St. Tammany farmer., 1922-12-16
RIGHT * HARpeR AND oRorheaS.


In the lead. He took bee-line cours,
for the white escarpment pointed ou
by the Yaqui; and nothing save deer
washes and impossible patches o.
! cactus or rocks made him swervt
from it.
| At noon the rangers got out Of the
thick cactus. The desert floor inclined
perceptibly upward. When Gale go
an unobstructed view Of the slope OF
the escarpment he located the raiders
and horses. In another hours trave
the rangers could see with naked eyes
long, faint moving streak Of black
and-white dots.
"They're headin' for that yellow
pass" said Ladd pointing to a break
In the eastern end Of the escarpment
'When they get out Of sight wei
rustic. I'm thinkin' that waterhole
the Yaqui spoke Of lays in the pass"
The rangers Travelled swiftly over
the remaining miles of level desert
leading to the ascent Of the escarp
ment. When they achieved the gate.
way Of the pass the sun was low In
the west. Ladd gave the word to
tie up horses and go forward on foot
The narrow neck Of the pass opened
and descended into valley half a mile
wide, perhaps twice that in length.
It had apparently unscalable slopes OF
weathered rock leading up to beetling
walls.
Keep down, boys,'' said Ladd.
'There's the waterhole, an hosses
have sharp eyes. Shore the Yaqui
fggered this place. I never seen it's
like for trap"
Both white and black horses showed
against the green, and thin curling
column OF blue smoke rose lazily from
amid the mosquitoes
II reckon we'd better wait till dark,
or mebby daylight" said Jim Lash.
"Let me figger some. Dick, what
do you make Of the outlet to this
hole? Looks rough to me-
With his glass Gale studied the mar
row construction Of walls and rough
ened rising floor.
"Laddy, it's harder to get out at
that end than here" he replied. -
"Shore that's hard enough. Let me
have look. Well, boys, 1t don't
take no figgerin' FOR this job. Jim,
I'll want you at the other end blockin'
the pass when we're ready to start"
"When III that be?'' inquired Jim.
"Soon as it's light enough in the
mornin'. That Greaser outfit viii hang
till tomorrow. There's no sure water
ahead for two days, you remember"
The rangers stole back from the
vantage point and returned to their
horses. which they united and left
farther round among hrollen sections
o. cliff For the horses it was dry,
hungry camp, but the rangers built a
fire and had their short though
strengthening meal.
Jim Lash rolled In his saddle
blanket, his feet near the fire, and
went to sleep. Ladd told Gale to do
likewise while he kept the fire up and
waited until it was late enough for
Jim to undertake circling round the
raiders When Gale awakened, Jim
was up saddling his horse, and Ladd
was talking low.
With Ladd leading, they moved
away into the gloom. Advance was
exceedingly slow, careful, silent. Final
ly the trail showed pale in the gloom,
and eastern stars tWinkled between
the lofty ramparts of the pass.
Ladd halted and stood silent a mo
ment. Luck again!'' he whispered.
"The winds in your face, Jim. The
horses won't scent you. Try to get up
as high as this at the other end. Wait
till daylight before riskin' loose
slope. I'll be ridin' the job early.
That's ALL"
Ladd's cool, easy speech was scarce
ly significant of the perilous under
taking. Lash moved very slowly
away, leading his horse. Then Ladd
touched Dicks arm, and turned back
up the TRAIL
Together they picked way back
through the winding recesses Of cliff.
The campfire was smoldering. Ladd
replenished it and lay down to get
few hours sleep, while Gale kept
watch. The after part of the night
wore on till the paling Of stars, the
thickening Of gloom indicated the
dark hour before dawn. Ladd aWoke
before the faintest gray appeared.
The rangers ate and drank. When the
black did tighten to gray they sad.
died the horses and led them out to
the pass and down to the point where
they had parted with Lash. Here
they awaited daylight.
The valley grew clear of gray
shadow except under leaning walls on
the eastern side. Then a straight col, |
umn Of smoke rose from among the
Manifestly this was what
Lndd had been awaiting. He took the
long .405 from its sheath and tried
the lever. Then he lifted a cartridge
belt from the pommel of his saddle.
Every ring held a shell and these
shells were four inches long He
buckled the belt round him.
"Come on, Dick
Ladd led the way down the slope
until he reached position that COM
manded the rising Of the trail from
a level. It was the only place a man
Or horse could leave the valley for
the pass.