Heart of the Sunset

der flung himself from his saddle and made for the water. He was lyin

ds up, bot

at his back, the second leaped to his feet with an oath;

it was directed at the man who had first appeared, f

ied, as if at a

Ran

s rifle; two pairs of dark hands rose sl

evolver and cartridge-belt dropped to the ground. "And you, compadre, do the same.

e three discarded weapons, then, walking to Anto's horse, he removed the sec

r. "Now, friend, who are you, and w

chez, se?or. Before God

was tremendo

ill take some proving,

do you

esence together. Panfilo, it seemed, had encountered his companion purely by chance, and was horrified now to learn tha

h, Mr. Law," she said, quie

f the speaker their mouths fell open,

. He couldn't have had any part in that murder in Jim

r extravagantly; then he turned triumphantly upon his captor. "Behold!" cried he. "

to Law. "He was probably helping his countrym

dark and we'll need some supper before we start. It won't hurt Anto's horse to rest a bit, eit

se?

tie you

nderstood perfectly

lend a hand. The se?ora will need a cup of te

mployee to fetch the Ranger's horse. Panfilo acquiesced readily and buckled on his cartridge-belt and six-shooter. He was about to pick up his rifle, too, but finding Law's eyes inquiri

king for you?" Law jerked his head

re confessed. Then, as if in answer to his un

ing up rang

I don't know how he came to be h

ilo's traveling companion, but Anto's face was

ntents of his cup and strode to Panfilo's hor

going?" Alaire

ainst the luminous sky; in the brushy bottom of the arroyo the shad

, then, stooping for Anto's discarded cartridge-belt, he looped

y well. Your man may n

borrowed horse's he

warning, he uttered a loud call. It might have served equally well as a summons or as an alarm, but it changed

sharply: "Stay where you are! Don't move!" The next instant he had loped into the bru

pony's hoof-beats grew fainter. She was not afraid of Anto, having dealt with Mexican vaqueros for several years, yet she could not forget that he was a murderer, and she wondered what she

s racing down the arroyo. Anto, the fugitive, rose to his feet and stared into the dusk. "Sit down!" Alaire ordered, sharp

l quiet evening was split by the report of Law's thirty-thirty. Another shot followed, and then a third. Both Alaire and her pri

dislodged, but whether by Law's horse or by that of San

wondered if the Ranger's sudden charge had not simply frightened Panfilo into a panicky flight, and she tried to put her thoughts into wo

l the strain of the sit

when David Law came ri

; behind him at the end

her saddl

n uttered

upon him, as a dog might pounce upon a rabbit, rolled him to his face, and twisted the fellow's arms into the small of his back. Anto cursed, he struggled, but he was like a child in the Ranger's g

to bend a gun over yo

ttle game,

u-kill him?" th

an instant he seemed to include her in his anger. Ignoring her inquiry, he went to his mare and ran his shaking hands over her as if in search of an injury; his questin

Belle's neck, as a woman snuggles close to the man of her choice, he addressed the mare: "I reckon

r lips. "Then

t mockingly. "Say! He mus

knew the fello

st, and he turned on me-blew smoke in my face. Then he took to the

got

ecko

ft no doubt of her relief.

st chance and free his compadre? That's why he wanted his Wincheste

" Alaire sat down weakl

he had-" Such a possibility, oddly enough, seemed to choke the speaker, and the ferocity of his unfinished threat caused Mrs. Austi

the murderer, with his ankles lashed beneath his horse's belly, rode first; next, in a sull

drug remembrance, but she had succeeded, and had proven her ability to forget. But now-Las Palmas! It meant the usual thing, the same endless battle between her duty and her desire. She was tired of the fight that resulted neither in victory nor defeat; she longed now, more than ever, to give up and let things take their course. Why could not women, as well as men, yield to thei

yet his mind was in a black turmoil from his recent anger, and of late, be it said, these s

ndred yards below the water-hole, a coyote was slinki