The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1922-11-27
tContinued from las, t..u.,
CHAPTER XII
The Crater Of He'll.

The Crater Of He'll.
Presently Gale, upon turning sharp
corner, was utterly amazed to see that
the split in the lava sloped out and
widened into an arroyo. 1t was so
green and soft and beautiful in all
the angry, contorted red surrounding
that Gale could scarcely credit his
sight. Blanco Sol whistled his well
come to- the scent Of water. Then
Gale saw a great hole, pit in the
shiny lava, dark, cool, shady well.
There was evidence Of the fact that
ut flood seasons water had an outlet
into the arroyo. The soil appeared to
be fine sand, in which a reddish
tinge predominated; and it was abund-
antly covered with long grass, still
partly green. Mosquitoes and palo
verdes dotted the arroyo and gradu-
ally closed in thickets that obstructed
the view. =
"Shore it all beats me-" exclaimed
Ladd. "What place to hole-up in |!
We could have hid here for long
time. Beldin' was shore right about
the Indian. An I can see Rojas'
finish somewhere up along that awful
hell-hole."
Camp was made on a level spot.
Yaqui took the horses to water, and
then turned them loose in the arroyo.
It was tired and somber group that
sat down to eat. Mercedes was calm,
but her great dark eyes burned in her
white face. Yaqui watched her. The
others looked at her with unspoken
pride. Presently Thorne wrapped her
in his blankets, and she seemed to fall
asleep at once.
Little Of Yaqui's purpose ur rl:t'
could be elected from him. ~
rangers and Thorne, however. tllke
In low tones. 1t was absolutely iln
possible for Rojas and his men t'
reach the waterhole before noon of
the next day. And long before that
time the fugitives would have decided
on plan Of defense.
"What stuns me is that Rojas stuck
to our trail,'s said Thorne, his lined
and haggard face expressive Of dark
passion. He has followed us into
this fearful desert He'll lose men,
horses, perhaps his life. He's only, a
bandit, and he stands to win no gold
All for a poor little helpless woman
just a woman! can't understand it. y
"Shore-just woman" replied
Ladd, s0lemnly nodding his head.
Then there was long silence, dur
ing which the men gazed into the fire.
Those were cold, hard, grim faces
upon which the light fickered.
"Sleep," said Yaqni.
Thorne rolled in his blanket close
beside Mercedes. Then one by one
the rangers stretched out, feet to the
fire. Gale found that he could not
sleep. His eyes were weary, but they
would not stay shut; his body ached
for rest, yet he could not lie still.
The Yaqui sat like an image carved
out of lava. The others lay prone and
quiet. Would another night see any
of them lie that way, quiet forever?
Gale sat up after while and again
watched the fire. Nelr's sweet face
floated like a wrath in the pale
smoke - glowed and flushed and
smiled In the embers. Other faces
shone there-his sister's-that Of his
mother. Gale shook Off the tender
memories. This desolate wilderness
with its gforbidding silence and its
dark promise of hell on the morrow
this was not the place to unnerve one
self with thoughts Of love and home.
Toward dawn Gale managed to get
some sleep. Then the morning broke
with the sun hidden back Of the uplift
Of the plateau. The horses trooped
up the arroyo and snorted for water.
After a hurried breakfast the packs
were hidden in holes In the lava. The
saddles were left where they were,
and the horses allowed to Craze and
wander at will. Canteens were filled,
small bag of food was packed, and
blankets made into bundle. Then
Yaqui faced the steep ascent Of the
lava slope. w.. ...
The trail he followed led up on the
right side of the fssure, opposite to
the one he had come down. 1t was
steep climb, and encountered as the
men were they made but slow prog
ress. At length the rims widened out
and the red, smoky crater yawned be-
meath. Yaqui left the trail and began
clambering down over the, rough and
twisted convolutions Of lava which
formed the rim. 1t was with extreme
difficulty that the party followed him.
The choya was there to hinder pas
sage. Finally the Indian halted upon
narrow bench Of fiat, smooth lava,
and his followers worked with exceed
ing care and effort down to his posi-.
ton. b. ... ~ 5s.
At the back of this bench, between
punches of choya, was 4 niche, shall
low cave with floor lined apparently
with mold. -aqui spread blankets
inside, left the canteen and the sack
Of food, and with a gesture at once
humble. xat s:;ss of q chief. he in