Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1923-07-19
The Light Of Western Stars
A ROMANCE BY ZANE GREY

him till morning. That was the best
= rould do. | was sue lucky TO CONS
up with the band so soon. | had fig
ured right. ! knew tnat guerrilla chief
He's a bandit In Mexico. It's a bust
ness with him. But he fought for
Madero. and | was with him a good
deal. He may be a Greaser, but he's
white"
How did you effect my release7"
II offered them money. That's what
the rebels all want. They need money.
They're a lot OF poor. hungry devils"
81 gathered that you offered to pay
ransom. How much"
1.-Two thousand dollars Mex. | gavs
my word. I'll have to take the money.
I told them when and where I'd meet
them"
Certainly. I'm glad I've got the
money" Madeline laughed. "What a
strange thing TO happen to mel I
wonder what dad would say to that7
Stewart. I'm afraid he'd say two thou
sand dollars Is more than I'm worth.
But tell me. That rebel chIeftain did
not demand money!"
mo. The money is for his men.
We were comrades before Juarez. One
day / dragged him out Of a ditch. I
reminded him. Then II told him
something IL thought"
Stewart. know from the way he
looked at me that you spoke of me. l
kn.rI ~ D.~t~rf 49,
That interests me. What have Don
Carlos and his vaqueros to do with
this"
"That Greaser has all to do with IT,
replied Stewart, grimly. "He burned
his ranch and corrals TO keep us from
getting them. But he also did 1t TO
draw all the boys away from your
home. They had a deep plot, all right.
| left orders for some one TO stay with
you. But AL and StHlwell. who're both
hot-headed, rode OFF this morning.
Then the guerrilIas came down"
well. what was the idea-the plot
IA you call it?"
ITO get you" he said. piuntly.
me! Stewart. you do not mean my
capture-whatever you call twas
anything more than mere accident7"
II do mean that. But Stillwell and
you brother think the guerrlllas want
ed money and arms, and they just hap
pened to make of with you because
you ran under a horses nose"
You do not incline to that point of
view7"
II don't. Neither does Nels nor Nick
the Greasers. Look how the vaqueros
chased Flo for you!"
"What do you think, them"
"Td rather not say. Once / heard
Nels say he'd seen the Greaser look at
you, and If he ever saw him do 1t
again he'd shoot him."
why, Stewart. that is ridiculous.
To shoot a man for looking at a wom-
AMI This is a civilized country"
"Well. maybe 1t would be ridiculous
in a civilized country. There's some
things about civilization / don't care
for
what. for instance7"
"For one thing, l can't stand for the
way men let other men treat women"
but, Stewart, this is strange talk
from you. who. that night / came"
She broke off. sorry that she had
spoken. His shame was not pleasant
to see. Suddenly he lifted his head.
and she felt scorched by flaming eyes.
Suppose l was drunk. Suppose
had met some ordinary girl. Suppose
| had really made her marry me. Don't
you think | would have stopped being
a drunkard and have been good to
herr"
Stewart. I do not know what to
think about you" replied Madeline.
Then followed a short silence. Made
line saw the last bright rays of the SET
ting sun glide up over a distant craa.
Stewart rebridled the horse and looked
at the saddle-girths.
II got off the trail. About Don Car
los I'll say right out. not what Nels
and Nick think. but what | know. Don
hoped to make off with you for
the same as IL you had
been a poor peon slave-gfrl down In
Maybe he had a deeper plot
han my rebel friend told me. Maybe
he even went so far as to hope for
American troops to chase him. The
are trying TO stir up he United
They'd welcome Intervention.
But. however that may be. the Greaser
meant evil TO you, and has mean II
ever since he saw you first. That's
ALL"
Stewart. you have done me and my
a service we can never hope to
rpDay."