The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1922-11-23

oasis. Gale used his glass, told Yaqui
there was no smoke, no sign of life;
still the Indian fixed his falcon eyes
on distant spots and looked long. No
further advance was undertaken. The
Yaqui headed south and travelled
slowly, climbing to the brow Of bold
height of weathercd mesa. There he
sat his horse and waited. No one
questioned him. The rangers dis
mounted to stretch their legs, and
Mercedes was lifted to a rock, where
she rested. Thorne. had gradually
yielded to the deserts influence for
silence. He spoke once or twice to
Gale. and occasionally whispered to
Mercedes Gale fancied his friend
would soon learn that necessary
sneech in desert travel meant a few
greetings, few words to make real
the fact IF human companionship, q
few short, terse terms, for the busi-
ness of the day or night and perhaps
a stern order or soft call to horse
The sun went down. and the golden,
rosy wells turned to blue and shaded
darker till twilight was there in the
valley. Darkness approached, and the
clear peaks faded. The horses stamped
to be on the move.
"Malo!" exclaimed the Yaqui.
He did not point with arm, but his
falcon head was outstretched, and his
piercing eyes gazed at the blurring
spot which marked the location of
Coyote tanks.
"Jim, can you see anything?" asked
Ladd.
''Nope, but I reckon he can"
Then Ladd suddenly Strengthened
up, turned to his horse, and muttered
low under his breath.
II reckon so," said Lash, and for
once his easy, good-natured tone was
not in evidence. His voice was
harsh.
Gales eyes, keen as they were were
last of the rangers to see tiny needle
points of light just family perceptible
in the blackness.;
daddy! Camphres?" he asked,
quickly.
SOulC DOlH, ivy.
"How many?"
Ladd did not reply; but Yaqui held
up his hand, his fingers wide. Five
campfires! A strong force of rebels
or raiders or some other desert troop
was camping at Coyote tanks.
Yaqui sat his horse for moment
motionless as stone, his dark face i'm
mutable and impassive. Then he
stretched his right arm In the direc-
ton Of No Name mountains, now los
ing their last faint traces of the after
glow, and he shook his head. He
made the same impressive gesture
toward the Sonoyta oasis with the
same somber negation.
Thereapon he turned Diablo's head
to the south and started down the
slope. His manner had been decisive,
even stern. Lash did not question It,
nor did Ladd. Both rangers hesitated,
however, and showed strange, almost
sul1en reluctance which Gale had
never seen in them before Raiders
were one thing, Rojas was another
Canine del Diablo still another; but
that vast and desolate and unwatered
waste of cactus and lava, the Sonora
desert, might appall the stoutest
heart. Gale felt his own sink-felt
himself finch.
ooh, where is he going?" cried Mer-
cedes. Her poignant voice seemed
to break a spell.
"Shore, lady, Yaqui's goin' home"
replied Ladd. gently. "An' considerin'
our troubles. I reckon we ought to
thank God he knows the way"
They mounted and rode down the
slope toward the darkening south.
Not until night travel was obstruct-
ed by a wall of cactus did the Indian
halt to make a dry camp. Water and
grass for the horses and fire to cook
by were not to be had. Mercedes bore
up surprisingly; but she fell asleep
almost the instant her thirst had been
allayed. Thorne laid her upon blan-
ket and covered her. The men ate
and drank. Gale lay down weary of
limb and eye. He heard the soft !
thump of hoofs, the sough Of wind In
the cactus-then no. more.
Day dawned wifi the fugitives In
the saddle. A picketed wall Of cac-
tus hedged them in, yet the Yaqui
made tortuous path, that, zigzag as
it might, in the main always headed
south.,.'
tCont1nued In Next lssue)