnnk you. I'm used to the open"
He nodded as II he well knew that
she was; then, shaking out his slicker,
turned away.
As he lay staring up through the
thorny mesquite branches that rooted
him inadequately from the dew, he
murveled nightly. a bright. steady
burning star peeped through the leaves
mt him. and as he watched it he remem-
bered that this red-halred woman with
the sull, white face was known far and
wide through the lower valley as 'The
Lone Star" Well, he mused, the name
fitted her; she was, If reports were
true, quite ms mysterious, quite as cold
and fixed and unupprOachable, as the
title Implied. knowledge Of her iden-
( tity had come as shock, for Law
knew something Of her history. and to
I find her suing for his protection was
/ quite thrilling. Tales Of her pale
beauty were common and not tame,
but she WAS all and more than she
had been described.
She had not been too proud and cold
to let him help her. In her fatigue
she had allowed him to lift her and
0p make her more comfortable. Hot
iguinst his palms-palms unaccus-
toned to the touch Of woman's flesh
he felt the contact Of her naked feet,
as at the moment when he had placed
hem in the cooling water. Her feeble
resistance had only called attention to
1er sex-to the slim whlteness of her
ankles beneath her short riding skirt
Following his first amazement at be-
holding her had come a fantastic ex-
PLANTATION of her presence-for a mo-
ment or two It had seemed as II the
futes had taken heed Of bis yearnings
and had sent her to him out Of the
iusk-wild fancies Ike these, bother
men who are much alone.