Newspaper Page Text
HEART
OF THE
SUNSET
By REX BEACH
Author of " The Spollert,’’ “ The Iron
Trail, I *7 he Siloer Horde, ’' Etc.
— ——' ——
Copyright by Harper A Brothers
CHAPTER IV—Continued.
Blaze, in truth, was embarrassed by
the size of his holdings, but he shook
his head. “No, I’m too old to go ram
pagin’ after new gods. I ain’t got the
imagination to raise anything more
complicated than a mortgage; but if
I was younger, I’d organize myself up
and do away with that Ed Austin. I’d
sure help him to an untimely end, and
then I'd marry them pecan groves, and
blooded herds, and drug-store orchards.
She certainly is a heart-breakin’ de
vice, with her red hair, and red lips
an—
“ Father!" Paloma was deeply
shocked.
**••**
Complete isolation, of course, Aiaire
had found to be impossible, even
though her ranch lay far from the trav
eled roads and her Mexican guards
were not encouraging to visitors. Busi
ness inevitably brought her into con
tact with a considerable number of
people, and of these the one she saw
most frequently was Judge Ellsworth
of Brownsville, her attorney.
It was perhaps a week after Ed had
left for San Antonio that Aiaire felt
the need of Ellsworth’s counsel, and
sent for him. Ellsworth was a kindty
man of fifty-five, with a forceful chin
and a drooping, heavy-lidded eye that
could either blaze or twinkle. Judge
Ellsworth knew more than any four
men in that part of Texas; information
had a way of seeking him out. He was
a good lawyer, too, and yet his knowl
edge of human nature he considered
far more important than law. His
mind wns like a full granary, and every
grain lay where he could put his hand
upon it.
He motored out from Brownsville,
and after ridding himself of dust, In
sisted upon spending the interval be
fore dinner in an inspection of Alalre's
latest ranch improvements. Not until
dinner was over did he inquire the rea
son for his summons.
“It’s about La Feria. General Lon
gorio has confiscated my stock,” Aiaire
told him. “I was afraid of this very
thing, and so I was preparing to bring
the stock over. Still —I never thought
they’d actually confiscate it.”
“Hasn’t Ed done enougii to provoke
confiscation?” asked the judge. “I
have it pretty straight that lie’s giv
ing money to the rebel junta and lend
ing every assistance he can to their
cause.”
“I didn’t know he’d actually done
anything. How mad!”
“Yes —for a man with Interests In
federal territory. But Ed always does
the wrong thing, you know.”
“Then I presume this confiscation Is
in the nature of a reprisal. But the
stock is mine, not Ed’s. I want your
help in taking up the matter with
Washington.”
Ellsworth was pessimistic. "It
won’t do any good, my dear,” he said.
■“You won’t be paid for your cattle.”
“Then I shall go to La Feria.”
“No 1” The judge shook his head
decidedly.
‘T’vc been there a hundred times.
The federals have been more than
courteous.”
“Longorlo has a bad reputation. I
strongly advise against your going.
You’d better send some man.”
"Whom can I send?” asked Alaire.
“You know my situation.”
The Judge considered a moment be
fore replying. "I can’t go, for I’m
busy In court. You could probably
accomplish more thnn anybody else, if
Longorio will listen to reason, nnd,
after all, you are a person of such im
portance that I dare say you’d be safe.
But it will be a hard trip, nnd you
won’t know whether you are in rebel
or in federal territory."
“Well, people here are nsking wheth
er Texus Is in the United States or
Mexico,” Alaire said, lightly. “Some
times I hardly know.” After a mo
ment she continued: “Since you know
everything and everybody, I wonder If
you ever met a David Law?”
Ellsworth nodded.
"Tell me something about him.”
"He asked me the same thing about
you. Well, I haven’t seen much of
Dave since he grew up, he's such a
roaraer."
"He said his pnrents were murdered
by the Guadalupes.”
“Yes. It happened a good many
years ago, and certainly they both met
a violent end. I was Instrumental In
saving what property Frnnk Law left,
but It didn’t last Dave very long. He’s
right careless In money matters. Dave’s
ALAIRE AUSTIN MEETS GEN. LUIS LONGORIO OF THE
MEXICAN FEDERAL ARMY WHEN SHE GOES TO LA
FERIA AND CAPTIVATES HIM COMPLETELY
Mrs. Aiaire Austin, a handsome young matron, mistress of Las
Palmas ranch, gets lost in the Texas desert and after an ail-day strug
gle wanders into the little camp of David Law, a ranger Minting a
Mexican murderer. Circumstances force her to stay 24 hours rn camp.
