, 1922-12-13
CHAPTER III
A Flight Into the Desert.

uneasy n startled, Gale turned
his ear to the soft wind. Presently
he heard, or imagined he heard, low
beats. In a moment he was certain
the sounds were the padlike steps of
hoofs In yielding sand. The regular
tramp was not that of grazing horses.
In the instant, made cautious and
steslthy by alarm, Gale drew Mer-
cedes deeper into the gloom of the
~shrubbery. The sounds of h%oofbeats
grew louder. Gale made out a dark
moving mass against a background of
dull gray. There was a line of horses.
he could not discern whether or not
all the horses carried riders. The
murmur of a voice struck his ear
then a low laugh. 1t made him Jingle,
for 1t sounded American. Eagerly he
listened.
at shore was, Laddy. 1t shore was"
came a voice out of the darkness.
Trough housed Laddy, since wire
fences drove us out of Texas we amt
seen the like of that. An we never
had such a CALL" =
"Call? 1t was a burnin' roast" re
piled another voice. II felt low down.
He vamoosed some sudden, an I hope
he ar his friends shook the dust of
Casita. That's a rotten town. jim"
Gale jumped up In joy. What luck !
The speakers were non other than
the two cowboys whom he had accost-
ed in the Mexican hotel.
Hold on, fellows" he called, and
strobe into the road.
Tbo barrae epor+od o,1 .to,o-11
Then followed swift rustling sounds
q blinking of spurs. Their silence. The
figures doomed clearer in the gloom.
Gale saw five or six horses, two with
riders, and n other, at least, carry
Ing a pack. When Gale got within
fifteen feet of the group the foremost
horseman said:
81 reckon that's close enough,
stranger
Something in the cowboys hand
glinted darby bright in the starlight.
you'd recognize me, If it wasn't so
dark" replied Gale, hating. 81 spoke
to o a little while ago-in the sa-
loon hack there"
"Coue over an let's see you," said
the cowboy, CURLY.
Gale advanced till he was close to
the horse. The cowboy leaned over
the saddle and peered into Gales
face. Then. without a word, he
sheathed the gun and held out his
hand. Gale met a grip of steel that
warmed his blood. The other cow
boy got off his nervous, spirited horse
and threw the bride. He, too, peered
closely into Gales face.
my names Ladd," he said. Reckon
I'm some glad to meet you again"
Gale felt another grip as hard and
strong as the other had been. He
realized he had found friends who
belonged to a class of men whom he
had ~despaired of ever knowing.
"Gale-Dick Gale is my name" he
began, swiftly. 81 dropped into Casita
tonight hardly knowing where / was.
A boy took NE to that hotel. There 1
met an old friend whom / had not
seen for years. He belongs to the
cavalry stationed here. He had be-
friended a Spanish girl-fallen in love
with her. Rojas had killed this girls
father-tried to abduct her. .
You know what took place at the no
tel. Gentlemen, If It's ever possible,
I'll show o how I appreciate what
you did for ME there. / got away.
found Aay friend with the girl. We
hurried out here beyond the edge of
town. Then Thorne had to make a
break for camp. We heard bugle calls,
shots, and he was away without leave.
That left the girl with me. don't
know what to do. Thorne swears Ca.
sta is no place for Mercedes al
night"
"The girl amt no peon, no common
Greaser?' interrupted Ladd.
"No. Her name is Castaneda. She
belongs TO an old Spanish family. once
rich and influential"
"Reckoned as much.' replied the
cowboy. 'sThere's more than Rojas
wantin' TO kidnap a pretty girl. Shor,
he does that every day or so. Mus
be somethin' political or feelln
against class. Well Casita, amt n,
place for your friends girl at nigh
Or day. or any time. Shore. there
Americans who'd take her In an figh
for her. II necessary. But 1t amt wis
to risk that. Lash, what do you say7
ats been gettin' hotter round thi
0reaser corral for some weeks" re