The Nevada County picayune. (Prescott, Ark.) 190?-current, 1922-11-30

hand upon his shoulder. Like ner ap
pearance, the action was new, strange,
striking to Gale but 1t brought home
suddenly to him the nature OF graft
tude and affection In girl OF her
blood. It was sweet and sisterly. He
knew then that he had not fallen In
love with her. The feeling that was
akin to jealousy seemed to be OF the
beautiful something for which Mer-
cedes stood in Thorne's life. Gale
then grasped the bewildering posi-
bilities, the infinite wonder Of what
gisl could mean to man.
The desert began to tighten. Gray
openings in the border of shrubby
growths changed to paler hue. In the
east a white glow grew brighter and
brighter, reaching up to line OF
cloud defined sharply below by
rugged notched range.
"Senor, / am cold" said Mercedes.
Dick had been carrying his coat
upon his arm. He stopped the horse
and raised the coat up. and helped
Mercedes put it on.
II should have thought of YOU" he
said. But l seemed to feel warm. =,
The coats little large we might
wrap it around you twice
Mercedes smiled and lightly thanked
him in Spanish. He was about to start
when he observed that Laid had halt
ed and was peering ahead in evident
caution. Mercedes horse began to
stamp impatiently raised his ears and
head. and acted as If he was about to
neigh.
A warning "hist" from Laid babe
Dick put quieting hand on the
horse. Lash came noiselessly forward
to Join his companion. The two then
listened and watched.
Presently Lash went TO the rear
and Ladd started ahead. The prog
ress now, however. was considerably
slower. not owing to bad road-for
that became better-bnt probably ow-
ing to caution exercised by the cow
boy guide. At the end of half hour
this marked deliberation changed, and
the horses followed Ladd's at gait
that put Gale to his best walking
PAGES.
His steps were halted by Ladd's ac-
tons. The cowboy refined in his horse,
listened a moment, then swung down
out of the saddle. He raised eau
tioning hand to the others. then
slipped into the gloom and disap-
peared Gale marked that the halt
had been made in ridged and cut-up
pass between low mesas. To the right,
up under the lodges some distance
away, stood two square black objects,
too uniform, he thought to be rocks.
While he was peering at them, uncer-
tain what to think, the shrill whistle
of horse pealed out, to be followed
by the rafting of hOofs on hard stone,
Then a dog barked. At the same
moment that Laid hurriedly APP
peared in the road a light shone out
and danced before one of the square
black objects.
keep close an don't make no
noise" he whispered, and led his
horse at right angles off the road.
Gale followed, leading Mercedes
horse. AS he turned he observed that
Lash also had dismOunted.
To keep closely at Ladds heels
without brushing the cactus or STUN
bling over rocks and depressions was
a task Gale found impossible. II was
no easy matter to lead Il spirited horse
through the dark, winding lanes walled
by thOrnS. Dick saw that the travel
was fast, but by no means noiseless.
The pack animals at times crashed and
ripped through the narrow places. 1t
seemed to Gale that anyone within
a mile could have heard these sounds.
Presently Ladd led out into
wider lane that appeared to run
straight The cowboy mounted his
horse, and this convinced Gale that
they had circled back TO the road.
The march proceeded then once more
at good, steady, silent walk. When
Dick consulted his watch he was
amazed to see the hour was still early.
He asked Mercedes II she was cold,
and she answered that she was, speak
ing especially of her feet, which were
growing numb. Then she asked to be
helped down to walk awhile. At first
she was cold and lame, and accepted
the helping hand Dick prOffered. After
little, however. she recovered and
went on without assistance. They
had reached the summit of what was
evidently high ridge sloped with
much greater steepness on the far
side IL WAS only after q few more