, 1922-12-13


Ing hand he had seen since football
days, and that 1t would Inconvenience
him for some time.
The door al, the far ehS Of the oom
was open. Through IL he saw poIss
of peeled wood unfolding a porch
root, n bench, rose bushes In bloom,
grass, and beyond these b~r'sht-greeu
foliage Of trees.
HE shore was slsepin' when !
looked in an hour ago." said a voice
that Dick recognized as Ladd's.
LET him Sleep" came the reply in
deep, good-natured tones. Mrs. B.
says the girls never moved. Must
have been a tough ride for them both.
Forty miles through cactusl lady
I'm right down glad to see you boys.
and III do all / can for the young
couple. But I'm doing some worrying
here; don't mistake me-"
about your stockT"
ave got only a few head Of cattle
at the oasis now. I'm worrying some,
mostly about my horses. The U. S.
is doing some worrying, too, don't
mistake me. The rebels have worked
west and north as far as Casita. OF
course, my job is to keep tab on Chi.
nese and Japs trying to get into the
u. S. from Magdalena bay. But I'm
supposed to patrol the border line.
I'm going to hire some rangers. Now,
I'm not so afraid of being shot up,
though out In this lonely place there's
danger of it; what I'm afraid of most
is losing that bunch Of horses. You
know what those guerrilla Mexicans
will do for horses. They're crazy on
horse flesh. They know fine horses.
So ! don't sleep nights any more"
Reckon me an Jim might MS well
tie up with you for a spell. Beldin'
We've been ridln' up an down Arizona
tryin' TO keep out Of sight Of wire
fences"
daddy, It's open enough around
Forlorn River TO safety even an old
time cowpuncher liks you.r laughed
Bedding. I'D take YOU staying on as
some favor, don't mistake me. Per
haps / can persuade the young man
Gale to take a job with me-"
That's shore likely. He said he
had no money, no friends. An If a
scrapper's all you're lookin' for he'll
do" replied Ladd, with a dry chuckle.
Maybe I ought to think twice be-
fore taking a stranger into my fam
ily," said Bedding. seriously. swell. i
guess he's all right, lady. being the
cavalryman's friend. No bum OF
Hunger? He must be all rightT"
'Bum7 Lunger7 Say, didn't / tell
you / shook hands with this boy an
was plumb glad to meet him7" de-
manded Laddy, with considerable
heat. M~anifestly he had been af
fronted. Tom Beldin'. he's a gentle
man. an he could lick you in-in half
a second. How about that. Jlmi,
Less time" replied Lash. tom,
here's my stand. Young Gale can
have my boss. my gun, anythin' Of
mine"
saw. / didn't mean to insult you,
boys, don't mistake me" said Bedding.
Course he's All right"
The object Of this conversation lay
quiet upon his. bed, thrilling and
aiualtu at DelnB SO cnumplOueu Dy
the cowboys. delighted with Belongs
Idea of employing him, and much
amused with the quaint seriousness
of the three.
flows the young MANI" called a
woman's voice. 1t was kind and mel
low and earnest.
Gale heard footsteps on fagstones.
Hes asleep yet. wife," replied Bel.
ding. "Guess he was pretty much
knocked ont. I'll close the
door there so we won't wake him"
There were slow. soft steps, then
the door softly closed. But the fact
scarcely made a ~perceptible differ
ence in the sound of the voices out.
side.
daddy and Jim are going to stay"
went on Bedding. "ItIl be like the
old Panhandle days a little. I'm pow
erful glad to have the boys, Nellie.
Wen see some trouble before the rev.
oiution is ended. 1 think I'll make
this young man Gale an Offer"