St. Tammany farmer., 1922-12-23

- Nv AoA pOo1 McICcueS Sitke, lueu
for mine-to please me. Tll-I'Il
you won't lose anything by going.
/, think know how Mercedes feels. Just
a word from Thorne or about him
would save her. Take Blanco Sol and
go, Dick. What rebel outfit could ever
ride you down on that horse? Why,
Dick, If I was up on Sol wouldn't
be afraid Of the whole rebel army"
Gale could only stare at this trans
formed girl.
"Dick, listen! If you 60
IL you fetch some word of Thorne to
comfort Mercedes, yuu-well, you will
have your reward. Dick, will you CO."
"No-no!" cried Gale, in violence,
struggling with himself. "Nell Bur-
ton, I'll tell you this. To have the
reward l want would mean pretty
near heaven for me. But not even
for that will break my word to your
father"
She seemed the incarnation Of girl
ish scorn and willful passion.
"Gracias, senor," she replied, mock
ingly. "Adios." Then she flashed out
Of his sight.
Gale went to hiss room at once, dis
turbed and thrilling, and did not soon
recover from that encounter
The following morning at the break
fast table Nell was not present "She's
In one Of her tantrums lately" said
Belding. ~"Wouldn't speak to me this
morning. Let her alone, mother.
She's spoiled enough, without running
after her. She's always hungry. She'll
be on hand presently, don't mistake
me"
Notwithstanding Belongs convic-
tion, which Gale shared, Nell did not
appear at all during the hour. Per
haps half an hour afterward, as Gale
was leaving his room, he saw the
Yaqui running up the path from the
fields. Gale wondered what was the
matter. YaQui ran straight to Bel
ding, who was at work at his bench
under the wagon shed. In less than
moment Belding was believing for
his rangers. Gale got to him first,
but Ladd and Lash were not far be-
hind.
"Blanco Sol gone!" yelled Bedding,
in rage.
''Ra1ders!" exclaimed Jim Lash.
Lord only knows. Yaqui says It
wasn't raiders"
"Send Yaqui to find the hoss' trail,
an let's fgger," said Ladd. "Shore
this 8 no raider job"
ro1
did not have anything to say; but his
mind was forming conclusion. When
he found his old saddle and bride
missing from the peg in the barn his
conclusion became a positive convic-
tion, and it made him, for the moment,
cold and sick and speechless.
"Hey. Dick, don't take 1t so much to
heart" said Belding. "We'll likely
find Sol, and If we don't, there's other
good horses"
I'm not thinking Of SOL" replied
Gale.
Ladd cast sharp glance at Gale,
snapped his fingers, and said:
'p-n me If amt guessed 1t tool"
"What's wrong with you l0coed
gents?" bluntly demanded Belding.
''Nell has started for Casita," burst
out Gale. ."She has gone to fetch
| Mercedes some word about Thorne.
| Oh, Bedding, you needn't shake your
head I know she's gone. She tried
| to persuade me to go, and was furious
| when I wouldn't"
II don't believe IT, replied Beldng
| s.nsrselv tNell neov have her tempo
She's a little devil at times, but she
always had good sense"
| atom, you c;t,l gamble she's gone"
said Ladd.
"Aw, hi, no! Jim, what do you
think?" implored Bedding.
II reckon Sors white head Is point
ed level and straight down Casita
trail. An Nell can ride. We're losin'
time"
That reused Bedding to action.
Il say you're all wrong" he yelled,
starting for the corrals. "She's only
taking a little ride, same as she's done
often. But rustic now. Find out.
Dick, you ride cross the valley. Jim,
you hunt up and down the river. I'll
head up San Felipe way. And you,
Laddy, take Diablo and hit the Casita
trail If she really has gone after
| Thorne you can catch her in an hour
or So"
ashore I'll CO." replied Ladd. "But,
Beldin', If you're not plumb crazy
4 you're close to it. That big white
devil can't catch Sol. Not in an hour
or a day or week"
'Laddy, you mean to say Sol Is
faster horse than Diablo? thundered
Beding, his face purple.
"Shore / mean to tell you just that
there, replied the ranger. "Tll ride
your Blanco Devil as he never was rid
before, 'cept once when d-n sight
better hoss1nan than am couldn't
make him outrun Sol"
/ Without more words the men sad
died and were Off The interminable
time that followed contained for Gale
about as much suspense as he could
/ well bear. What astonished him and
helped him greatly to fight off actual
distress was the endurance Of Nell's
mother.
i Early on the morning of the second
day, Gale saw three white horses and
bay come wearily stepping down the
| r11 SSo1yo, 81 1sr~