The Raymer enterprise., 1923-07-12

him till morning. That was the besl
! could do. was sure lucky to come
up with the band so soon. l had Dc.
ured right. knew that guerrilla chief.
He's a bandit In Mexico. It's a busi-
ness with him. But he fought for
Madero, and l was with him a good
deal. He may BE- a Greaser. but he's
white"
How did you effect my releaser
II offered them money. That's what
the rebels all want. They need money.
They're q lot Of poor. hungry devils"
Il gathered that you offered to pay
ransom. How muchr
1.-TWO thousand dollars Mex. I gave
my word. I'll have to take the money.
/ told them when and where I'd meet
them"
Certainly. I'm glad I've got the
money" Madeline laughed. "What
strange thing to happen to mel I
wonder what dad would say to thati
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 IL for his men.
We were comrades before Juarex. One
day dragged him out Of . ditch. I
reminded him. Then IL told him
something II thought"
Stewart, know from the way hs
looked at me that you spoke Of me. I
heard Don Carlos name several times.
That interests me. What have Don
Carlos and his vaQueros to do with
thisf"
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 It to
draw all the boys away from your
home. They had deep plot. all right.
! left orders for some one to stay with
you. But AL and Stillwell, who're both
hot-hended, rode of this morning.
Then the guerrillas came down."
swell, what was the idea-the plot
AS you call III"
ITO get you" he said, biuntly.
"Me! Stewart, you do not mean my
cnpture-whatever you call twas
anything more than mere sccidentw
II do mean that. But Stillwell and
your brother think the guerrillas want.
ed money and arms, and they just hap
pened to make of with you because
you ran under horses nose"
"You do not incline to that point Of
view7"
II don't. Neither does Nels nor Nick
Steele. And we know Don Carlos and
the Greasers. Look how the vaqueros
chased Flo for you'll"
"What do you think, theni"
I'D rather not say. Once I heard
Nels say he'd seen the Greaser look at
you. and II he ever saw him do Il
again he'd shoot him."
why, Stewart, that Il ridiculous,
To shoot man for looking at WON.
an! This Is civilized country"
swell, maybe II would be ridiculous
in a civilized country. There's some
things about civilization / don't care
for"
"What, for instance?"
"For one thing, I 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 of, 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 I was drunk. Suppose I
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"
otC"uIt, w uW KNOW Wndt 10
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 crag.
rebridled the horse and looked
at the saddle.girths.
II got of the trail. About Don Car.
los I'll say right out, not what Nels
and Nick think, but what know. Don
Carlos hoped to make OF with you for
the same rs II you had
been q poor peon slave-giri down In
Sonora. Maybe he had deeper plot
than my rebel friend told me. Maybe
he even went 90 far a. to hope for
American troops to chase him. The
rebels are trying to stir up the United
States. They'd welcome Intervention,
But. however that may BE-. the Greassr
meant evil to you, and has meant Il
ever since he saw you nrst. That's
ALL"
Stewart. you have done me and my
family a service w can never hope to
repay"
II "shs fsIl asleep with hsr head
on Stewards breast.S