The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-08-19
Wife GAY BANDIT
,! y Of the :, B 30 S!] :!
BY TOM GILL


tive. IF one could only make this
swine speak. At my hacienda he
would of a sureness speak"
DR.. Price had finished his band
aging. "The wound doesn't look
bad. Bullets touched the bone and
the whole things inAamed. Don't
move him any more tonight. He's
had enough. Can you keep him
here?"
He'd be safer in the guardhouse."
Hell, a man with leg like that
isn't going to break any long dis
lance records. Can't you lock him
here and put twenty or thirty nom
CONS over him?"
Blount smiled at his friends inn
patience. All right. I'll have the
guard keep; an eye on him. We may
want a long talk with this fellow to-
morrow before I start after Ell Coy
ote. Well. let's.go back to the
house."
Inside, Major Blount confined hi.
tale to the bare fact that the Next
can had been wounded in the leg by
someone unknown.
Probably the girls husband"
suggested Aunt Clara hopefully, and
there the matter rested. But It wa.
too late to resume bridge, and so a
few minutes later Radcliffe found
himself laying Adela's cloak about
her shoulders.
I'm wondering" he said without
a smile. IF tomorrow I'll wake up
and discover you never existed"
She looked up at him, so close he
caught again the fragrance of her
hair, and her eyes were little mock
ing. Perhaps the me you have Gre
ated never did exist. At any rate.
dear stranger, come to US next
fiesta. And now, as we say in nv
country, 'Hasta Ia VISTA" She
touched his hand in a little gesture
OF farewell, and followed her uncle
out into the night.
As he stood looking after her.
Don Bob joined him. "We've 4 lot
to talk about before you 60 to bed
tonight. Let's be going"
To Radcliffe the voice of the
older man sounded suddenly weary.
and in few moments they had
taken leave of the Blounts.
Radcliffe settled back as Don Bob
drove rapidly over the long, moon
lit road past Verdi. From unseen
gardens foated the scent of jasmine
and the pungent odor of MESQUITE,
and as they left the town behind
them he breathed again the hot, dry
desert air. Dimly he caught the
silver outlines of far-off hills, mark
ing that vague. mysterious land of
old Mexico.
He wanted to talk. but the gray.
ing man beside him seemed so
sternly silent. and somehow forbid.
ding. He leaned forward to light 4
cigarette and was aware that the
others eyes were on him.
what were you thinking, Ted?"
the older man asked.
"Just then I was thinking Of the
freedom of life out here and the
friendliness of everyone, and / re-
called something dad once said
that it you trust life-trust It abso.
lutely and with utter faith-it never
lets YOU down. He .,,. .;..l. $3.50.
he?"
For a time there was no reply.
Only the whir of the wheels on the
smooth road. Then, a. If from very
Tar away came the quiet voice Of
Don Bob.
I'D give my right arm, Ted, If I
could say yes to that. But. ;nstes~.
I'm going to tell you something to-
night that will make you lose that
trust in the kindness Of this world.
It's message that is going to strip
you Of everything you've ever had.
Even." he added sorrowfully, "even
your memories"
Before Radcliffe could answer
Don Bob had stopped before the
ranehhouse and hurried him up the
steps.
! tTe b csasisusd,