s late when the latter arrived
at Jonesville, he went to the hotel for a few hours' rest. When he
drove his borrowed machine up to the Jones house, about breakfast-time,
both Blaze and Paloma were delighted to see him.

"Say, now! What you doing rolling around in a gasoline go-devil?" the
elder man inquired, and Law was forced to explain.

"Why, Mrs. Austin must have experienced a change of heart!" exclaimed
Paloma. "She never gave anybody a lift before."

Blaze agreed. "She's sure poisonous to strangers." Then he looked over
the car critically. "These automobiles are all right, but whenever I
want to go somewhere and get back I take a team of hay-burners. Mules
don't puncture. The first automobile Paloma had nearly scared me to
death. On the road to Brownsville there used to be a person who didn't
like me--we'd had a considerable unpleasantness, in fact. One day
Paloma and I were lickety-splittin' along past his place when we had a
blow-out. It was the first one I'd ever heard, and it fooled me
complete--comin' right at that particular turn of the road. I sure
thought this party I spoke of had cut down on me, so I r'ared up and
unlimbered. I shot out three window-lights in his house before Paloma
could explain. If he'd been in sight I'd have beefed him then and
there, and saved six months' delay. No, gas-buggies are all right for
people with strong nerves, but I'm tuned too high."

"Father has never learned to drive a car without yelling 'Gee' and
'Haw,'" laughed Paloma. "And he thinks he has title to the whole road,
too. You know these Mexicans are slow about pulling their wagons to one
side. Well, father got mad one day, and when a team refused him the
right of way he whipped out his revolver and fired."

Blaze smiled broadly. "It worked great. And believe me, them Greasers
took to the ditch. I went through like a hot wind, but I shot up
sixty-five ca'tridges between here and town."

"Why didn't Mrs. Austin ask you to stay all night at Las Palmas?" the
girl inquired of Dave.

"She did."

"Wonderful!" Paloma's surprise was evidently sincere. "I suppose you
refused because of the way Ed treated you? Well, I'd have accepted just
to spite him. Tell me, is she nice?"

"She's lovely."

This vehement declaration brought a sudden gleam of interest into the
questioner's eyes.

"They say she has the most wonderful gowns and jewels, and dresses for
dinner every night. Well"--Paloma tossed her head--"I'm going to h