The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1917-09-20
CHAPTER xIx--continued.

der and faced him about. 'Look here"
said he, I'm b~eginnin' to get wise TO
you. / believe y~ou're-the man In the
case" When Dave nodded, he vented
his amazement In a long whistle. After
a moment he asked, swell, why did you
want me to come here alone, ahead Of
the othersT
Because I want you to know the
whole inside of this thing so that you
a get busy when I'm gone; because I
want TO borrow what money you
have"
@What you amin to pull orr" Blaze
inquired, suspiciously.
"Tm going to find her and bring her
ont"
"Youf Why, Dave, you can't get
through. This Is a Job for the sol
diers."
But Dave hardly seemed to hear him.
iaYou must start things moving at
once" he said, urgently. "Spread the
news, get the story into the papers,
notify the authorities. Get every In
I~iuence at work, from here to head
quarters; get your senator and the
governor OF the state at work. ELS
worth WIN help you. And now give
me your last dollar"
Blaze emptied his pockets, shaking
lhls shaggy head the while. La Feria
ts e hundred and fifty miles In" he re-
imonstrated.
by rail from Pueblo, yes. But It's
barely q hundred, straight from here"
"You amt got q chance. single-hand-
led. You're crazy to try IT."
Dave turned a sick, colorless face to
This friend. They'll carve a stone for
lLongorio II I do get through" He
icaiied to Montrosa, and the mare came
Ito him. holding her head to q side
lso as not TO tread upon her dragging
Ireins.
"Tm most tempted to go with youn"
Blaze stammered uncertainty.
"No. Somebody has to stay here and
stir things up. II we had twenty men
hike you we might cut our way In and
Iout.i but there's no time to organize,
land. anyhow, the government would
probably stop us. I've got a hunch
that III make II. II ! don't-why, It's
hll right"
The two men shook hands lingering
ty, awkwardly; then Blaze managed tc
wish his friend luck. III you dom
Icome back" he said, with a peculiar
catch In his voice. ~ reckon there's
lenough good Texans left to follow your
trail. I'll sure look forward to It."
Dave took the river bank to Sangr'
Ide Cristo. where, by a Of the di
hapldated ferry, he gained the Mexican
lslde. Once across, he rode straight VI
howard the village OF Romero. Wher
challenged by an understood soldier
lhe merely spurred Montfosa forward
lesing the sentry so grimly that thu
iman did no more than finger his rif'
Uncertainty. cursing under his breath
1.-THE o~verhearing airs of all gringos. No
did the rider trouble to make the slight
Jest detour, but cantered the full length
lof Romepo's dusty street. the target o
lmore than one pair Of hostile eyes. II
those who saw him, soldiers and civil
Hans alike, II was evident that thii
stranger had business, and no n fel
icalled upon to question its nature
There are men who carry an air mor'
potent than a bodyguard. and Dav'
Law was one of these. Before the vii
llage had thoroughly awakened to hi
booming be was gone, without a glanc
Ito the right or left, without a word I
tanyene.
When Romero was at his back h
rode for a mile or two through a regioI
lof tiny scattered farms and neglecte
garden patches, after which he cam
Iout into the mesquite. For all tn
|signs he saw. he might then have bee
In the heart OF a foreign country. Me1
hc0 had swallowed him.
AS the afternoon heat subsidized. Mon
}r0sa let herself out into q freer gal
land began to eorsr the distance rapis
~. heading due west through a Ian
Iof cactus and dagger. Of thorn an
barb and bramble
The roads were unfenced. the nae,
Idows de~solate; the huts were freuuen
~ untenanted. Ahead the sky burne
tspiendidly, and the sunset grew MOI
brilliant. more dazzling. hntil II glor
Ined the whole mean. thirsty. cru
lcountryside.
Dawes eyes were set upon that ri,
Iof blazing coiors. but for the time
Jailed to thrill him. In that welter I
|changIng hues and tints he saw onl
|red. Redl That was the color