Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1917-04-06
CHAPTER Viii.
Following Up the Trail.

Dave was glad that he had swal4
lowed Young Eds incivility, not only
For his own sake, but for the sake Of
Alaire. After all, he argued it was
barely possible that Ed had spoken the
truth. There were many S0rrel horses !;
4he evidence of those rain-Washed hoOf-
prints was far from conclusive; even
the fact that Urbina belonged to the
Tad Lewis outfit was no more than a
suspicious circumstance. And yet, ear
aestly as he StrOve to convince himself
Of these possibilities, the Ranger could
1Ot down the conviction that the ranch
ar had lied and that he himself was on
the right track.
1t was late when he arrived at his
destination, but Lewis house was dark,
and it required some effort to awaken
he owner. When Tad at last ap-
peared, clad in undershirt and trou-
sers, he greeted the Ranger with a lev
aled rifle; but when Dave had
made known his identity, he invited
aim in, though with surly reluctance.
AACNlC was oCAiNIy -COIII IJ1CAlOI1C0
nan of about forty, with colorless
orOWs and a mean, shifty eye. For
nerIy a cowboy, he had by the exer-
Use of some natural ability acquired a
good property-and a bad reputation.
lust how or why he had prospered
was a mystery which his neighbors
never tired of discussing.
Tad, it seemed, resented any inter-
'uption of his rest, and showed the
TACT plainly.
Yes, he employed a fellow named
Drbina. What was wanted of him?
Law explained briefly.
"Why, he's one of my best men!"
laughed the rancher. "He wouldn't
steal nothing"
"Well, had to shoot another good
nan of yours" Dave said quietly.
Lewis fell back a step. (Which one?
Who?" he inquired quickly.
"PinO CARA" Dave told Of the
meeting at the branding fire and it's
outcome. He was aware, meanwhile,
hat Lewis family were listening, for
behind a half-open bedroom door he
could hear an excited whispering.
"Killed the first shot, eh?" Tad was
lumfOunded. "NOw, [ never thought
Pine was that bad. But you never can
ell about these Greasers, can you?
they'll all steal if they get a chance.
[ let Pine go, bout week back; but
noe boor bopoip, orOY1nd aipoip' to
visit some of his relatives up in the
brush country. 1t was probably one
Of them old Guzman saw. Anyhow, it
couldn't of been Adolfo Urbina; he
was over to Las Palmas all the after
loOn."
Did you send him there"
"Sure. Ed Austin can tell you"
"Where is Urbina now?'
81 reckon he's asleep somewhere.
Well dig him up and talk to him, If
you say 500
But AdOifO Urbina was nowhere to
be found. No one had seen him since
about seven o'clock, nor could it be dis
covered where he was spending the
night. Dave remembered that it had
been about seven when he left Las Pal
mas, and ascertained, indirectly, that
Tad had a telephone. On his way from
Austin's Law had stopped at rancho
for bite to eat, but he could forgive
himself for the delay if, as he sur
missed Urbina had been warned BY
wire of his coming
"That's too bad, amt it?" Lewis
said. "But he'll be around again in the
morning, and I'll get him for you. You
leave it to me-"
. There was plainly nothing to do but
accept this offer, since it could avail
nothing to wait here for Urbina's re-
burn: Unless the fellow gave himself