The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1922-12-21
CHAPTER vi
The Yanui

The Yaqui.
Toward evening Of a lowering Do
ccmber day. some fifty miles west Of
Forlorn River, horseman rode along
an old, dimly defined trail
This lonely horscman bcstrodc a
stccd of magnificent build. perfectly
white except for 81 dark bar Of color
running down tie noble head from
ears to nose. Swcat-cakcd dust
stained the long TANKS The horse
had been running. He was lean,
gaunt, worn. a huge machine of muscle
and bone, beautiful only In head and
name, Il wcight-carricr, Il horse strong
and fierce like the desert that had
bred him.
The rider fitted the horse as he fit
ted the saddle. He was young man
Of exceedingly powerful physique,
wide-shouldered, long-armcd, big
legged. His lean face. where It was
not red. blistered and pccling, was the
hue of bronze. lie had n dark eye. q
falcon gaze. rowing and keen. His
Jaw was prominent and set mastiff-
like; his lips were stern. 1t was youth
with its softness not vet quite burned
and hardened away that kent the
whole cast OF his face from being
ruthless.
This young man was picl1 Gale, hut
not the liStlcsS traveller, nor the louny-
ing wandcrer who, two months before,
had by chance dropped into Casitn.
The desert had claimed Gale. and had
drawn him into its cruciblc. The
| desert had multiplied weeks into
years. Heat. thirst hunger. loncli
ness, toll, fear. fcrocty pain-hc
knew them all. Hc had felt them ALL
the white sun. with its glazed, conlcs-
cling, lurid fire; the cakcd split lirs
and rnSning. ry-puffcd tongue: the
sickcninS ache in the pit Of his stom-
ache; the inS,lprortabr silence, the
empty space the utter dcSolation. thc
contempt of lie; The watch ana wait.
the dread Of ambush. the swift flight
the fierce pursuit of men wild as
BcdouinS and as fleet thc willingness
TO deal sudden death, the pain of
poison thorn the stinging tear af lead
through flesh; and that strange para
doN of the burning desert the cold nt
night the piercing icy wind, the dew
that penetrated to the marrow, the
numbing desert cold Of the dawn.
Ladd's prophecy OF trouble on thc
border had been mild comparcd to
what had become the actuality. With
rebel occupancy Of the garrison mt
Chsita, outlaws. bandits, raiders In
rioting bands had spread westward.
Many dark-Sliinned raider bestrOde
one Of Belongs fast horses; and, in
deed, all except his selected white
thoronghbreds had been stolen. So
the job of the rangers had become
more than patrolling of the bound
AIRY line to keep Japanese and Chinese
from being smugglcd into the United
States.
On this December afternoon the
three rangers, as often, were sonar
ated. Lash was far to the westward
Of Sonoyta somewhere along Canine
del Diablo, that terrible Devils road,
where many desert wayfarcrs had per
ished. Lndd had long been overdue
in prearrangcd meeting with Gale.
The fact that Ladd had not shown I'M
miles west OF the papngo we'll wns
significant.
Gale dismouEted to lead his horse,
to 80 forward more slowly. He had
ridden sixty miles since morning. md
he was tired, and q not entirely healed
wound In his hip made one leg drag 81
little. a mile up the arroyo, near its
head, lay the Papago well. The need
OF water for his horse entailcd 81 risk
that otherwise he could have avoided.
The we'll was on Mexican soil. Gale
distinguished faint light flickcring
through the thin, sharp foliage. Camp
ers were at the well. and, whoever
they were, no doubt they had prevent
cd L9dd from meeting Gale. Ladd
Ind gone hack to the next wntcrholc.
or maybe he was hiding in an arroyo
to the eastward, awaiting develop.
ments
Gale turned his horse, not without
urge Of iron arm and persuasive
speech. for the desert steed scented
water, and plodded back to the edge
of the arroyo, where in secluded
circle of mesquite he halted. The
horse snorted his relief at the removal
Of the heavy, burdencd saddle and nc.
| coutremcnts. Gale poured the con.
tents Of his larger cantecn into his
| hat and held 1t to the horses nose.
Drink, SOL" he said