Law catches his man, kills another, and escorts her home. “Young
Ed.” Austin, drunken wastrel, upbraids his wife and makes insin
uations concerning the ranger officer. Austin is secretly in league
with Mexican rebels. Mrs. Austin starts for La Feria, her ranch in
Mexico, to secure damages for cattle confiscated by Mexican federals.
[ a fine fellow in some ways—most ways,
! I believe, but —” The judge lost him
self in frowning meditation.
“I have never known you to damn a
friend or a client with such faint
praise,” said Alulre.
“Oh, I don't mean It that way. I’m
almost like one of Dave’s kin, and I’ve
been keenly interested in watching his
traits develop. I’m interested in he
redity. I’ve watched it in Ed's case,
j for instance. If you know the parents
it’s easy to rend their children.” Again
he lapsed into silence, nodding to him
self. "Yes, nature mixes her prescrip
tions like any druggist. I’m glad you
and Ed—have no babies.”
Alaire murmured something unintel
ligible.
CHAPTER V.
A Journey, and a Dark Man.
Alaire’s preparations for the journey
to La Eeria were made with little de
lay. Owing to the condition of nlfalrs
across the border, Ellsworth had
thought it well to provide her with let
ters from the most influential Mexi
cans In the neighborhood; what Is
more, in order to pave her way toward
a settlement of her claim he succeeded
in getting n telegram through to Mex
ico City—Ellsworth’s influence was not
bounded by the Rio Grande.
Alaire took Dolores with her, and for
male escort she selected, after some
deliberation, Jose Sanchez, her horse
breaker. Renito could not well be
spared. Sanchez had some force and
initiative, at least and Alaire had no
reason to doubt his loyalty. The party
went to Pueblo by motor. On the fol
lowing day, Alaire secured her pass
ports from the federal headquarters
across the Rio Grande, while Jose at
tended to the railroad tickets. On the
second morning after leaving home the
party was borne southward into Mex
ico.
The revolution had ravaged most of
northern Mexico; long rows of rusting
trucks and twisted cnr skeletons beside
the track showed how the railway’s
rolling stock had suffered in this par
ticular vicinity; and as the train pene
trated farther south temporary trestles
! and the charred ruins of station houses
spoke even more eloquently of the
struggle. Now and then a steel water
tank, pierced with loopholes nnd ripped
by cannon balls, showed where some
detachment had made a stand. There
was a military guard on the train,
too —a dozen unkempt soldiers loaded
down with rifles nnd bandoliers of car
tridges, and several officers, neatly
dressed in khaki, who rode In the first
class coach and occupied themselves
by making eyes at the women.
At its frequent stops the truin was
besieged by the customary crowd of
curious peons; the same noisy huck
sters dealt out enchiladas, tortillas,
goat cheeses and coffee from the same
dirty baskets and pails; even their out
stretched hands seemed to bear the fa
miliar grime of ante-bellum days. The
coaches were crowded ; women fanned
themselves unceasingly; their men
snored, open-mouthed, over the bneks
of the seats, nnd the aisles were full
of squalling, squabbling children.
As for the country Itself, it was dy
ing. The ranches were stripped of
stock, no carts creaked along the high
ways, and the roads, like the little
farms, were growing up to weeds.
Stores were empty, the people were
idle. Over all was an atmosphere of
decay, and, what was far more signifi
cant, the people seemed content.
All morning the monotonous journey
continued —a trial to Alaire and Dolo
res, but to Jose Sanchez n red-letter
experience. He covered the train from
end to end, ranking himself acquaint
ed with everyone nnd bringing to
Alaire the gossip that he picked up.
It was not until midday that the first
Interruption occurred; then the train
pulled In upon a siding, nnd after an
interminable delay It transpired that a
northbound troop-train was expected.
