The state herald., 1917-09-21
CHAPTER xiII-continued.


Alalre drove as swiftly as she dared,
following the blurred streak Of gray
that was the road, and taking the
bumps with utter recklessness. Ahead
loomed the dark ridge Of the river
thickets, a dense rampant Of mesquite.
But even before they were sheltered
from the moonlight Paloma saw the
lights of another automobile approach.
Ing along the main-traveled highway
behind them-the lights, evidently. Of
Tad Lewis machine. A moment later
Alaire's car drove into the black shad-
ows. 1t had been short, swift. exclt-
Ing ride. "Young Eds" runnbout could
not be many minutes ahead Of them.
The women got out, then breasted
the high grass and brambles between
their hidI;ig place and the pumphouse
road. A hundred yards away they
could now see the ghostly Rio Grande.
It's saffron surface fnintly silvered by
the low moon: lights cleaned from the
windows Of Morales house. In the
distance the vague outlines OF the Mex
lean shore were resolving themselves,
and far beyond twinkled the evidence
that some belated citis ,us of Romero
we're still awake.
Paloma Ind brought with her the
ong-barreled rifle, and this she
clutched nervously as she and Alaire
stood whispering. Conditions were fa-
vorable for an approach to the pump
house itself. They had nearly reached
their goal when out Into the clearing
behind them. with metallic rattle and
cinng, burst another automobile. and
Paloma whispered excitedly.
There's the Lewis outfit at last"
In the Lewis car were several men.
They descended hurrIedly. and when
one Of them ran around the front Of
the car to turn OF Its lights. both won.
en- saw that he carried a rife. Evil
IDENTIFY Tad Lewis Ind come prepared
for desperate measures.
4 small door gave entrance to the
pumphouse. and into the lock Of this
Mrs. Austin fitted q key: the next mo-
ment she and Paloma were safely In
side. Dusty, cobwebbed windows let
Ia faint ghost-glow Of moonlight, but
prevented clenr observation Of any
thing outside: Aiaire's fumbling I'm.
gers found the latch and begnn to
lift q window. when someone spoke,
Just outside the building.
"what did you discoverr' inqulred
a voice which neither woman rccog.
nized. Palomn clutched blindly for her
companion; the two eavesdroppers
stood rooted In their trucks. The
pounding Of their hearts sounded loud
iy. Since the building was little more
than wooden shell. they could plainly
hear the answer:
"Thc house 10 full Of greasers. !
can't tell who they are"
A third man spoke. this time In
Spanish. 'That was Tad Lewis who
Just came. senor."
There followed some whispered
words ,ndIstinguishablc TO the listen
crs, then q rustic Of bodies moving
through the tall grass and weeds.
Pnlotna placed her lips close TO
Ainirc's enr. "who are those pcoplef'
she brcnthcd.
~ don't know. They must be tho
oncs who came In thnt strange auto
mobile"
Pniomn chnttercd viciously: EVERY
body In Tcxns is here. wish we'd
thought to scatter tncks behind u.s."
Cautiously they swung tho door back
and looked out. The open spncc along
the river bank wns lcvclcd BY tho
moonlight; from Morales house. to
their right, cnmc the sound OF voices.
Tho women waited.
A few moments, then n number OF
men appeared. Pnlomn Judged there
were nj least dozen. but she wns
too excited to count them. Az they
nmc struggling toward the pumphouss
onn ~ them rnllei back.