St. Tammany farmer., 1922-12-02

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 q
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 a drink pretty
soon," he said, patting the splendid
neck.
Gale meant It. He would not eat till
he had watered his horse. No three
raiders could keep Gale away from
that we'll. Taking his rifle in hand, he
faced up the arroyo. From the lay OF
the land and position of trees seen by
daylight, he found an easier and safer
course than the one he had taken In
the dark. And by careful work he
was enabled to get closer to the we'll,
and somewhat above 1t.
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 gun at
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 a Papago. The other,
striking In appearance for other rea,
sons than that he seemed to be about
to fall from the burro. Gale took to be
YaquI They came over the knot;
and down the rsth toward the We
turned a corner Of the house, ana
completely surprised the raiders.
. Gale heard short, shril 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 a gun, pulled it and fired point
blank. He missed once-and again.
At the third shot the Papago shrieked
and tumbled off his burro to fall IN
heap. The other Indian swayed, az
II the taking away Of the support lent
by his comrade had brought collapse,
and with the fourth shot he, too,
slipped to the ground. ...s.-.-.-
The reports had frightened the
horses In the corral; and a vicious
black. crowd!ng the rickety bars
broke them down. He came plunglng
out. With splendid vaulting mount,
! the Mexican with the gun leaned TO
tha back Of the horse. He yelled and
waved his gum and urged the black
forward The manner Of all three
was savagely jocosc. They were hav-
ing sport. The two on the ground be-
gan to dance and jahber. The mount
ed leader shot again, and then Stuck
like a leech upon the bare back OF the
rearing black. 1t was 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 uf the raider, but sus.
pected something strikingly brutal
The horse answered to that cruel
guiding hand, yet he sWerved ano
bucked He reared aloft, paving the
air, wildly snorting then he plunged
down upon the PROSTATE Indian. Even
in the act the intelligent animal tried
to keep from stirling the body with
his hoofs But that was not possible
A YELL hideous in lis passion, signaled
this feat Of horsernanship.