Jose brought this intelligence; “Soon
you will behold the flower of the Mex
ican army,” he told Aluire. “You will
see thousands of Longorlo’s veterans,
every man of them a very devil for
blood. They are returning to Nuevo
Pueblo after destroying a bund of
those rebels. They had a great vic
tory at San Pedro—thirty kilometers
from La Feria. Not a prisoner was
spared, senora.”
“Is General Longorio with them?”
Alaire inquired quickly.
“That is what I came to tell you.
It Is believed that he is, for he takes
his army with him wherever he goes.
He is a great fighter; he has a nose ,
THE NORTH GEORGIAN, Cl MMING, GEORGIA.
for it, that man, and he strikes like the
lightning here, there, anywhere.”
Jose, it seemed, was n rabid Potosista.
“When the train arrives,” she told
her liorse-breaket. “I want you to find
General Longorio and ask him to come
here.”
“But, senora!” Jose was dum
fouuded, shocked. “He is a great gen
eral—”
“Give him this note.” Quickly writ
ing a few lines on a page from her
notebook, she guve him the scrap of
paper, which he carefully placed in his
hat; then, shaking his head doubtfully,
he left the car.
Flushed with triumph, Dolores took
the first occasion to enlarge upon her
theme.
“You will see what a monster this
Longorio is,” she declared. “It was
like him to steal your beautiful cattle;
ho would steal a crucifix."
“I’ve heard that,” Alaire said gravely.
In the course of time the military
train came creaking along on the main
track and stopped, to the great Interest
of the south-bound travelers. It was
made up of many stock cars crowded
with cavalry horses, and penned in
with them were the women and the
children. The soldiers themselves
were clustered thickly upon the car
roofs. Far down at the rear of the
train was a rickety passenger coach,
and toward this Jose Sanchez made his
way.
There began a noisy interchange of
greetings between the occupants of the
two trains, and meanwhile the hot sun
glared hatefully upon the huddled fig
ures on the car tops. A half-hour
passed, then occurred a commotion at
the forward end of Alaire's coach.
A group of officers climbed aboard,
and among them was one who could
be none other than Luis Longorio. As
he came down the passageway Alaire
identified him without the aid of his
insignia, for he stood head and shoul
ders above his companions and bore
himself with an air of authority. lie
was unusually tall, at least six feet
three, and very slim, very lithe; a
young man; his cheeks were girlishly
smooth and of a clear, pale, olive tint;
his eyes were large, bold, brilliant; his
nostrils thin and sensitive, like those
of a blooded horse. Disdain, hauteur,
impntienee, were stamped upon the
general's countenance ns he pushed
briskly through the crowd, turning his
head from side to side in search of
the woman who had summoned him.
Not until she rose did he discover
Alaire; then he linlted; his eyes fixed
themselves upon her with a start of
startled amazement.
Alaire felt herself color fnlntly, for
the man seemed to be scanning her
from head to foot, taking in every de
tail of her face nnd form, nnd ns he
did so his expression remained unal
tered. For what seemed a full minute
Longorio stood rooted; then the stiff
vizored cap was swept from Ids head;
he bowed with the grace of a courtier
until Aluire saw the part in his oily
black hair.
“Senora! A thousand apologies for
my delay,” he said. "Caramba ! I did
not dream—l did not understand your
message.” He continued to regard her
with that same queer intensity.
“You are General Longorio?" Alnire
was surprised to note that her voice
quavered uncertainly, nnd annoyed to
feel her face still flushing.”
“Your obedient servant.”
Longorio, with a brusque command,
routed out the occupants of the seat
ahead, nnd, reversing the bnek, took a
position facing Alaire. Another order
and the men who had accompanied
him withdrew up the aisle. There was
no mistaking his admiration. He
seemed enchanted by her pale beauty,
her rich, red hair held him fascinated,
nnd with Latin boldness he made his
feelings crassly manifest.
“You probably know why I wished
to see you,” Alaire began.
Longorio shook his head In vogue
denial.
“It is regarding my ranch, La Feria.”
Seeing that the nnrae conveyed noth
ing, she explained, “I am told thnt
your army confiscated my cattle.”
“Ah, yes! Now I understand.” The
Mexican nodded mechanically, but It
was plain that he was not heeding her
words In the least. As if to shut out a
vision or to escape some dazzling sight,
he closed his eyes. Alaire wondered
if the fellow had been drinking. She
turned to Dolores to find that good
woman wearing an expression of stu
pefaction. It was very queer; It made
Alnire extremely 111 at ease.
