The Snowflake herald., 1917-06-22

turned, and once more the man sat
upon his heels and smoked while she
ate. After while she remarked: I'm
glad to see a Ranger in this country.
There has been a lot of stealing down
our way, and the association men can't
seem to stop it. Perhaps you can"
"The Rangers have a reputation in
that line," he admitted. "But there is
stealing all up and down the border,
since the war;"
"The ranchers have organized. They
have formed a sort of vigilance COM
mittee in each town, and talk of using
oloodhounds."
"Bloodhounds amt any good, outside
Of novels. If beef got scarce, them
Greasers would steal the dogs and eat
EN-" He added, meditatively, DOG
amt such bad eatin', either"
"Have you tried it?"
Mr.. Law nodded.
did you join the Maderistas for ex-
citement?"
MOSTLY. Then, too, believed Pan
chito Madero was honest and would
give the poems land. An honest Mexi-
can is worth fghtin' for, anywhere.
The pelados are still struggling for
their land-for that and a chance to
live and work and be happy"
Mrs. Austin stirred impatiently.
"They are fighting because they are
told to fight. There is no patriotism
in them," said she.
Il think" he said with grave delib-
erateness, 'the majority feel something
big and vague and powerful stirring
inside them. They don't know exactly
what it is, perhaps, but it is there.
Mexico has outgrown her dictators.
They have been overthrown by the
same causes that brought on the
French Revolution"
'"The French Revolution" !" AIaire
leaned forward, eying the speaker with
startled intensity. "What do you know
about the French Revolution?"
Reaching for a coal, the Ranger
spoke without facing her. "Tve read
good bit, ma'am, and I'm noble
l1OICACAs SOOds lCOs W llJs L
had a picture of the Bastille once"
He pronounced it "Bastilly," and his
hearer settled back. "That was some
calaboose, now, wasn't it?" A moment
later he inquired, ingenuOusly, 81 don't
suppose you ever saw that Bastille,
did your"
mo. Only the place where it stood"
"Sho'! You must have travelled right
smart for such a young lady, He
beamed amiably upon her.
There was something winning about
this young mans modesty, and some
thing flattering in his respectful admi-
ration. He seemed, also, to know his
place, a fact which was even more in
his favor. Undoubtedly he had force
and ability; probably his love of ad-
venture and a happy lack of settled
purpose had led him to neglect his
more commonplace opportunities and
sent him into the Ranger service. This
man had been denied what she termed
education: therefore she decided to
put one in his way.
"DO you like to read?" she asked
him.
"Say! It's my favorite form of ex
ercise." Laws bIue-gray eyes were ex.
pressionless, his face was bland
"Why?''
Il have a great many books at Las
Palmas. You might enjoy some of
them"
"Now that's nice of you, ma'am.
Mebbe I'll look into this cattle-stealin
in your neighbOrhood, and if l do I'll
sure come borrowin'."
"Oh, I'll send you a boxful when |
get back" said Alaire, and Dave
thanked her humbly.
Later, when he went to move his
mare into a shady spot, the Ranger
chuckled and slapped his thigh with
his hat. "Bessie Belle, we're going to
improve our minds" he said aloud.
Were going to be literary and read
Pilgrims Progress and Alice in
Wonderland 1 bet We'll enjoy 'em,
Ell? But-doggone She's a nice lady,
and your coat is just the same color
as her hair"
Where the shade was densest and
the breeze played most freely, there
Dave fixed a comfortable couch for his
guest, and during the heat of the fore
noon she dozed. But one cannot sleep
well with a tropic sun in the heavens,
and since there was really nothing for
her to do until the heat abated, Alaire,
when she awoke, obliged the Ranger
to amuse her.
AS the morning progressed Law
proved himself an interesting cOmpan-
ion, and in spite of the discomforts of
the situation the hours slipped rap
idly. Luncheon was a disagreeable
meal, eaten while the arroyo baked
and the heat devils danced on the
hills; but the unpleasantness was of
brief duration, and Law always man.
aged to Danish boredom. Nor did he
seem to waste a thought upon the ma
ture of that grim business which
brought him to this place. Quite the