Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1922-11-24

v appreciated his loneliness until
that moment.
George, how l ever drifted down
here 1 don't know. I didn't exactly
quarrel with the governor. But
d-n 1t, Dad hurt me-shamed me.
and / dug out for the West. 1t was
this way. After leaving college l tried
to please him by tackling n thing
after another that he set me to do.
On the square, l had no head for
business. I made a mess of every
thing. The governor got sore. When
I quit-when I told him straight out
that l was going west to fare for my
self, why, 1t wouldn't have been so
tough if he hadn't laughed at me. He
said I couldn't earn a dollar-that I'd
starve out west, and couldn't get back
home unless l sent to him for money.
He said he didn't believe l could
fght-could really make a fight for
anything under the sun Oh-he-he
shot 1t into me all right"
Dick dropped his head upon his
hands, somewhat ashamed of the
smarting dimness in his eyes.
"Fightl" cried Thorne, holly.
whats ailing him? Didn't they call
you Bif Gale in college? Dick, you
were one of the best men Stagg ever
developed"
1.-THE governor didn't count foot
ball." said Dick. "He didn't mean that
kind of a fight. When l left home /
don't think 1 had an idea what was
wrong of me. But, George, I think
I know now. l was a rich mans SON
spoiled, dependent, absolutely igno-
ran of the value of money. I haven't
yet discovered any earning capacity in
me. / seem to be unable to do any
thing with my hands. That's the
trouble. But I'm at the end of my
tether now. And I'm going to punch
cattle or be a miner, or do some real
stunt-like joining the rebels"
"Aha! / thought you'd spring that
last one on me-" declared Thorne,
wagging his head. well, you just
forget it. Say, old boy, there's some
thing doing in Mexico. The United
States in general doesn't realize it.
But across that line there are crazy
revolutionists, ill-paid soldiers, guer-
rilla leaders, raiders, robbers, outlaws.
thousand, girls and women in terror.
Mexico is like some of her volcanoes
ready to erupt fire and hell! Don't
make the awful mistake Of joining the
rebel forces. If you didn't starve or
get shot In ambush, or die Of thirst.
some Greaser would knife you In the
back for your belt buckle or boots.
There are a good many Americans
with the rebels eastward toward Aqua
Prieta and Juarez. Orozco is operat-
ing in Chihuahua. and l guess he has
some idea of warfare. But this Is So
nora, a mountainous desert, the home
of the slave and the YaQui. There's
u~norganized revolt everywhere. We're
patrolling the boundary line. We're
making a grand bluff. / could tell YOU
of a dozen instances where c~avalr!
should have pursued raiders on the
other side of the line. But we wont
do 1t. The officers are q grouchy lot
these days. You see. Of course, what
significance would attach to United |
States cavalry going into Mexican ter
ritory. There would simply be hell
My own colonel is the sorest man OF
the job. We're all sore. It's like sit
thing on a powder magazine. We can't
keep the rebels and raiders from cross
ing the line. Yet we don't fight. Ny
commission expires soon. I'll be dis
charged in three months. You car
bet I'm glad for more reasons thai
I've mentioned"
Thorne was evidently laboring I'M
der strong, suppressed excitement
His face showed pale under the tan
and his eyes cleaned with a dark fire
He had seated himself at a table near
me Of the doorlike windows leading
nto the street. and every little while
lie would glance sharply out. Also he
Iept consulting his watch.
These details gradually grew upon
Gale as Thorne talked.
George, it strikes me that you're
upset." said Dick, presently. 81 seem
% remember you as q cool headed
'ellow whom nothing could disturb.
Has the army changed your"
Thorne laughed. 1t was q laugh
with a strange, high note. 1t was
-eckless-it limited of exaltation. He
Deered out one window. then another.
actions were rapid. Returning to
the table, he put his hands upon it
and leaned over to look closely into
face.
I'm away from camp without
he said.
isn't that a serious ofense?'
asked Dick.
Serious? For me, If I'm diSCCv-
cred, ii means ruin. There are rebels
in town. Any III we might have
l ought to be ready for duty
within call. If I'm discovered it
means arrest. That means delay
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