The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1923-06-23

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all Its singular power. All her eastern
lovers who had the graces that made
them her equals in the sight Of the world
were without the only great essential
that lonely, hard life had given to
Stewart. Nature here struck just
balance. Something deep and dim In
the future, an unknown voice, called
to Madeline and disturbed her. And
because 1t was not a voice to her in
telltgence she deadened the ears of
her warm and throbbing life and de-
cided never to listen.
lis it safe to rest a littleY' she
asked. II am 50 tired. Perhaps I'll
be stronger If l rest"
Were all right now" he said. 81
can get you home by midnight. They'll
be some worried down there" -
what happened?" :
Nothing much to any one but you.
That's the-the hard luck of it. Flor
ence caught US out on the slope. We
were returning from the fire. We
were dead beat. But we got to the
ranch before any damage was done.
We sure had trouble in finding a trace
Of you. Nick spotted the prints of
your heels under the window. And
then we knew. had to fight the boys
If they'd come after you we'd never
have gotten you without a fight.
didn't want that. had to rope Monty.
Honest, l tied him to the porch. Nels
and Nick promised to stay and hold
him till morning. That was the best
I could do. was sure lucky to come
up with the band so soon. I had fig
ured right. knew that guerrilla chief.
He's bandit in Mexico. It's a busi-
ness with him. But he fought for
Madero, and l was with him good
deal. He may be Greaser, but he's
white"
"How did you effect my release?
II offered them money. That's what
the rebels all want. They need money.
They're lot Of poor. hungry devils"
II gathered that you offered to pay
ransom. How much?'
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 a
strange thing to happen to me!
wonder what dad would say to that?
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 ditch. I
reminded him. Then IL told him
something IL thought"
"Stewart, I know from the way he
looked at me that you spoke of me.
heard Don Carlos name several times.
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 it to
draw all the boys away from your
home. They had deep plot, all right.
I left orders for some one to stay with
you. But AL and Stillwell, who're both
hot-headed, rode off this morning.
Then the guerrillas came down."
"Well, what was the idea-the plot
as you call it?''
'"To get you," he said, bluntly.
"Me! Stewart, you do not mean my
capture-whatever you call twas
anything more than mere accident?"
II do mean that. But Stillwell and
your brother think the guerrillas want.
ed money and arms, and they just hap
pened to make off with you because
you ran under horses nose"
"You do not incline to that point of
view?"'
II don't. Neither does Nels nor Nick
Steele. And we know Don Carlos and
the Greasers. Look how the vaQueros
chased Flo for your
"What do you think, then?"
."Td rather not say. Once I heard
Nels say he'd seen the Greaser look at
you, and if he ever saw him do it
again he'd shoot him."
"Why, Stewart, that is ridiculous.
TO shoot a man for looking at wom-
an! This is civilized country"
swell, maybe it would be ridiculous
in a civilized country. There's some
things about civilization I 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 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 I was drunk. Suppose I
had met some ordinary girl. Suppose
l had really made her marry me. Don't
you think I would have stopped being
drunkard and have been good to
herr"
"Stewart, I do not know what to
think about you" replied Madeline.
Then followsda short silence. Made
line saw the last bright rays Of the set
ting sun glide up over distant crag.
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
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