Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1922-12-29

suffering, miserable wretch. But IN
his case the Judgment would have hit
only exrernals. would have missed the
vital inner truth. For Gale was happy
With a kind of strange wild glory in
the privations. the pains. the perlls'
and the silence and solitude to be en-
dured on this desert land.
He had duty to a man who relied
on his services. He was a comrade, a
friend. valuable ally to riding. hght-
ing rangers. Gales happiness. as far
as II concerned the toll and STRIFE,
was perhaps a grim and stolcal one.
Rut love abided with him, and it had
engendered and fostered other unde-
veloped traits-romance and a feennS
for beauty. and a keen observation OF
nature. He felt pain hut he was
never miserable. He felt the solltuue'
but he was never lonely.
AS he rode across the desert, even
though keen eyes searched for the
moving black dots, the rising puffs OF
white dust that were warnings, ne
saw Nelrs face in every cloud. The
cloon.cut mesas took on the shape OF
her straight profile, with its strong
chin and lips. its fine nose and lore
head There was always a CLINT OF
cold or touch of red or graceful line
or CLEAN of blue to remind MIN OF
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 TO
find Rlanco Sol 1t was pltch-darK
now and Gale could not see a roo
ahead. He felt his way, and present.
lv as he rounded q mesquite he saw
Soils white shape outlined against the
hlackness. Gale battered him In the
likeliest patch of grass and returned
to his camp. There he lifted his sad
die into a 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. lie
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
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, 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 well. Taking his rife 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 ne
was enabled to get closer to the well,
and somewhat above 1t.
The Mexicans we're leisurely cook
ing their morning meal. A slow wrath
stirred in Gale as ne watched the trio.
They showed not the slightest indica-
ton of breaking camp. One fellow,
evidently the leader. packed a gun at
his hip. the only weapon In sight.
Gale noted this with speculative eyes.
Then he saw two Indians on burros
O%h ctd nf hn
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
a Yaqui They came over the knoll
and down the path toward the we'll
turned a 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
IedCeT VI lH6 lIiO, lllS hSAiNdh NiiO
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. as
if 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 sGvagely jo@ose. They We're hav-
ing sport. The two on the ground be
gan to dance and jabber. The mount.
ed leader shot again. and then stuck