The Lamar register., 1917-08-15

tethered there. OF course the youths
of this day were nothing like the
youths of his own, and yet-Blaze let
his gaze linger fondly on the highbred
mare and her equipment-here at least
was u person who knew a good horse.
a good saddle and a good gun.
As he came up the walk he heard
Paloma laugh, and his own face light
ened. for his daughters merrlment was
contagious. Then as he mounted the
steps and turned the corner of the
gallery" he uttered hearty greeting.
Dave Lawi Where in the world
did you drop from|
Law uncolled himself and took the
ranchman's hand. Hello Blaze! !
been ordered down here to keep you
straight"
'Pshawl Now who's been giving
you orders, Dave?"
"Why, I'm with the Rangers"
''Never knew a word Of it. Last l
heard you was filibustering around
with the Maderistas."
Blaze seated himself with grateful
sigh where the breeze played over him.
He was a big, bearlike swurthy man
with the square-hewn. dccp-lined face
Of a tragedian, and head of long,
curly hair. which he wore parted in d
line over his left ear. Jones was
character, a local landmark. This part
of Texas had grown up with Blaze,
and he possessed a splendid indinrer-
ence to the artificial fnds of dress
TTa r.1U frs1 as
door man.
$50 you're a Ranger, and got notches
on your gun" Blaze rolled and lit
tiny cigarette. scarcely larger than
wheat straw. "WcU, you'd ought to
make a right able thief-cutchcr. Dave,
only for your size-you're too long for
a man and you amt long enough for
snake. Still. l reckon a thief would
have trouble getting out Of your reach,
and once you got close to him How
many men have you killcdf'
"Counting MeXicans?' Law Inquired
with a smile.
"Nobody counts them"
mot many"
That's good" Blaze nodded and
relit his cigarette, which he had per
mitted promptly TO smolder out. "The
force amt what II was Most Of the
boys nowadays join so they can ride
guns, and give rein TO the predictions
of n vicious ancestry They're bad
rams. most Of EN-"
''There aren't many" said Paloma.
Dave tells me the whole force has
9ecn cut down to sixteen"
"Um-m-yes People are missing o
lot of stock hereabouts."
Its these blamed refugees from the
wari A Mexican has 20 steal some
thing or he gets run down and pore.
If It amt stock, it's something else"
Dave Laws duties as n Ranger rest
ed lightly upon him; his Instructions
we vague, and he had a lelsurely
method Of "working up" his evidence.
Since he knew that Blaze possessed n
thorough knowledge of this section and
Its people, II was partly business which
had brought him to the Jones home
this afternoon.
Strictly speaking, Blaze was not a
rancher. He had speculated heavily in
raw lands, and for several years past
he had devoted his energies to gi-
gantic colonization scheme. II was by
no means a small operation In which
he was engaged. The venture had
taken foresight, courage, infinite hard
work; Blaze was burdened with re-
sponslbilitics that would have broken
down q man Of weaker fiber.
But his pet relaxation was reminis-
cence. His own experience had been
wide. he knew everybody in his part
of the state, and although events In
his telling were sometimes colored by
his rich Imagination, the information
he could give was often Of the great
est value-as Dave Law knew.
After time the latter said, casually,
"Teu me something about Tad Lewis"
Blaze looked up quickly. "What do
you want to know?"
Anything. Everything"
"Tad owns "a right nice ranch be
tween here and Las Palmas," Blaze
said cautiously.
Paloma broke out impatlently. "Why
don't you say what you think?" Then
to Dave: "Tud Lewis Is a bad neigh
Dor. and always has been. There's
ford on his place, and we think he
knows more about wet cattle than
he cares to tell"