Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1923-07-20

rebel. He located his rancho here a
cattle. All that time he has been
smuggling arms and ammunition across
the border. He was for Madero against
Diaz. Now he Is against Madero be-
cause he and all the rebels think Ma
derO failed to keep his promises. There
will be another revolution. And all
the arms go from the States across
the border. Those burros told about
were packed with contraband goods"
"What is my-my duty? What has
it to do with me?" inquired Madeline,
somewhat perturbed
"Wal, Miss Majesty, l reckon it
hasn't nothing to do with you," put In
Stillwell. "Thets my bizness an Stew
arts. But jest wanted you to know.
There might be some trouble follerin
my orders"
"Your orders?"
"I want to send Stewart over to fire
Don Carlos an his vaqueros off the
range. They've got to go. Don Carlos
is breakin' the law Of the United
States, an doin' 1t on our property an
with our hosses. Hev your permis.
sion, Miss Hammond?"
"Why, assuredly you have! Still.
well, you know what to do. Alfred,
what do you think bestT
It'll make trouble, Majesty, but it's
got to be done," replied Alfred "Here
you have q crowd Of eastern friends
due next month. We want the range
to ourselves then. But, Stillwell, If
you drive those vaqueros off, won't
they hang around in the foothills? I
declare they are bad lot"
Hell have to be forced off," replied
Stewart, quietly. "The Don's pretty
slick, but his vaqueros are bad actors.
It's just this way: Don Carlos has
vaqueros coming and going all the
time. They're guerrilla bands, that's
all. And they're getting uglier. There
have been several shooting-scrapes
lately. It's only a matter of time till
something stirs up the boys here. Still
well, you know Nels and Monty and
Nick"
Sure I know 'em, an you're not
mentionin' one more particular cowboy
In my outfit" said Stillwell, with dry
chuckle and glance at Stewart.
Madeline OWNED the covert mean
ing. Stewart, I see you carry a gun,"
she said, pointing to a black handle
protruding from sheath swinging low
along his leather chaps.
"Yes, ma'am."
"Why do you carry it?" she asked.
"Well," he said, "it's not a pretty
gun-and it's heavy"
She caught the inference. The gun
was not an ornament. His keen,
steady, dark gaze caused her vague
alarm. What had once seemed cool
and audacious about this cowboy was
now cold and powerful and mystical.
Both her instinct and her intelligence
realized the steel fiber Of the mans
nature AS she was his employer, she
had the right to demand that he should
not do what was so chillingly manifest
that he might do. But Madeline could
not demand. She felt curlously young
and weak, and the five months of
western life were as if they had never
been. She now had to do with a ques.
tion involving human life. And the
value she placed upon human life and
It's spiritual significance was matter
far from her cowboys thoughts. A
strange idea flashed up. Did she place
too much value upon all human life?
She checked that, wondering, almost
Mortified at herself. And then her
intuition told her that she possessed
far stronger power to move these
primitive men than any woman's stern
rule or order.
Stewart, do not fully understand
what you hint that Nes and his COM
radeS might do. Please be frank with
me. Do you mean Nels would shoot
upon little provocation?"
Miss Hammond, as far as Nels is
concerned, shooting is now just mat
ter of his meeting Don Carlos
'vaqueros. AS for Nick Steele and
Monty, they're just bad men, and look
ing for trouble"
"How about yourself, Stewart? Still
wells remark was not lost upon me-"
said Madeline, prompted by curiosity.
Stewart, l have come to love my
ranch, and care great deal for my
my cowboys. 1t would be dreadful If
they were to kill anybody, or especial
ly If one of them should be killed"
"Miss Hammond, you've changed
things considerable out here, but you
can't change these men. All that's
needed to start them Is little trou
BILE. And this Mexican revolution is
bound to make rough times along some
Of the wilder passes across, the border.
We're in line, that's ALL And the boys
are getting stirred up
Every well, then, must accept the
inevitable. am facing a rough time.
And some of my cowboys cannot be
checked much longer. But human life
Is not for any man to sacrifice unless
in self-defense or In protecting those
dependent upon him. What Stillwell
and you hinted makes me afraid of
Nels and Nick Steele and Monty. Can