The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1922-11-06


his head and drive me mad. Dick, harkeE
to these glad words: Rojas is in the hos.
pital. I was interested to inquire. He
had a smashed finger, dislocated collar
bone. three broken ribs. and fearful
cash on his face. He'll be in the hospital
for a month. Dick. when meet that pig.
headed dad of yours I'm going to give
him the surprise OF his life.
Send me line whenever any one
comes in from +. r, and inclose Mer-
cedes' letter in yours. Take care of her
Dick. and may the future hold in store
for you some OF the sweetness l know
now! Faithfully yours,
'"rHoRNE."
While Dick was eating his supper
with appetite rapidly returning to nor
NAL, Ladd and Jim came in. Their
friendly advances were singularly
welcome to Gale, but he was still
. backward. He allowed himself to
show that he was glad to see them,
and he listened It took no keen judge
Of human nature to see that horses
constituted Ladd's ruling passion.
''Shore it's a cinch Beldin' is agoin
TO lose some Of them animals Of his, >
he said. "Yom can search me if I don't
think there'll be more doin' on the bor
der here than along the Rio Grande.' >
"Iook.a-h Laddy; you cnin't be-
licve all yo,E hear" replied Jim. Seri
nuSly. Il reckon we mightn't have
any troubles"
"Back up,, Jim. Shore you're stand
inI<on your birdie. There's more doin'
toan the raitIin' Of few hosses. An
Forlorn River is goin' to get hers!"
Another dawn found Gale so much
recovered that he arose and looked
after himself: not, however, without
considerable difficulty and rather dis
heartening twinges Of pain.
Some time during the morning he
heard the girls in the patio and called
to ask If he might join them. He re-
ceived OF e response. "a mellow, Isl.
senOr." 1t was not as much as he
wanted. but considering that it was
enough, 'he went out In the shade Of
heauti tul- tree, he found the girls.
Mercedes sitting, in hammock. Nell
upon a 1tlanket.
What beautiful tree!" he ex-
claimed II never saw one like that.
What is it:'
'Pa1o verde" replied Nell.
"SeI,or, palo verde means green
tree,'t' added Mercedes.
Little by little Dick learned details
Of Ne us varied life. She had lived
in many places. AS child she re-
mem bered Lawrence, Kansas, where
she Studied for several years. Then
she moved to saltwater, Oklahoma.
fro m there to Austin. Texas. and on to
W:lco. where her mother met and mar
ri'M Bedding. They lived in New
Mexico awhile. in Tucson. Arizona, in
1'ouglas. and finally had come to lone
] : FOrlorn River.
Mother could rsSer live in one
place any length IT time" said Nell.
''And since we've hern in the South
west she has never. ceased trying to
find some trace of her father He
was last heard Of iy .Nogales fourteen
years ago. She thinks grandfather
was lost in the Sonpra desert. :.
And every place We 60 is worse. Oh.
love the desert. But I'd like to go
hack to Lawrence---Or tn see Chicago
or New York-some Of t7ne places Mr..
Gale speaks OF .. -. I remember
the college at Lawrence. though I was
only twelve. saw race:s-and once
real football Mr.; Gale, Of
course. you've seen games:"
'Yes. few" replied Dick :, and he
laughed little. 1t was on his lips
then to ten her about some Of the
famous games II, which he had par
ticipateG. But he refrained from ex
plotting himself. There was little.
however. OF the color and souM] and
cheer, OF the violent action and rNsh
and battle incidental to big college
football game that lie did not succeed
in making Mercedes and Nell feel just
as If they ha a been there. They hung
hreathless = nd wIde-eycd upon his
words.
Some one, else was present at the
latter part nf Dicks narrative. The
moment he became aware Of Mrs.
Relding's tpresence he remembered
fancying lie had heard her call. and
now he wis certain she had done so.
Mercedes and Nell. however, had been
and still tvere oblivious. to everything
except Dicks recital. He saw Mrs.
Bedding cast strange intent glance
upon Neil, then turn and go silently
through b 1.-THE patio m ,3;jH - QI5
DioS was haunted by the strange ex-
PRECISION me had caught on Mrs. Beld-
ing's face. especially the look in her
eyes. 1t had been one of repressel
pain liber,,ted in flash Of certainty.
The mothsr had seen how far he had
gone on DIE road OF love. Perhaps she
had seerl more-even more than he
dared no PEI