The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1917-06-21
CHAPTER XIV.

Superstitions and certainties.
The sensation caused by Ricardo
Guzman's disappearance was as moth.
Ing to that which followed the recovery
of his body. Whatever the facts of
the rescue, it was generally recognized
that the result had been to bring on
a crisis In the affairs Of the two ma.
lions. Strong influences, however,
were at work to prevent that very out.
come for which the people of Texas
prayed. During the delay there o
a report that Ricardo Guzman had
borne an evil reputation, and that he
had been so actively associated with
the rebel cause as to warrant punish.
ment by the federal government. More.
over, a legal question as to his Ameri.
can citizenship was raised-a question
which seemed to have important bear.
ing upon the case.
Public interest is short-lived; few
living men a hold it more than a day
or two, and it reckons no dead man
worthy of more than an obituary no..
tice. Thus in the course of time the
Guzman incident was in a fair way
Of being officially forgotten and for
given.
But there were several persons who
felt intense relief at the course events
had taken, and among these was Alaire
Austin. In the days following that
midnight expedition she had had annie
time In which to mediate upon her
husbands actions. It seemed probable
that he had fled to San Antonio. there
to remain until interest in the Guzman
matte. had abated.
Alaire telephoned Dave Law. argyll
ing to herself that she must leorn
more about her husbands connection
with the Lewis gang. Dave arrived
even sooner than she had expected.
She made him dine with her, and thew
spent the evening on the dim-lit GAL
lery. In the course of their conver-
sation Alafre discovered that Dave. foo
had a hidden side of his nature: thot
he possessed an Imagination, and with
1T a quaint, whimsical, exploratory turn
OF mind which enabled him to talk
interestedly of many things and MANY
places. On this particular evening he
was anything but the man of iron she
had known-until she ventured to
speak Of Ed. Then he closed I'M like
a trap. He was almost gruff in his
refusal to say a word about her hus-
band.
Because Of Eds appropriation of the
ranch cash, Alaire found it necessary
a few days later to go to the hank.
and, feeling the need of exercise. sho
rode her horse Montrose. When hor
errands had been attended to, she sud-
denly decided to call on Paloma Jones.
1t was years since she had voluntarily
done such a thing; the very impulse
surprised her.
Paloma, it happened, was underpoino
that peculiar form Of feminine torture
known as "ftting;" but ~insecurelv
basted, pinned and tucked as she was.
she came flying down to the gate to
meet her visitor.
Alaire was introduced 10 Nrrs
Strange, the dressmaker, a large. acid.
ulous brunette, with a mouthful NJ
pins; and then. when Paloma had CIV
en- herself once more into the seam
stress hands. the two friends gossiped.
II don't know what dad will saw
when ne gets the bill for these
dresses" Paloma confessed.
your father is a mighty queer
man." Mrs. Strange observed. II
haven't so much as laid eyes on him."
Paloma nodded. "Yes. And he's get.
ting peculiar all the time; I can't
make out what ails him."
"Where is he now" asked Alalre.