The Winslow mail., 1923-06-22

! to ourselves then. But, Stillwell, if
you drive those vaQueros off, won't
they hang around In the foothills?
declare they are bad lot"
Hell have to be forced off," replied
Stewart, quietly. 1.-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-s
lately. It's only a matter of time till
something stirs up the boys here. Still
we'll, you know Nels and Monty and
Nick"
"Sure know 'em, an you're not
mentiOnin one more particular cowboy
in my outfit" said Stillwell, with dry
chuckle and a glance at Stewart.
Madeline OWNED the covert mean
ing. Stewart, see you carry a gum"
she said, pointing to a black handle
protruding from a sheath swinging low
along his leather chaps.
Eyes, ma'am."
"Why do you carry it?" she asked.
"Well," he said "its 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 curiously young
and weak, and the five months of
western life were as if they had never
been. She now had to do with ques-
tion involving human life. And the
value she placed upon human life and
it's spiritual significance was a 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
a far stronger power to move these
primitive men than any woman's stern
rule or order.
Stewart, I do not fully understand
what you hint that Nels and his COM
rades might do. Please be frank with
me. Do you mean Nels would shoot
,1pOn 1itt1o provoootiOn So
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 I care a 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, 1 must accept the
inevitable. 1 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
not they be controlled? l want to feel
that they will not go cunning for Don
Carlos men. l want to avoid all viO-
lence. And yet when my guests come
1 want to feel that they will be safe
from danger or fright or even annoy
ance. May / not rely wholly upon you,
Stewart?'
II hope so, Miss Hammond" replied
Stewart. 1t was an instant response,
but none the less fraught with con-
| SNIOUSllCSo VI ACopOIlolO1A1Iys liz Nd
ed a moment, and then, as neither
Stillwell nor Madeline offered further
speech, he bowed and turned down the
path, his long spurs clinking in the
gravel.
oval, wal" exclaimed Stillwell,
"thet's no little job you give him, Miss
Majesty"
ut was a woman's cunning, Still
WE'LL" said Alfred. Majesty, what
ever actuated you, it was a stroke of
diplomacy. Stewart has got good stuff
in him. He was down and out. Well,
he's made a game fight, and it looks as
if he'd win. Trusting him, giving him
responsibility, relying upon him, was
the surest way to strengthen his hold
upon himself. But, Majesty, remem-
Der, he's a composite of tiger breed
and forked lightning, and don't imag-
inc he has failed you if he gets into a