Longorio opened his eyes and passed
a brown hand across his brow as If
to nrush away perverse fancies that In
terfered with his thoughts. Aiaire no
ticed that one of his fingers was deco
rated with a magnificent dinmond-and
rulty ring, and this interested her
queerly. No ordinary man could fit
tingly have worn suclt an ornament,
yet on the hand of this splendid bar
barian it seemed not at all out of
keeping.
“Dios!” Longorio continued. “Your
ranch has been destroyed; your cattle
stolen, eh? We will shoot the perpe
trators of tills outrage at once.
Bueno!’’
“No, no! I don’t want to see anyone
punished. I merely want your govern
ment to pny me for my cattle.” Aiaire
laughed nervously.
“Ah! But a lady of refinement
should never discuss such a miserable
business. It is a matter for men."
She endeavored to speak in n brisk,
businesslike tone. “La Feria belongs
to me. I am a woman of affairs, Gen
eral Longorio, and you must talk to
me as you would talk to a man. When
I heard about this raid I came to look
into it —to see you, or whoever is in
charge of this district, and to make a
claim for damages.”
“Valgame Dios! This is amnzing.”
"There is nothing extraordinary
about it, that I can see.”
“You consider such a woman ns
yourself ordinary? The men of my
country enshrine beauty and worship
it. They do not discuss such things
with their women. Now this sordid
affair is something for your hus
band—”
“Mr. Austin’s business occupies his
time; this is my own concern. I am
not the only practical woman in Tex
as.”
Longorio appeared to be laboriously
digesting this statement. “So!" he
said at last. “When you heard of
this —you came, eh? You came alone
into Mexico, where we are fighting and
killing each other? Well! That is
spirit. You are wonderful, superb!"
He smiled, showing the whitest and
evenest teeth.
Such extravagant homage wns em
barrassing, yet no woman could be
wholly displeased by admiration so
spontaneous and intense ns that which
Longorio manifested in every look and
word. Alulre knew the susceptibility
of Mexican men, and was immune to
ordinary flattery; yet there was some
thing exciting about this martial hero’s
complete captivation. To have charmed
him to the point of bewilderment was
n unique triumph, and under his hun
gry eyes she felt an adventurous thrill.
While he and Aiaire were talking the
passengers had returned to their seats;
they were shouting good-bys to the
soldiers opposite; the conductor ap
proached and informed the general of
ltis train orders.
Longorio favored him with a slow
stare. “You may go when I leave,”
said he.
“Si, senor. But —”
The general uttered a shnrp excla
mation of anger, at which the conduc
tor backed away, expressing by voice
and gesture his most hearty approval
of the change of plan.
“We mustn’t hold the train,” Alnlre
said quickly. “I will arrange to see
you in Nuevo Pueblo when I return."
Longorio smiled brilliantly and lift
ed a brown hand. “No, no! lam a
selfish man; I refuse to deprive myself
of this pleasure. Now about these
cattle.” He thought for a moment, and
his tone altered as he said: “Senora,
there seems to be nn unhappy compli
cation in our way, and this we must
remove. First, may I ask, are you a
friend to our cause?”
“I am an American, but what has
that to do with my ranch and my
cattle? Tills is something that con
cerns no one except you and me.”
Longorio was plainly flattered by her
words, and took no trouble to hide his
pleasure. “Ah 1 If that were only
true! We would arrange everything
to your satisfaction without another
word.” His admiring gaze seemed to
envelop her, and Its warmth was un
mistakable.
“Why did you take my cattle?” she
demanded, stubbornly.
Alaire is flattered by Longo
rio’s extravagant attentions, but
they soon become mighty Irk
some—as described in the next
installment.
CTO UK CONTINUED.)
Buds Which Never Blossom.
There Is nothing that supplies so
prolific a subject of conversation for
the uninitiated in things automobillstic
as artificial flowers In the auto vases.
“If I could afford an automobile,” an
nounces Mrs. Bunk, with a disdainful
stare at the offending blossoms, “I
guess I’d hnve real flowers.” For the
sake of the many Mrs. Bunks it may
be stntcd thnt there is another rea
son besides economy for those peren
nial buds. Real water need not be
used, and that saves many a gown
and motor’s furnishings from drip
pings and drenchings in sudden jolts.
