San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-04-16
Begin Here Today.

1
his blind wife, Belle; and their beauti
full daughter, Val, live happily to
gether in lannon's wonderful rancf
home, Paradise. Redstar is the kins
Of the Red Brood of horses owned by
the master Of the ranch. In a game al
Hunnewell's store, Velantrie from the
Border wins Lola Sanchez, who of
fers herself as stake for Brakeman, man
of mystery. yGantrie sends Lola
home to her father. u.s.
Belle Harmon praises her husban' s
| friends. Boyce Clendenni.- to her
| daughter and expresses her wish that
Val marry Boyce.
Val rides to the Mission for visit
with her friends, Father Hillaire. John
Harmon hears of an i'll word spoken
against him by Dyke Allison and he
shoots Dyke through the arm to teach
him a lesson.
Con On With the Story.
Now Val flung off her horse, caught
| the fathers hand, stopped impulsively
and kissed it, then shook it like a
| man with q strong grip, and looked
lsup in his face with crinkling about her
handsome eyes that made them wom-
an-soft on the instant, no matter how
wild she had been with sun, wind
and speed second before.
Always when Val dashed up like
this Father Hillaire thought of an
other wild rider. but who, alas. came
usually with the night and whose
name did not pass the PADRES lips.
Father DEAR" said Val, 'hoT are
your
.Well, my daughter" he answered,
"and happy in my humble walks"
"Then you've been getting some
more refugees" said Val with con-
viction, for only when you sling
another load to your shoulder do you
speak like that. And already the
load is sky-high and ready TO topple.
You're some juggler, PADRE" she added
fondly, ito always keep in under.
How's Josephina|
Excellent"
"And Maria and her baby?'
"Not so well, I'm sorry to say. The
caugh, it says with her, and the
baby pulls her down and she grieves
ever for the worthless one who left
her to face despair"
Val clicked plying tongue and
turned in at the gate of the garden.
Bonifacio, without being called this
time, came eagerly and took Dawn
light, getting as a reward one fleeting
smile from the girl which brought a
sparkle to his dark face, for this Val
Harmon was beloved BY those who
knew her, high and low alike.
III come back, father" she said,
smiling, but first l must go and see
Maria and Josephine and the new
refugees-for i know I'll find some"
Father Hillaire waited patiently for
a long hour, while Val went through
the labyrinth rooms and st on the
sanded walks under the wasatcha trees
with Maria's baby on her lap, and
listened to the latest tale of atrocities
across the Border whence came the
new refugees.
At the end of that time she came
back to him, carrying her hat in her
hand, and sat by the table in the
shade and visited in that deep COM
munion which attends friends.
The sun went down the heavens
and the wondrous colors came sift-
ing out of Infinitude, and at last the
girl rose swiftly and called for Dawn
light.
Il always forget. father" she said,
chow the time flies when | Am here.
Dark will catch me now."
So she mounted and leaned to uress
the PADRES hand, and presently she
was gone, down across the levels to-
ward the Little Antelope, a streak OF
color in the lovely light, and Father
Hillaire smiled as he watcher her.
"Dawnlight, my beauty" said Val
as they stretched away on the other
side of the Antelope, well have to
run if we make it home by good dark.
Don't think we will at that"
Long before they made Arroyo Pc
cos it was dark, the soft warm dark
of the half-desert country.
Where the dim trail dipped down
the steep banks of the cut and the
shadows were darkest, Dawnlight
snorted and halted, to pound on the
brink with her sharp hoofs.
What aids you?" said Val aloud
''afraid of little dark? Go on"
And the mare went, though with
deep breaths of suspicion that whis'
tied in the night. Down and across
and up they went, swiftly, and were
all but on the levels again, when Va
jumped in he" saddle, for a desert
owl almost cried in her ear from the
thick bushes on her lo-t--cried and
| waited and cried again, 10 be on
| swered far up the arroyo, and to bt
| still.
Dawnlight raced away toward tn,
| distant sanctuary of Paradise, ant
the girl in her saddle never knew
that the owl had voiced warning
nor that, an hour later, two men rod'
| out of Arroyo Pecos by different ways
one huge. squire figure of a maj
on a swift and heavy horse, toward thu
south, the other to the north.
| Never knew that, had she been be
| low the rim of the suit, so that SIN
| might look up against the stars, sh'
| would have known the great red hods'
that heaved his massive withers owe
the brink with ease and power TO
! Redstar the matchless-nor the MAJ
in his saddle for the Boss of Paradise
CHAPTER VII.
The Fourth at Santa Leandra.
The glorious Fourth came up acros
the range-land as all Fourths should
clear. bright, warm with sun and COO
with a little wind that would soon di
and leave heat and dust to rule.
At Paradise small tragedy ha'
been enacted. for Redcloud for tn
first time in his life had been left be
hind when the Red Brood went ava,