The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1906-06-11
In the Yaqui
Country
BY BAILEY WILLARD
(Author Of down the Flume with the sneafh
Piano." Etc.


ANtF@--E--~4 - ~~-~AAA - %~OWANa4I
Bad trails. bad water and hopeless
ly slow mules. had made the long
ride from the railroad a most vexa-
tious adventure for the Nesbitts,
only seven days from Fifth avenue
and French cookery.
"Oh, don't worry. papal I'm all
right" Muriel smiled resignedly
through her veil, and slipped on heI
mule with the help OF a statuesque
mozo. Her big blue eyes shifted COW
ertly now and again to the up-trail
prospect, which. if anything. seemed
more desolate than the country they
had traversed. For it was here at
Aqua Caliente that Stratford Ban
ming was to meet them. Banning
was the man in charge OF her fathers
mine at Los Nidos Between him and
Muriel there had once been a per-
feet understanding. That was in the
year he graduated as a mining en-
gineer and was hanging around the
Broadway Offices waiting for a chance
TO let loose his pent-up energy.
Muriel, looking up the trail, was
thinking now of their last ride to-
gether under the Bronx beeches.
Many things have happened since
then. The chiefest Of these things
was that the complete understand
ing was no longer any sort Of under
standing-a few hasty. heart-freezing
words had done that And now Alb
ner Card, well-preserved, middle
aged man whose millions nearly
measured up With those of her IA
ther. was dangling along at her side
the luckiest man in New York,
they had called him, for had he not
bagged the proudest beauty of the
Newport season?
Card had become interested in the
Nesbitt mine, in the Rio Yaqui coun-
try, TO the extent of half million,
and was going with his prospective
father-in-law TO look at the property.
Muriel. who had been everywhere
with her father since the day of her
mothers long funeral train, joined
him in this, his first visit to the
mine. She had dared the meeting
with Banning because she had
thought that they would each be
strong enough and have common sense
enough to show that they had lived
down the CHASTITY fact Of their two
year estrangement.
Banning came hurrying out from
the office at the end OF the great grimy
mining-sheds.
"Hullol" he called, running bare
headed down the trail. big piece OF
white paper in his hand-the pay
sheet Of the mine-"What in the name
Of all the-Didn't you get my tele-
gram? Sent it to Ell Paso, care Of
Stevens. Don't see how 1t could have
missed you"
Then he drew his face out Of its
anxious, worried look and greeted
them more Hospitality. The touch Of
Muriels gloved hand was like that
CT phantom reaching out from the
dead years. Instantly he saw what
we're her relations with Card, whom
he had met before when he was be-
seeching Broadway for a mining job,
and who, oddly enough, as he thought.
remembered him. Somehow people
had a way Of remembering that clean
square chin of Banning's and those
unfiinching gray eyes.
smoking big rough cigars in a corner
of the cool patio where the moonlight
silvered the smooth silken edges Of
the banana leaves. Nesbitt laid his
hand on Banning's shoulder.
We'll. strat," be asked. what's the
rumpusl"
No rumpus." saio Banning. his eye
searching out the feather-duster top
OF a cocoa palm.
There's some kind OF a mix-up, or
you wouldn't have tried to head US on
with that telegram"
"Oh, was a little leery OF the sit
uation. that's ALL" said Banning.
glancing around to see II Muriel was
within earshot.
Was It that fever heard aboutg"
"No fever up here in the Mazatans
at this season." said Banning. Its
the Yaquis. They don't like the way
the government is parceling out their
reservation to American miners. Now
! don't want to alarm you gentlemen
Che included Card with a glance Of
his eyel, but these chaps are spending
their last cents for Mausers"
"0ur men-are they all in it7" asked
Card. nervously.
Nearly all" said Banning. coolly.
I've had to sneak out all the rifles
from our gun rack and cache them
away out Of reach. They're in a de-
serted tunnel a Qrarter Of a mile up
the canyon. couldn't think Of a
safer place"
Haven't you any other men be-
sides Yaquis?" asked Nesbitt, biting his
cigar with tense anxiety.
oh, yes: some poor trash from
Hermosillo. but only few. A hun
dred Of 'em wouldn't get out a ton Of
ore IN 60 DAYS"