used herself to follow him. When they were out of sight and
hearing her husband turned upon her with an ugly frown.

"What's that Greaser doing here?" he asked, roughly.

"He called to pay his respects. You must get him away."

"_I_ must?" Ed glowered at her. "Why don't you? You got him here in my
absence. Now that I'm home you want me to get rid of him, eh? What's
the idea?"

"Don't be silly. I didn't know he was coming and--he must be crazy to
risk such a thing."

"Crazy?" Ed's lip curled. "He isn't crazy. I suppose he couldn't stay
away any longer. By God, Alaire--"

Alaire checked this outburst with a sharp exclamation: "Don't make a
scene! Don't you understand he holds over fifty thousand dollars' worth
of La Feria cattle? Don't you understand we can't antagonize him?"

"Is that what he came to see you about?"

"Yes." She bit her lip. "I'll explain everything, but--you must help me
send him back, right away." Glancing at the clock, Alaire saw that it
was drawing on toward midnight; with quick decision she seized her
husband by the arm, explaining feverishly: "There is something big
going on to-night, Ed! Longorio brought a guard of soldiers with him
and left them at our pump-house. Well, it so happens that Blaze Jones
and Mr. Law have gone to the Romero cemetery to get Ricardo Guzman's
body."

"WHAT?" Austin's red face paled, his eyes bulged.

"Yes. That's why Paloma is here. They crossed at our pumping-station,
and they'll be back at any time, now. If they encounter Longorio's
men--You understand?"

"God Almighty!" Austin burst forth. "Ricardo Guzman's body!" He wet his
lips and swallowed with difficulty. "Why--do they want the body?"

"To prove that he is really dead and--to prove who killed him." Noting
the effect of these words, Alaire cried, sharply, "What's the matter,
Ed?"

But Austin momentarily was beyond speech. The decanter from which he
was trying to pour himself a drink played a musical tattoo upon his
glass; his face had become ashen and pasty.

"Have they got the body? Do they know who shot him?" he asked, dully.

"No, no!" Alaire was trembling with impatience. "Don't you understand?
They are over there now, and they'll be back about midnight. If
Longorio had come alone, or if he had left his men at Sangre de Cristo,
everything would be all right. But those soldiers at Morales's house
will be up and awake. Why, it couldn't have happened worse!" "How many
men has he got?" Austin nod