The Elk Mountain pilot., 1922-12-28

L.
-fering thunder, The shade Of anxi-,
on his face changed to one OF ,lur
gloom and passion Next to his wifo
and daughter there was nothing So
dear to him as his white horses FIJI
father and his grandfather-all his
progenitors of whom he had trace
had been lovers Of horses. 1t was in
Belongs blood.
"Laddy, before it's too late can't
get the whites away from the borderY"
II. reckon we'd better stick here.
Tom. -. Dick. it's some good to
see you again. But you seem kinda
quiet. Shore you get quieter all the
time. Did you see any sign Of Jim
out Sonoyta way?
Then Belding led the lame horse to-
ward the watering-trough, while the
two rangers went toward the house.
Dick was telling Ladd about the af-
fair at Papago well when they turned
the corner under the porch. Nell was
sitting in the door. She rose with a
little scream and came flying toward
them.
Now I'll get it," whispered Ladd.
'The women II make baby of me.
An shore I can't help myself"
"oh, Laddy, you've been hdrtf'
cried, Nell, as with white cheeks and
dilating eyes. she ran to him and
caught his arm.
Shore Nell. it's only a scratch
My bronch throwed me-"
''Laddy, no horse ever threw you
You've been shot! Mamma,
here's Laddy, and he's been shot. :.
oh, these dreadful days we're having!
can't bear them Forlorn River used
| to be so safe and quiet. Nothing
happened. But now Jim comes home
| with bloody hole In him-then Dick
then Laddyi =. Oh, I'm afraid
some day they'll never come home"
The morning was bright, still. and
clear as crystal. The heat waves had
not yet begun to rise from the desert.
Nell sat perched high upon the top
most bar Of the corral gate. Dick
leaned beside her, now with his eyes
on her face, now gazing out into the
alfalfa field where Belongs thorough
breds grazed and pranced and romped
and whistled. Nell watched the
horses. She loved them. never tired
of watching them. But her gaze was
too consciously averted from the
| yearning eyes that tried to meet hers
to be altogether natural
great fenced field Of velvety green
| alfalfa furnished a rich background
for. the drove Of about twenty white
horses. Blanco Diablo was the only
one in the field that was not free to
| roam and Craze where he listed. A
stake and halter held him to one
corner where he was severely let
alone by the other horses. He did not
| like this isolation. Blanco Diablo was
not happy unless he was running. or
4! fighting a rival OF the two-he would
rather fight. If anything white could
resemble a devil, this horse surely
| did. He had nothing beautiful about
him. yet he drew the gaze and held
1t. The look of him suggested dis
content, anger. revolt, viciousness
| When he was not grazing or prancing,
he held his long. lean head level, point
| ing his nose and showing his teeth.
| Belongs favorite was almost all, the
world to him, and he swore Diablea
could stand more heat and thirst and
cactus than any other horse he owned.
and could run down and kill any
horse In the Southwest.
The cowboys admitted some Of
Belongs claims for Diablo, but they
gave loyal and unshakable allegiance
fak ho hoA ,
| 10 fight himself to keep out Of argu-
ments for he sometimes imagined he
was unreasonable about the horse.
Though he could not understand him
| self, he knew he loved Sol as a man
loved a friend, a brother. Free Of
| heavy saddle and the clumsy leg
shields. Blanco Solswas somehow all
satisfying to the eyes of the rangers..
Fhe dazzling -whiteness of the desert
| siin shone from his goat; he had the
| Are and spirit of the desert In his
noble head, its strength and power in
| his gigantic frame.s
"Belding swears Sol never beat
| Diahlo," Dick was saying.
"He believes It," replied Nell Dad
is queer about that horse"
"T'ye often. wondered now beiding
ever came to give Blanco Sol to me-
said Dick.
IT, think he ,wapted toseet rid of
Sol"
"NSaybe. He surely has strange pas,
sion for horses I think understand
| better than used to. ! owned
couple Of racers once. They we're
Inst animals to me- I guess. But
Blanco Soil"
'.Do you love him" asked Nell and
now warm. blue fash Of eyes swept
his face.
.'Do I? Well, rather"
I'm glad. Sol has been finer, a
better horse since you owned him. He
loves you. Dick. Sol always hated
Diablo. and never had much use for