Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1922-12-15

line to patriotic keep out ShihNs
and Jans, You'll not be hired by the
IT s You'll simply be my ranger
same as Laddy and Jim, VINO nave
nromised to work for me. III pay
YOU well, give you Il room mere Iur-
nish everything down to guns ana tne
finest horse you ever saw In your lite'
Your lob won't be safe and healthy
sometimes, but it'll be a mans job
DOM mistake me! You a gamble
on having things to do outdoors. Now
what do you say?"
"I accept. and l thank you'll can
say how much" replied Gale, ear
nestly.
"Good! That's settled. Let's go
out and tell Laddy and jim"
Both boys expressed satisfaction
at the turn of affairs, and then with
Bedding they set out to take Gale
around the ranch. The wide grounds
were covered with luxuriant grass
and flowers and different kinds of
trees.
Bedding explained that the luxuri-
ance of this desert place was owing
TO a few springs and the dammed-up
waters of the Rio Forlorn.
1--WE got one never-failing spring
on nv place." said Bedding. Fine,
sweet water! You know what that
means in the desert. l like this oasis.
The longer 1 live here the better l
like it. It's beautiful and healthy.
Forlorn and lonely, yes, especially for
women like my wife and Nell; but
/ like it. . And between you
and me, boys, I've got something up
my sleeve. There's gold dust in the
arroyos, and there's mineral up In the
mountains. If we only had water!
There are possibilities, and I want
you boys to stay with me and get In
on the ground floor. l wish this rebel
war was over. Well, here are
the corrals and the fields. Gale, take
a look at that bunch of horses"
Belongs last remark was made as
he led his companions out Of shady
gardens into the open. Gale saw an
adobe shed and a huge pen formed
by strangely twisted and contorted
branches or trunks of mesquite, and,
beyond these, wide, fiat fields, green
a dark, rich greenland dotted with
beautiful horses. There were whites
and blacks, and bays and grays. In
his admiration Gale searched his
memory to see If he could remember
the like of these magnificent animals,
and had to admit that the only ones
he could compare with them were the
Arabian steeds.
"Shore I reckon l savyy why you
don't sleep nights" drawled Laddy.
II see a GFeaser out there-no; it's
Indian"
'That's my Papago herdsman. l
keep watch yer the horses now day
and night. Lord, how I'd hate to
have Rojas or Salazar-any of those
bandit rebels-fnd my horses!
Gale, can you rider"
Dick modestly replied that he could;
according to the eastern idea Of
Craftsmanship.
The ringing Of a bell, which Bel
ding said was n call to supper, turned
the men back toward the house. 1t
was not until they reached it and
were about to go in that Bedding
CHANGED to discover Gales crippled
hand.
what an awful hand!" he ex-
claimed. where the devil did you
get that?"
81 stove in my knuckles on ROjas,"
replied Dick.
You did that in one punch? Say,
Pm glad it wasn't me you hit! Why
didn't you tell me? That's a bad
hand. Those cuts are full of dirt
and sand. Inf1ammation's setting in.
It's got to be dressed. Nell" he
called.
Dick saw a glimpse of golden hair
and a white dress in the door. But
they were not visible longer than a
second.
dad, what's the matter?" asked
a voice that was still as sweet as
formerly, but now rather small and
constrained.
DIlHB the d~HllSepllcS, COtLOn, DHI-
dages-and things out here. Hurry.
now"
Bedding fetched a pail of water
and a basin from the kitchen. His
wife followed him out, and, upon see
ing Dicks hand, was all solicitude.
Then Dick heard light, quick foot
steps, but he did not look up.
Nell, this is Mr.. Gale-Dick Gale,
who came with the boys last night"
said Bedding. He's got an awful
hand. Got it punching hat Greaser
Rojas. l want you to dress it.
Gale, this is my s~tepdaughter, Nell
Burton, of whom l spoke. She's
some good when there's somebody
sick or hurt. Shove out your fist, my
boy, and let her get at it. Supper's
nearly ready"
Dick felt that anne strange, quick