The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1922-10-28
CHAPTER III
A FLIGHT Into the Desert.

Uneasy and startled, Gale turned
his ear to the soft wind. Presently
he heard. or Imagined he heard. low
beats In q moment he was certain
the sounds were the par,like steps of
hD0fs In yielding sand. The regular
tramp was not that OF grazing horses.
In the instant. made. cautious and
stcalthy by alarm, Gale drew Mer-
ce,leS deeper into the gloom of the
shrubbery. The sounds OF hoofbeats
grew louder. Gale made out dark
moving mass against background OF
dull gray. There was line of horses.
He could not discern whether or not
all the horses carried riders The
niurmur of voice struck his ear
then low laugh. 1t made him Jingle,
for it sounded American. Eagerly he
listened -, -.
1T shore was, lady, it shore was"
came a voice out Of the darkness.
though house, Laldy. since wire
FENCES drove us out of Texas we amt
seen the like Of that An we never
had such a call"
Cali? 1t WAS a burniD' roast re-
piled another voice. Il felt low down.
He vamoOsed some sudden. an hope
lie an his friends shook the dust Of
Cnsita. That's rotten town. Jim
Gale jumped up in JOY. What luck!
The speakers were none other than
the two cowboys whom lie had accost-
ed in the Mexican hotel.
Hold on. fellows" he called, and
strobe Into the road.
The horses snOrted and stamped.
Then followed swift rustling sounds
4 clinking of spurs. then silence. The
figures lOOmed clearer in the gloom.
Gale saw five or six horses, two with
riders, and one other, at least carry
ing Il pack. When Gale got within
Fifteen feet VI the group the foremost
horseman said:
II reckon that's close enough,
stranger"
Something In the cowboys hand
sinted tl;,lkly bright in the starlight.
"You'd recognize me. il it wasn't so
dark" replied Gale halting. II spoke
to you Il little while ago-in the s:-
loon back there"
"Comes 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 pecred into Gales
face. Then, without word. he
Sheathc'l the gun and held out his
hand. Gale met a grip of steel that
warmed his blood. The other cow
hoy got Of, his nervous. spirited horse
and, tlireWahe bride. He too, petrel
cloSelWIntp Gales face.
ME'naiHeS La,ld," he said. "ReckOn
I'm some glad to meet You again."
Gale felt another grip rs hard and
strong as the other had been. He
realized he had found friends who
belonged ia a class Of men whom he
had despaired Of ever knowing.
"Gaie-Dick Gale is my name" he
hogan, swiftly. II dropped into Casita
tonight hardly knowing where I was
A boy took me, to that hotel There I
met ALI ol,l+5sfrtcnd whom 7 had not
seen for. years. He belongs to the
cavalry stationed here. He had be-
friendG1 a Spanish sirf-faIlen hi love
with her, Z Ro.iaS had killed this girls
father-tried to abIluct her. 49,. =
You know what touk place ut the ho-
tel. .GentiemeIi. II it's ever possible
I'll show You how I appreciate what
YOU did for me there. I got away.
found my friend with the girl. We
hurried out here beyond the edge of
town. Then Thorne had to make Il
break for camp. We heard buslc calls.
SLOTS. and lie WAS away without leave.
That left the girl with me. don't
know what to do. Thornc swears Gu
sta is no place for Mercedes at
right"
"rhe girl amt no peon, no conimon
Greaser?" interrupted Ladd
no. Her name is Castaneda She
belongs to an old Spanish family, once
rich and; influential" -. - i, !
"Reckoned as much,' replied the
cowboy. ~ 'Tlleres more tliaa Rojas,,,
wantn' to kidnap pretty girl. Shore