affair? You can't go much lower, Ed, and you
can't keep me here with you."

"I can't keep you, eh?" he growled. "Well, perhaps not. I suppose
you've got enough on me to secure a divorce, but I can air some of your
dirty linen. Oh, don't look like that! I mean it! Didn't you spend a
night with David Law?" He leered at her unpleasantly, then followed a
step as she drew back.

"Don't you touch me!" she cried.

A flush was deepening Ed's purple cheeks; his voice was peculiarly
brutal and throaty as he said: "The decree isn't entered yet, and so
long as you are Mrs. Austin I have rights. Yes, and I intend to
exercise them. You've made me jealous, and, by God--" He made to
encircle her with his arms and was half successful, but when Alaire
felt the heat of his breath in her face a sick loathing sprang up
within her, and, setting her back against the wall, she sent him
reeling. Whether she struck him or merely pushed him away she never
knew, for during the instant of their struggle she was blind with
indignation and fury. Profiting by her advantage, she dodged past him,
fled to her room, and locked herself in.

She heard him muttering profanely; heard him approach her chamber more
than once, then retire uncertainly, but she knew him too well to be
afraid.

Later that night she wrote two letters--one to Judge Ellsworth, the
other to Dave Law.

Jose Sanchez rode to the Morales house feeling some concern over the
summons that took him thither. He wondered what could have induced
General Longorio to forsake his many important duties in order to make
the long trip from Nuevo Pueblo; surely it could be due to no lack of
zeal on his, Jose's, part. No! The horse-breaker flattered himself that
he had made a very good spy indeed; that he had been Longorio's eyes
and ears so far as circumstances permitted. Nor did he feel that he had
been lax in making his reports, for through Rosa he had written the
general several lengthy letters, and just for good measure these two
had conjured up sundry imaginary happenings to prove beyond doubt that
Senora Austin was miserably unhappy with her husband and ready to
welcome such a dashing lover as Longorio. Therefore Jose could not for
the life of him imagine wherein he had been remiss. Nevertheless, he
was uneasy, and he hoped that nothing had occurred to anger his general.

But Longorio, when he arrived at the meeting-place, was not in a bad
humor. Having sent Rosa away on some errand, he t