Then a great invisible shadow seemed to hover behind her.  She essayed many tasks, to fail of attention, to find that her mind held only Stewart and his fortunes.  Why had he become a Federal?  She reflected that he had won his title, El Capitan, fighting for Madero, the rebel.  But Madero was now a Federal, and Stewart was true to him.  In crossing the border had Stewart any other motive than the one he had implied to Madeline in his mocking smile and scornful words, “You might have saved me a hell of a lot of trouble!” What trouble?  She felt again the cold shock of contact with the gun she had dropped in horror.  He meant the trouble of getting himself shot in the only way a man could seek death without cowardice.  But had he any other motive?  She recalled Don Carlos and his guerrillas.  Then the thought leaped up in her mind with gripping power that Stewart meant to hunt Don Carlos, to meet him, to kill him.  It would be the deed of a silent, vengeful, implacable man driven by wild justice such as had been the deadly leaven in Monty Price.  It was a deed to expect of Nels or Nick Steel—­and, aye, of Gene Stewart.  Madeline felt regret that Stewart, as he had climbed so high, had not risen above deliberate seeking to kill his enemy, however evil that enemy.

The local newspapers, which came regularly a day late from El Paso and Douglas, had never won any particular interest from Madeline; now, however, she took up any copies she could find and read all the information pertaining to the revolution.  Every word seemed vital to her, of moving significant force.

AMERICANS ROBBED BY MEXICAN REBELS

Madera, state of Chihuahua, Mexico, July 17.—­Having looted the Madera Lumber Company’s storehouses of $25,000 worth of goods and robbed scores of foreigners of horses and saddles, the rebel command of Gen. Antonio Rojas, comprising a thousand men, started westward to-day through the state of Sonora for Agnaymas and Pacific coast points.

The troops are headed for Dolores, where a mountain pass leads into the state of Sonora.  Their entrance will be opposed by 1,000 Maderista volunteers, who are reported to be waiting the rebel invasion.

The railroad south of Madera is being destroyed and many Americans who were traveling to Chihuahua from Juarez are marooned here.

General Rojas executed five men while here for alleged offenses of a trivial character.  Gen. Rosalio y Hernandez, Lieut.  Cipriano Amador, and three soldiers were the unfortunates.

Washington, July 17.—­Somewhere in Mexico Patrick Dunne, an American citizen, is in prison under sentence of death.  This much and no more the State Department learned through Representative Kinkaid of Nebraska.  Consular officers in various sections of Mexico have been directed to make every effort to locate Dunne and save his life.