Roanoke Rapids herald., 1923-10-12
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Stewart stepped forward and, thrust
ing Don Carlos aside, he called. Make
way. there
The crowd fell back to the tramp of
heavy boots. Cowl oys appeared stag
gering OFT of the corridor with long
boxes. These they placed side by side
upon the floor of the porch
"Now. Have. Wen proceed with our
business" said Stewart. You see
| these boxes, don't you?'
81 reckon see Il good many things
round hyar." replied llawe, meaninsly.
well, do you intend to open these
boxes upon my say-so?"
"Nor retorted Have. ITS not my
| place to NEEDLE nth property as come
by express an all accounted fer regu'
| lar"
"Tll open them. Here, one of you
boys, knock the tops off these boxes,
ordered Stewart. NO, not You, Monty.
You use your eyes. Let Body hantlie
the AK. Rustic, n,w."
Monty Price had jumped out of the
crowd into the middle of the porch
The manner In which he gave way to.
Body and faced the valueros wan
not significant of friendliness or trust
Stewart. you're dead wrong to bus:
open them boxes. That's ag'in' the
law" protested Have, trying to Inter
ferc.
Stewart pushed rim back, Then Don
Carlos. who had been stunned by the
appearance of the boxes. suddenly he
came active in speech anh person
Stewart thrust him back also. The
MeNican's excitement increased. lie
wildly gesticunted; he exclaimed
lids were wrenched open and an inside
packing torn away he grew rigid and
silent. Madeline raised herself behind
Stillwell to see that the boxes were
fun of rifles and ammunition
There. Have, What did tell yous"
to take charge of this ranch. found
| these boxes hidden IN nm unused room
suspected what they were Contra
band goods!"
Wal, suppoSin the. are? don't
see any call fer sech ALFRED fuss as
you're some stuck on your new job an
want to make big show before"
Have. stop singing that kind of
talk" interrupted Stewart. You got
too free with your mouth once before !,
Now here. I'm supposed to be consult
,fftr Of Ia,
take charge of these contrubnnd
goods?"
Say, you're holdln on high an
mighty" replied Have, In astonIsh
ment that was plainly pr tended
"What're You drivn' att
Stewart muttered IN imprecation
He took several swift strides across
the porch; he held out his hands to
Stillwell as if to indicate the hopeless
ness of intelligent and reasonable arbi-
tration; he looked at Madeline with a
glance eloquent of his reGre, that he
could not handle the situation to please
her. Then as he wheeled he came face
to face with Nels. who had slipped for
ward ont of the crowd.
Madeline gathered serious import
from the steel-blue meaning flash of
eyes whereby Nels communicated
something to Stewart. Whatever that
something was, II dispelled Stewards
impatience. A slight movement Of his
hand brought Monty Price forward
with jump. M these sudden jumps
of Montys there was n suggestion of
restrained ferocitT. Then Nels AMI
Monty lined up bshind Stewart. II
was deliberate action, even to Made
Hawe's face took on an ugly look hi
eyes had reddish gleam. Don Carlot
added pale face and extreme nerv.
ousness to his former expressions OF
agitation. The cowboys edged away
from the vaqueros and the bronzed
bearded hOrsemen who were evidently
Hawe's assistants.
I'm driving at this" spoke up Stew,
art. presently; and now he was slow
and caustlc. Here's contraband OF
war. Have. do you get that? Arms
and ammunition for the rebels across
the border! charge you as an officer
to conflscate these goods and to arrest
the smuggler-Don Carlos"
These words of Stewards preciptat-
ed q riot among Don Carlos and his
followers. and they surged wildly
around the sheriff. The crowd around
Don Carlos grew louder and denser
with the addition of armed vaqueros
and bare footed stable-boys and dusty
booted herdsmen and blnnketed Mexi,
cans, the last of whom suddenly
slipped from doors and windows and
round corners. Shrill cries. evidently
from Don Carlos. somewhat quleted
the commotion. Then Don Carlos
could be heard addressing Sheriff
Have in an exhortation of mingled
English and Spanish. He denied. he
avowed, he proclaimed. and all in rap
i'd passionate utterance.
1t seemed to Madeline that Don
Carlos denied knowledge of the boxes
of contraband goods, then knowledge
of their real contents, then knowledge
of their destination. and, finally. every
thing except that they were there in
sight, damning witnesses to somebody's
complicity In the breaking OF neutral
ity laws. Passionate as had heen his
denial OF all this. 1t was rs nothin.
compared to his denunciation of Stew
art.