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.
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