Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-11-24

gold or touch OF red or graceful line
or CLEAN Of blue to remind him or
her. Then at night her face shone
warm and glowing, flushing and pal
Ing in the campfire.
BY and by Gale remembered what
he was waiting for; and, getting up,
he took the halter and went out 10
find BlancO Sol. 1t was pitch-dark
now and Gale could not see q rod
ahead. He felt his way, and present.
" as he rounded a mesquite he saw
Soils white shape outlined against the
blackness. Gale haltered him in the
likeliest patch of grass and returned
70 his camp. There he lifted his sad
die into protected spot under, low
wall of the mound. and, laying one
blanket on the sand, he covered him.
self with the other and stretched him.
self for the night.
Daylight came quickly. The morn
ing was clear and nipping cold. He
threw off the wet blanket and got up
cramped and half frozen. A little
brisk action was all that was neces-
sary to warm his blood and loosen his
muscles. and then he was fresh,
tingling, eager. The sun rose In a
golden blaze, and the descending val
lev took on wondrOus changing hues.
Then he fetched up Blanco SOL, sad
died him, and tied him to the thickest
clump Of mesquite.
"Sol, We'll have drink pretty
soon," he said, pattlng the splendid
neck.
Gale meant II. He would not eat TIL
he had watered his horse. No three
raiders could keep Gale away from
that well. Taking his rifle in hand, he
faced up the arroyo. From the lay or
the land and position of trees seen by
daylight, he found an easier and safer
course than the one lie had taken in
the dark. And by careful work lie
was enabled to get closer to the well,
and somewhat above it.
The Mexicans were leisurely cook
Ing their morning meal. A slow wrath
stirred in Gale as he watched the trio.
They showed not the slightest indica-
ton of breaking camp. One fellow,
evidently the leader, packed a gun ut
his hip. the only weapon In sight.
Gale noted this with speculative eyes,
Then he saw two Indians on burros
come riding up the other side Of the
knoll upon which the adobe house
stood; and apparently they were not
aware Of the presence of the MeXi-
cans, for they came on up the path.
One Indian was Papag0. The other,
striking In appearance for other rea.
sons than that he seemed to be about
to fall from the burro, Gale took to he
Yaqui. They came over the knoll
and down the path toward the we'll
turned corner Of the house, and
completely surprised the raiders.
Gale heard short, shrill cry,
strangely. high and wild, and this came
from one of the Indians. 1t was an
swered by hoarse shouts. Then the
leader Of the trio, the Mexican who
packed gun, pulled it and fired point
blank. He missed once-and again.
At the third shot the Papngo shrieked
and tumbled off his burro to fall in a
heap. The other Indian swayed, as
il the taking away Of the support lent
by. his comrade had brought collapse,
and with the fourth shot he, too,
Slipped to the ground.
The reports had frightened the
horses in the corral; and a vicious
black, crowding the rickety bars,
broke them down. He came plunging
out. With splendid vaulting mount,
the Mexican with the gun leaped to
the back Of the horse. He yelled and
waved his gun, and urged the black
forward. The manner of all three
was savagely jocose. They were hav-
Ing sport. The two on the ground be-
gan to dance and jabber. The mount
ed leader shot again, and then stuck
like leech upon the bare back of the
rearing black. 1t was q vain show OF
horsemanship. Then this Mexican, by
some strange grip. brought the horse
down, plunging almost upon the body
of the Indian that had fallen last.
Gale stood aghast with his rifle
clutched tight. He could not divine
the intention df the raider, but sus-
pected something strlkingly brutal.
The horse answered to that cruel,
hNQAGfuH,,