Passing Strange.
A parrot can kiss 1,000 times an
hour. Wonder how the motion pic
ture producers came to overlook the
parrot?
A GUARANTEED REMEDY FOR
ASTHMA
Your HOIIT WILL RB KBITS DID by your druggist
without an? question 1 f this rouiod r does not boneflt
©very esse of Asthma, llronchtitl Asthma, liar
Fever or Difficult llrcathlny. No matter how
violent the attacks or obstinate the case
■ DR. R. SCHIFFMANN'S ft
AsthmadoK
in either form (Cigarette. Pipe Mixture or Powder)
posttirel7 gives INSTANT KHLIMF In ever? c&ee
and has permanently cured thousands who had been
considered Incurable, after having tried every other
means of relief In vain Sufferers are afforded an
opportunity of availing themselves of this ' Money-
Back" guarantee offer as through purchasing from
their own regular Druggist, they are sure their
money will be refunded by him If the remedy falls.
You will bo the sole Judge as to whether you are
benefited and will get your money back If ron are
not. We do not know of any fairer nroposllloo
which we could make.
R. Schiffmann Cos., Proprielort, St. Paul, Minn.
mmm
Money buck without queotlon
if HUNT’S CURE fella In the
treatment of ITCH, ECZEMA. JW*" 1/ vjl
KING WORM,TETTER or other [ Ilf —-Mil
Itching skin tllseaeea. f r k’ e VertTf 1 i I
50e at drufffflßta, or direct from /*vo# / /I
k. I. Richards Mcdielnt Cos Shtrmaa TANARUS. f /A f / |
Bone Surgery Marvels.
A reserve officer in the United
Stales medical corps who recently re
turned from Great Britain is loud In
his praises of the work in bone sur
gery being done in British hospitals.
He says: “They can tnke a rib from
a man and use it to replace a crushed
bone in lilts arm. I’atients who in
earlier times would have been consid
ered permanently disabled are now
fixed up In a few weeks so tliut ilioy
can go back to the front. In a single
month, in one hospital, we had 1,350
lame rases, and 1,000 of them wero
ready at the end of the month to go
back and fight again.”
LEMONS BRING OUT
THE HIDDEN BEAUTY
What girl or woman hasn't heard of
lemon juice to remove complexion
blemishes; to bleach the skin and to
bring out the roses, the freshness and
the hidden beauty? But lemon Juice
alone is acid, therefore Irritating, and
should be mixed with orchard white
this way. Strain through a fine cloth
the Juice of two fresh lemons Into a
bottle containing about three ounces
of orchard white, then shake well and
you have a whole quarter pint of skin
and complexion lotion at about the
cost one usually pays for a small Jar
of ordinary cold cream. Be sure to
strain the lemon Juice so no pulp gets
into the bottle, then this lotion will
remain pure and fresh for months.
When applied daily to the face, neck,
arms and hands it should help to
bleach, clear, smoothen and benutify
the skin.
Any druggist will supply three
ounces of orchard white at very little
cost and the grocer has the lemons.
Adv.
Japanese Naval Maneuvers.
The grand Japanese naval maneu
vers which will tuke place off Tosa
will consist of the first, second and
third fleets and several reserve ves
sels, says the Enst and West News.
The 14-inch guns mounted on the Ya
mnshlro and Ise will he put to practl
eul test. All vessels participating will
assemble at Hiroshima bay in the In
land sen, and the contending forces
will use Kure ns the base of opera
tions. The sham battle will lust ten
days.
To Drive Out Malaria
And Build Up The System
Take the Old Standard GROVE'S
TASTELESS chill TONIC. You know
what you are taking, as the formula is
printed on every label, showing it is
Quinine and Iron in a tasteless form. The
Quinine drives out malaria, the Iron
builds up the system. 60 cents.
A girl’s idea of an industrious young
man is one? who is too busy to propose.
A man witli a 30-cent intellect can’t
hold down a 50-cent Job.
When Your Eyes Need Care
Try Murine Eye Remedy
No Boi&rtlDc Juet By* Comfort. 60 coate el
?<>raggiaU or mail. Write for Vroo Hto Book.
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