The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1923-08-18

on tho verge OF Tears.
prised to see that he had not been
at the dinner-table. She was dis
turbed at sight Of his face.
"Stewart, you're wanted outdoors"
called Nels, bluntly. monty, you
slope out here with me. You, Nick,
an Stillwell-1 reckon the rest of you
he'd better shut the doris an stay in
SIDE"
Nels disappeared. Quick as a cat
Monty glided out. Madeline heard
his soft, swift steps pass from her
room into her Office. He had left his
guns there. Madeline trembled. She
saw Stewart get up quietly and with
out any change of expression on his
dark, sad face leave the patio. Nick
Steele followed him. Stillwell dropped
his wine-glass. AS it broke, shivering
the silence, his huge smile vanished
His face set into the old cragginess
and the red slowly thickened into
black. Stillwell went out and closed
the door behind him.
Then there was blank silence. The
enjoyment of the moment had been
rudely disrupted. Madeline glanced
down the lines of brown faces to see
the pleasure fade into the old familiar
hardness.
whats wrong?" asked Alfred, rath-
er stupidity. The change of mood had
been too rapid for him. Suddenly
he awakened, thoroughly aroused at
the interruption. I'm going to see
who's butted in here to spoil our din
ner," he said, and strobe out.
He returned before any one at the
table had spoken or moved, and now
the dull red Of anger notified his fore
head.
Its the sheriff of Ell Cajon!" he
exclaimed, contemptuously. "Pat
Have with some of his touch dep
uties come to arrest Gene Stewart.
They've got that poor little Mexican
girl out there tied on horse. Con-
found that sheriff."
Madeline calmly rose from the table,
eluding Florences retreating hand,
and started for the door. The cow
boys jumped up. Alfred barred her
progress.
alfred, I am going out" she said.
"No, I guess not" he replied.
THAT'S no place for you. Maybe
there'll be fight. You can do moth
ing. You must not CO."
"Perhaps I can prevent trouble"
she replied.
AS she left the patio she was aware
that Alfred, with Florence at his SIDE
and the cowboys behind, were start
ing to follow her. When she got out
of her room upon the porch she heard
several men in loud, angry discussion.
Then, at sight of Bonita helplessly
and cruelty bound upon a horse, pale
and disheveled and suffering, Made
line experienced the thrill that sight
or mention of this girl always gave
her. 1t yielded to a hot pang in her
breast-that live pain which so
shamed her. But almost instantly, as
a second glance showed an agony In
Bonita's face, her bruised arms where
the rope bit deep into the flesh, her
little brown hands stained with blood,
Madeline was overcome by pity for
the unfortunate girl and a woman's
righteous passion at such barbarous
treatment Of one Of her own sex
The man holding the bride Of the
horse on which Bonita had been bound
was at once recognized by Madeline
as the big-bodied, bullet-headed guer-
rilla who had found the basket divine
in the spring at camp. Redder of
face, blacker of beard, coarser Of as
pect, evidently under the influence Of
liquor, he was as fiercelooking as a
gorilla and as repulsive. Besides him
there were three other men present,
all mounted on weary horses. The
one in the foreground, gaunt, sharp
featured, red-eyed, with a pointed
beard, she recognized as the sheriff Of
Ell Cajon.
Stillwell saw Madeline, and, throw
ing Up his hands, roared to be heard.