The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1922-12-28

Naie ran up the horse was snortinr
war. Mounting, Gale rode rapidly back
10 the scene Of the action. and his
"rst thought. when he arrived ut the
wen. was to give Sol Il drink md to
Till his canteens.
Ihen Gale led his horse up out of
the waterhole, and decided before re.
mounting to have look at the In
u'ahs. The Papago had been shot
tnroush the heart. but the Yaqui was
still alive. Moreover, he was conscious
| ana staring up at Gale with great,
strange, somber eyes. black as volcan.
| ic Stag.
"Grlngo good-.no kill" he said, in
husky whisper
His speech was not afllrmat!-e so
much as questioning.
laqul, you're done for" said Gale.
and his words were positive. He was
simply speaking aloud his mind.
"faqul--no hurt = much," replicd
the Indian, and then he spoke Il
strange word-repeated 1t again and
again.
An instinct Of Gales, or perhaps
some suggestion In the husky, thick
whisper or dark face, told Gale TO
reach for his cantcen. He lifted the
Indian and gave him drink, and If
ever In all his life he saw gratitude
n human eyes he saw 1t then. Then
ne examined the injured Yauui. The
indian had three wounds-a bullet
hole in his shoulder, n crushed arm,
and bndly lacerated leg.
The ranger thought rapidly. This
faqui would live unless left there to
lie or be murdered by tho Mexicans
wren they found courage to sneak
PACK to the well. 1t never occurred to
Gale to abandon the poor fellow. All
the same. he knew he multiplied his
oerils a hundredfold by burdenins
himSelf with n crippled Indian. Swift
~ ne set to work, and with rifle ever
under his hand, and shifting glance
spared from his task. he bound UP the
faquis wounds. AT the same time he
kept keen watch
The Indians burros and the horses
of the raiders were all out Of sight.
Time was too valuable for Gale to use
any in what might be vain search.
Therefore, Ire lifted the Yaqui upon
Soi's broad shoulders and climbed
into the saddle. At a word Sol
lropped his head and started cast
YARD up the trail, walking swiftly
without resentment for his double bur.
lien.
Gale hearing in mind the ever-prcs.
rnt possibility Of encountering more
raiders and Of being pursued saved
hn ST f1fr, I, re 4
Of sight Of papngo well. Gale dis.
amounted and walked beside the horse
Stcadying Will. one firm hand the help
less. dangling Yaqui
Gale kept pace with his horse. He
hore the twingc Of pain that darted
through his injured hip at every stride
In the heat of midday he halted in the
shade of rock, and. lifting the Yaqui
down. gave him drink. Then. after
long. sweeping, survey Of the sur.
rounding desert. he removed S0l's sad.
die and lct hi" roll. and took for him
self p well est and bite to eat.
The 1 %l tenacious of life.
lie W, ~ his own. For the
first ti.a C"luN ~ looked at the
Indian t, FsEl, lie had q large
head noEl. a face that re-
Semhlcd S .en mask. 1t seemed
chisrIed In me dark-cycd. volcanic
lava of his Sonora wilderness. The
Indians eyes were always black ant!
mystic, hut this Yaquis encompasseh
all The tragic desolatinn Of the desert.
rhey were fixed on Gale. moved only
hen he moved.
Gale resumed his homeward Jour
ncy. lie held grimly by tie side of
he tircless, implacnble horse, hold
ng the Yuqni on the saddle. taking
the hrunt of the mcrciless thorns. In
;he end 1t became hrartrcnding toll.
IFS heavy chaps dragged him down;
'ul he dared not 70 on without them
COR. thick and sti as they were. the
| terrible. stepl-hnyoptcd spikes Of the
'hoynS pierced through to sting his
| legs
| TO the last mile Gale held to Blnnco
Soils gait and kept cvcr-wntchful gaze
| ahead on the trail. Then. with the
| low. fiat houses OF FOrlurn River shin
ing red in the sunset. Gale tagged and
rapidly weakened. The Ynqul slipped
nut nf the saddle and dropped limp in
the sand Gale could not mount his
horse. He clutchcd soils long tail md
twisted his hnnd in It and stag
| geret! on.
Blnnco Sol whistlctl piercing blast.
He scented cool water and sweet nj.
falfa hay. Twln|;iing lights ahead
meant rest. The melancholy desert
twilight rapidly succeeded the sunset.
II acccntunted the forlorn loneliness
nf the gray. winding river Of sand and
It's grayer shores Night shadows
| .roopnd down frn,n tAo hiook opb