San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-04-30
Continued From Our Last Issue)

and he had never entered the tow
upon it faster than trot. Today j
seemed asleep, slow, sluggish, stu
Did. But the big man leaning oil
the pickets with Lolo's hand in his il
open sight. knew that should h
leap to its saddle with certain
sharp command it could, and would
spring out of its lazy droop like
spring released.
But Brakeman was not riding thi
day. He had just come and h
meant to stay long, for Lolo smiled
| at him in way that made him mac
| with desire-and there was likely t.
be play at Hunnewel's, since hi
saw the hard lean horses of Velan
| tries band tied at the hitchrack.
There was no installing the great
red stallion with the sweeping name
| across the shoulder and hip where
the dim black dapples shone, the
regal head and the flashing dark
eyes. To any one who had once seer
him he was unmistakable.
= Inside, the Guick-cyed bunch who
followed him stood round Velantris
at the bar and waited on Hume
| wells deft hands for the refresh.
ment for which their throats were
parching.
For vclantrie had not left the
i rangcland-only a certain enchant
ed part of it. He rode no more by
Mesa Grande save as he came to
Santa Leandra, and the pale walls
of the Mission haunted him like a
ghost.
Lolo Sanchez he saw once and
again, but 10 save his life he could
not bear the sight of her face, the
sound of her voice with its hard
, much, he thought savagely.
This thought was with him today
as he stood frowning lat the bar
and he snapped his fingers, shook
his head.
water" he said TO HunnewclI
when the glasses were filled.
Then he moved among the booted
and spurrcd cowboys. selected n
chair little to one side with
his back toward the wall and his
eyes toward the door-a nevcr-fail-
ing precaution with him-and sat
down. lie drew money from his
pockets and reached for the cards
that lay. new in their bindings. on
the dirty canvas table top. As he
did so. Bridcman doomed in tn" Goor-
way. searching the crowd with his
hilarious blue eyes.
"Hcl-lo." he shouted. "ih' yranq
TELLER that once floorcl NrilomHn
Back f'r r"rc play. Play with me,
young 'un:"
"s.urc." sid Yciantric. briefly,
loo'.i'" ~. Eve play With any" He
Was In" chi. man in t'lH country
who would MT hove added tie usual
"onc."
B,il"wln came in with rattle Of
purs. hc2ve and lurch of his
massivc body. pulled ont chair ami
sat down facin- him, laid money On
the tatl". c'T 'thc ramc vas or.
Far out across the levels TO the
aouth and cat two riders came on
swift horses. and they would have
challenged any cyc beho'dinc. Rcth
horses and riders seemed the best
in their linc"-Lightning and Red
cloud shining in their perfection,
cantcring gracefully. neither hurry
irS nor hanging back but GOVERN:
ground in that amazing efficiency OF
the really fast horsc-John Hannon
and his daughter erect in their sad
dies with the martial carriage that
marked them both. They rode ex-
actly alikc--in every motion, every
posture. If Val had been a son she
would have been her fathers double
| As it was she was. as she had once
told Velantrie, "a chip off the old
block
They were headed for the distant
| town and they talked desultorily oil
this and that, and fell silent for long
spaces. Your true plainsman can bt
cloquently silent. and comfortably Sc
as well.
In one Of these long intervals Va
was thinking, as she thought 81
often. of Nclantric. and her face
despite the care she was exercisn,
lately to control it, showed the sad
ness of her heart.
dad" she said presently, "wha
constitutes n good man."
| Her father glanced swiftly at he
under his hat brim.
"a brave man, an quick one OF
tn trigger he said.
Right or wrong?'
Bah" said the Boss of Paradise
whats right an wrong? Right
to make an keep your fam'i
happy-to succeed in everything 20
undertake. Wrong-to fail in both.
ats n funny world" she sal
again some time later.
mighty good world" answere
Harmon. there's no end to II
chances-if man knows how
play them. an has courage"
The girl drew deep in reverie an
said no more. and the plain swep
back and Santa Leandra doomed be
fore them. drowsy. basking in tn
blue-gold haze. Then they canterc
down the street and stopped at Hur
newell's.
AS they dismounted Val turned {
tie Redcloud-and stopped in he
tracks, her hands arrested oil tll
rein. her mouth fallen open. He
eyes. widened to their limit, stare
helplessly. Then a flood of 10
burned over her face from brow
throat and she sprang forward wit
cry that was half sob.
"Redstar." she cried, "Oh--Rct
star" And flung herself against til
hitchrack 10 reach her frantic arm
for the great head among its cloud ,
name.
But it was we'll the hitchrack wa
between-for the stallion, unused
women, owning but one mast'
among men, savage by instinct an
quick as lightning, sprang mp. Il
full length of his rein. on his hin