The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1922-12-08

~A-"~.<TE%s~ -S1 &
"Thorne! Thorne! It's All Right,
IT'S All Right" Cried Gale, in Pierc.
ing Tones. "Mercedes Is Safe!" :,
and waved her hand. She was un-
harmed. The YaQui waved, too, and
Gale saw in the action an urgent
signal. -.... - ,-F...
Hastily taking up canteen and
rifles, Gale put q supporting arm
around Thorne. ..
s"Come, old man. Can you walk ?
Sure you can walk! Lean on me, and
we'll soon get out Of this. Don't look
across. Look where you step. We've
not much time before dark. Oh,
Thorne, I'm afraid Jim has cashed in! !
And the last saw Of Laddy he was
badly hurt" ~
Gale was keyed up to high pitch
OF excitement and alertness. , He
seemed to be able to do many things.
But once off the ragged notched lava
into the trail he had not such difficulty
with Thorne, and could keep his
keen gaze shifting everywhere for
sight Of enemies. =
! Listen. ThOrne! What's that?"
asked Gale, halting as they came to q
place where the trail led down through
rough breaks in the lava. The silence
was broken by strange sound, al
most unbelievable considering the
! time and place. A voice was droning:
Turn the lady, turn! Turn the lady,
turn! Alamon left. All swing; turn
the lady, turn!"
"Hello, Jim," called Gale, dragging
| Thorne round the corner of lava.
| "Where are you? Oh, you son Of a
gun! thought you were dead. oh,
I'm. glad to see you! Jim, are you
hurt?" ~.
Jim Lash stood in the trail leaning
over-the butt Of his rifle, which evi
IDENTIFY he was utilizing as a. crutch,
He was, pale but. smiling. His hands
were bloody: "A scarf had been bound
tightly round his left leg just above
the knee. The leg hung limp, and the
foot dragged. ~,.
Il reckon I amt injured much," re-
piled Jim. But my leg hurts like
HI, if you. want to know"
! "Laddy! Oh, where's Laddy?"
! Hes just across the crack there
was trying to get to him. We had
it hot an heavy down here. Laddy
was pretty bad shot up before he tried
to head Rojas off the trail. o.. . I.
Dick, did you see the Yaqui go after
Rojas? .l
did II" exclaimed Gale, grimly..
| '"The finish was all that saved me
from runnin' loco. I reckon our
chances are against 1indin' Laddy
alive. -. I tell you, boys, Rojas
=. was h-l-bent. An Mercedes was
game. I saw her shoot him. But
mebbe bullets couldn't stop him then,
: If didn't sweat blood when Mercedes
was fightin' him OH the cliff! Then
the finish! Only Yaqui could have
done that. = Thorhe, how about
you? Dick, Is he bad hurt?"
mo, he's not. A hard knock on the
skull and scalp wound" replied
Dick. "Here, Jim let me help you
over this place"
Step by step Gale got the two in
jured men down the uneven declivity
and then across the narrow lava bridge
over the fissure. Here he babe them
rest while he went along the trail on
that side to search for Laddy. Gale
found the ranger stretched out. face
downward, Redeemed hand clutching
! a gun. Gale thought he was dead.
Upon, examination. however, 1T was
found that Ladd still lived, though he
had many wounds. Gale lifted him
and carried him back to the others.
Hes alive, but that's ALL" said
Dick, as he laid the ranger down. "'Do
what you can. Stop the blood Lad
dy's tough as cactus, you know. I'll
hurry back for Mercedes and Yaqui."
Gale, like a fleet, sure-footed. noun
tain sheep, ran along the TRAIL He
came upon Mercedes and the Yaqui.
| She ran right into Dicks arms, and
then her strength, If not her courage,
broke, and she grew lax.
Mercedes. you're safei Thorne's
safe. It's albright now" = 81.
nRotas!" she whispered.
"Gone! To the bottom Of the
crater! A Yaqui's vengeance, Mer.
/ cedes." r ..-'-.
He heard the girl whisper the name
of the Virgin. Then he gathered her
up in his arms. N.z s5r
"Come, Yaqui."
The Indian grunted.' He had one
hand pressed close over a bloody place
| In his shoulder. Gale looked keenly
| at him. Yaqui was inscrutable, as OF
old; vet Gale somehow knew that
wound meant little to him. The In.
/ dian followed him.
Gale carried Mercedes up to the
rim and along t. tAe others. Jim Lash
worked awkwardly over Ladd. Thorne
was trying to assist Ladd, himself
was conscious, but he was q pallid