Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1917-07-20

"Then what is to prevent him from
well. from having US followedW
Alaire inquired.
Nothing" Dave told her.
AS they climbed the bank and rode
| onward into the night she said: mo
matter what happens, dear, | shall be
| happy, for at last one Of my dreams
has come true" He reached out and
patted her. you've no idea what a
coward | was until you came. But the
moment | saw you all my fears van
| ished. | was like lost child who sud-
| denly sees its father; in your arms |
felt perfectly safe. for the first time In
all my life, think. II couldn't bear
to go on without you, after this"
Dave found nothing to say; they
| rode along side by side for time in
a great contentment that required 40
| speech. Then Alaire asked:
Dear, have you considered how We
are going to explain our marriageT
won't the circumstances explain
| it?"
Perhaps. And yet 1t seems ages
since l learned-what happened to Ed
but in reality it's only a few hours.
| Won't people talk?"
Dave caught at the suggestion. Il
! see. Then let's keep it secret for the
present"
With a little reckless laugh she con-
fessed, Tin afraid I'll find it diff
cult to be conventional"
MY wife !" he cried In sharp agony.
Leaning far out, he encircled her with
his arm; then, half lifting her from
her saddle, he crushed his lips to hers.
1t was his first display of emotion since
Father O'Malley had united them.
There were few villages along the
road they followed, and because of the
latenesS of the hour all were dark
hence the party passed through with
out exciting attention except from an
occasional wakeful dog. But as morn
ing came and the east began to glow
Dave told the priest:
We've got to hide out during the
day or We'll get into trouble. Besides,
these women must be getting hungry"
II fear there Is something feminine
about me-" confessed the little man.
I'm famished, too"
At the next rancho they came to they
applied for shelter. but were denied /;
in fact, the owner cursed them so
roundly for being Americans that they
were glad to ride onward. A mile or
two farther along they met a cart the
driver of which refused to answer
their greetings. AS they passed out of
his sight they saw that he had halted
his lean oxen and was staring after
them curiously. Later, when the sun
was we'll up and the world had fully
awakened, they deserted a mounted
man, evidently cowboy, riding
through the chaparral. He saw them,
too. and came toward the road, bur
after brief scrutiny he whirled his
horse and galloped off through the cac-
tus, shouting something over his Shout
der.
This won't do" O'Malley declared
uneasily. 81 don't like the actions of
these people,. Let me appeal to the
next person we meet. l can't believe
they all hate u.s."
Soon they came to rise In the road
and from the crest of this elevation be-
held ahead of them a small village of
white houses shining from the shelter
of a grove. The rancheria was perhaps
two miles away, and galloping toward
it was the vaQuero who had challenged
them.
That's the Rio Negro crossing"
Dave announced. Then spying a little
house squatting a short distance back
from the road, he said: WED better
try yonder If they turn us down Well
have to take to the brush"
O'Malley agreed. "Yes, and we have
no time to lose That horseman is go
ing to rouse the town. I'm afraid
we're-in for 1t"
Dave nodded silently.
Leaving the beaten path, the refu-
gees threaded their way through cac-
tus and sage TO a gate. entering which
they approached the Straw-thatched
iacal they had seen. A naked boy baby
watched them draw near, then scuttled
for shelter, piping an alarm. A man
appeared from somewhere, at sight of
whom the priest rode forward with a
pleasant greeting But the fellow was
unfriendly His wife. too. emerged from
the dwelling and Joined her husband in
warning Father O'Malley away.
"Tet me try" Alaire begged. and
spurred her horse up to the group. She
smiled down at the country people,
saving: "We have travelled a long
way. and we're tired and hungry.
Won't you give US something to eatI
Wen pay you well for your trouble"
The man demurred sullenly, and be-
gan q refusal; but his wife, after q
wondering scrutiny, interrupted him
with a cry. Rushing forward, she took