Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1920-06-18

supper cigar in the Sheldon, wnie
Billy Scott fidgeted on the seat beside
him or nervously paced the lobby.
But the calm-eyed Hindu, squatting
tailor-fashion on the farther end of
the same divan, was as mOtiOnleSS as
an idol in the great temple at Benar2s.
Only his adoring eyes, like those of
dog whose master refuses him ca
ress, betrayed the ferment beneath the
folds of the soft snOw-White turban,
which he donned shortly after his ar
rival.
''Scotty," blurted Williams, tossing
away a half-cOnsumed cigar; "did
Friday Thornton and the rest of the
boys down in Culiacan elect to vamoOse
or stick around a while?"
"They stuck-at least most of them
did the last | heard of them," replied
the superintendent. Hank Gregory,
Tommy Wickware, and dozen more
you know are still in town. They ex-
pect intervention by the United
States"
'tThe only intervention so far seems
to be on this side of the line" grimly
retOrted the magnate. what I'm
figuring on is this: We can get across
all right-a hundred thousand soldiers
couldn't guard the boundary between
here and Aqua Prieta alone-to say
nothing of reaching as far as the Colo
RADIO river. Once in, we ought to be
able to double back east until we strike
San Pedro, then skirt the west branch
of the railroad as far as Sanchez, and
from there across country to Culiacan.
However, even if we can do that,
what then? If Manuel Pacheco and
his friends are after Eel Tigre mine
two of us can't stop them. But it's up
to me to stop them if i expect to hold
what I've sweat blood to get for the
past five years. How do you feel
about trying?'
Il think you're plumb crazy to think
about it, frankly replied Scott. 1T
was bad enough in MaderO'S insurrec-
ton. With him gone and Huerta in
power, what chance has a man got,
Buck? OrOzco, Carranza, and a dozen
other self-made generals are roaming
around Chihuahua, numbering, rObbing,
burning railroads and raising /"
generally. Now MorenO's bedeviling
SinalOa. Every one down country is
trying to get out. Believe me, l
wouldn't try to get back the same way
[ came out for q half-intereSt in Ell
Tigre ITSELF
"All right" tersely retorted Will
tiams. you take the train back to
Benson, drop down to NOgaleS and
see if you can get through to Culiacan
Oy way of Guaymas along the west
coast. Trains are still running through
to Mazatlan On that division. I'll hit
it down the other way. That gives US
two chances. If you reach Culiacan
before do, get the boys together and
start for Ell Tigre with every gun and
cartridge you can buy, beg or borrow.
If I get there first I'll leave instruc-
lions in case | want you to follow me
to the mine. If you can't get through,
shoot back to NOgaleS and wait until
you hear from me-"
Deaf to entreaty, eXpOstulatiOn, or
argument, Buck Williams slipped out
of the hotel before midnight and rode
to the northwest. His long detour
carried him far beyond the regulars,
and he easily eluded the American
'lineriders."
Before daybreak he was we'll past
the monuments in the first fringe OF
hills south Of the Arizona boundary
line.
In a shallow arroyo he gathered a
few dry twigs and lighted smokeless
fire to boil his coffee. His horse and
one burro, carrying the meager sup
plies necessary for the hazardous jour-
ney. were picketed behind a knot OF
waterworn b0ulders, while he crept
warily down the defile to reconnOiter
the valley below.
A solitary horseman, whose seat be-
trayed his unfamiliarity with that
mode OF travel, popped around bend
in the gully. With incredible swift
ness Williams whipped his ready rifle
to his shoulder, then lowered it with
an amazed exclamation.
"You-you persistent little choco-
late-drop." he gasped, as the express
sionless face of Jitendra looked down
into his own. ''What in hadeS are
YOU following me for? Didn't [ tell
you that you were under no obliga-
ton to me?"
You did, Sahib Buck"
"Well-oh, for the love OF Mike
beat it back to Ell Paso, will you!
You'll look like sieve if kOsterliZt-
ky's rurales ever see that snoW-White:
cinnamon-bun headpiece of yours See
here, you loyal little devil-you don't
owe me thing-do you get me?--not
q thing! Youth only bother me.
II can't guarantee you any pro'Hc-
ton, and | won't have you logging
along to bait some one else after me.
appreciate how you feel, and [ admire
you for it. But this, isn't Inda-it's
Mexico-a synonym for hell. don't
want to be rude to you, but [ simply
can't and won't stand for any non
sense-because I refuse to take any
blame if anything happens to YOU"
"Will Sahib Buck grant me leave