The Elk Mountain pilot., 1922-12-07
CHAPTER ~
ForIorn River.

Forlorn River.
When Dick opened his eyes a food
Of golden sunshine streamed In at the
open window under which he lay. His
first thought was one Of blank wonder
as to where In the world he happened
to be. The room was large. square,
adobe-walled. 1t was Uttered with
saddles, harness. blankets. The sight
of huge dusty spurs, gun belt with
sheath and gun. and pair of leather
chaps bristling with broken cactus
thorns recalled to Dick the cowboys.
the ride, Mercedes, and the whole
strange adventure that had brought
him there.
He felt a dead weight of complete
lassitude, and he did not want to
move. A sudden pain In his hand
caused him to hold 1t up. 1t was
black and blue, swollen to almost
twice its normal size, and stiff as a
board. The knuckles were skinned
and crusted with dry blood. Dick So
liloquized that 1t was the worst-look-
ing hand he had seen since football
him for some time.
The door at the far end Of the room
was open. Through 1t he saw poles
of peeled wood upholding a porch
roof, a bench, rose bushes in bloom,
grass, and beyond these bright-green
foliage of trees.
HE shore was sleepin' when
looked in an hour ago" said voice
that Dick recognized as Ladd's.
Let him Sleep" came the reply in
deep, good-natured tones. Mrs. b.
says the girls never moved. Must
have been tough ride for them both
Forty miles through cactus! Laddy
I'm right down glad to see you boys,
and I'll do all can for the young
couple. But I'm doing some worrying
here; don't mistake me-"
about your stock7'
i've got only a few head of cattle
at the oasis now. I'm worrying some,
mostly about my horses. The U. s.
is doing some worrying. too. don't
mistake me. The rebels have worked
west and north as far as Casita OF
course. my job is to keep tab on Chi
nese and Japs trying to get into the
U. s. from Magdalena bay. But I'm
supposed to patrol the border line.
I'm going to hire some rangers. Now,
I'm not SO afraid of heing shot up.
though out in this lonely place there's
danger of 1t; what I'm afraid of most
is losing that bunch of horses. You
know what those guerrilla Mexicans
will do for horses. They're crazy on
horse flesh They know fine horses.
So don't sleep nights any MORE"
"Reckon me an Jim might as web
tie up with you for a spell, Beldin'
We've been ridin' up an down Arizona
tryin' to keep out Of sight Of wire
fences"
'Laddy. it's open enough around
Forlorn River to satisfy even an old,
time cowpuncher like you," laughed
Belding. "I'd take your staying on a.
some favor. don't mistake me. Per
haps I can persuade the young man
Gale to take a Job with me-"
THAT'S shore likely. He said he
had no money. NO friends. An II .
scrapper's all you're lookin' for he'll
do" replied Ladd, with a dry chuckle
Maybe I ought to think twice be
fore taking stranger into my fam
ily." said Bedding, seriously. well, ]
guess he's all right, Laddy, being the
'cavalryman's friend. NO bum OF
iunger? He must be nll right p
"Bum7 Lungerf Say, didn't I tell
you 1 shook hands with this boy an
was plumb glad to meet himT de
manded Laddy, with considerable
heat. Manifestly he had been AT
fronted. tom Beldln', he's a gentle.
man. an he could lick you in-in half
second. How about that, JimY'
LESS time" replied Lash. TON,
here's my stand. Young Gale can
have my hoss, my gun. anythin' of
mine"