Inside of ten minutes Jones piloted his automobile into the clearing beside the river, and, leaving his motor running, leaped from the car.

Dave met him at the door of the Morales house and briefly told him the story of Jose’s capture.

“Say!  That’s quick work,” the rancher cried, admiringly.  “Why, Ed ain’t cold yet!  You gave him the ‘water-cure,’ eh?  Now I reckoned it would take more than water to make a Mexican talk.”

“Jose was hired for the work; he laid for Ed Austin in the pecan grove and shot him as he passed.”

“Hired!  Why this hombre needs quick hangin’, don’t he?  I told ’em at Las Palmas that you’d rounded up the guilty party, so I reckon they’ll be here in a few minutes.  We’ll just stretch this horse-wrangler, and save the county some expense.”  Law shrugged.  “Do what you like with him, but—­it isn’t necessary.  He’ll confess in regulation form, I’m sure.  I had to work fast to learn what became of Mrs. Austin.”

“Miz Austin?  What’s happened to her?”

Dave’s voice changed; there was a sudden quickening of his words.  “They’ve got her, Blaze.  They waited until they had her safe before they killed Ed.”

“‘They?’ Who the hell are you talkin’ about?”

“I mean Longorio and his outfit.  He’s got her over yonder.”  Dave flung out a trembling hand toward the river.  Seeing that his hearer failed to comprehend, he explained, swiftly:  “He’s crazy about her—­got one of those Mexican infatuations—­and you know what that means.  He couldn’t steal her from Las Palmas—­she wouldn’t have anything to do with him—­so he used that old cattle deal as an excuse to get her across the border.  Then he put Ed out of the way.  She went of her own accord, and she didn’t tell Austin, because they were having trouble.  She’s gone to La Feria, Blaze.”

“La Feria!  Then she’s in for it.”

Dave nodded his agreement; for the first time Blaze noted how white and set was his friend’s face.

“Longorio must have foreseen what was coming,” Dave went on.  “That country’s aflame; Americans aren’t safe over there.  If war is declared, a good many of them will never be heard from.  He knows that.  He’s got her safe.  She can’t get out.”

Blaze was very grave when next he spoke.  “Dave, this is bad—­bad.  I can’t understand what made her go.  Why, she must have been out of her head.  But we’ve got to do something.  We’ve got to burn the wires to Washington—­yes, and to Mexico City.  We must get the government to send soldiers after her.  God!  What have we got ’em for, anyhow?”

“Washington won’t do anything.  What can be done when there are thousands of American women in the same danger?  What steps can the government take, with the fleet on its way to Vera Cruz, with the army mobilizing, and with diplomatic relations suspended?  Those Greasers are filling their jails with our people—­rounding ’em up for the day of the big break—­and the State Department knows it.  No, Longorio saw it all coming—­he’s no fool.  He’s got her; she’s in there—­trapped.”