The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1922-11-25
lContinued from hss ,ssus>
Moreover, bad as the choya was for

MOrcOVeT, Ddu dS CLc CnOyd was 1Of
man, it was infinitely worse for beast
A Jagged stab from this poisoned cac.
tus was the only thing Blanco Sol
could not stand. Many times that day,
before he carried Mercedes, he had
wildly snorted, and then stood trem-
bling while Gale picked broken thorns
from the muscular legs. But after
Mercedes had been put upon Sol Gale
made sure no choya touched him.
The afternoon passed like the morn
ing, in ceaseless winding and twist
ing and climbing along this abandoned
trail. Gale saw many waterholes,
mostly dry, some containing water, all
of them catch-basins. full only after
rainy season., Little ugly punched
bushes, that Gale scarcely recognized
as mosquitoes. grew near these holes !;
also stunted ,greasewood and prickly
pear. There was no grass, and the
choya alone fourished in that hard
soil.
Darkness overlook the party as they
unpacked beside a pool of water deep
under an overhanging shelf of lava.
1t had been a hard day. The horses
drank their fill. and then stood pa
tiently with dropping heads. Hunger
and thirst were appeased, and warm
| fire cheered the weary and footsore
fugitives. Yaqui said, "Sleep." And
so another night passed.
Upon the following morning, ten
miles or more up the slow-ascending
lava slope. Gale was in the rear of
all the other horses, so as to take,
for Mercedes sake, the advantage Of
the broken trail. Yaqul was leading
Diablo, winding around break. His
head was, bent as he stepped slowly
and unerenly upon the lava. Gale
turned to look back, the first time in
several days. He thought, Of course,
Of Rojas in certain pursuit; but it
seemed absurd. to look for him.
Yaqut led, on, and Gale often glanced
up from his task to watch the Indian.
Presently Ae saw him stop, turn, and
then Jim ;and7Thorne. Gale found the
desire irresistible. Thereafter he;
often rested Blanco Sol, and looked
back the while. He had his field
glass, but did not choose to use it.
"Rojas will follow" said Mercedes.
Gale regarded her. in amaze. The
tone of her Voice had been indefinable.
If there were fear then he failed to
detect it. She was gazing back down
the colored slope, and something about
her, perhaps the steady, falcon gaze
Of her magnificent eyes, reminded him
of Yaqui.
Many times during the ensuing hour
the Indian faced about, and always
his followers did likewise. It was high
noon, with the sun beating hot and
the lava radiating heat, when Yaqui
halted for rest. The horses punched
and dropped their heads. The rangers
were about to slip the packs and re-
move saddles when Yaqui restrained
them.
He fixed a change1ess, cleaning gaze
on the slow descent; but did not seem
to look afar.
Suddenly. he uttered his strange
cry-the one Gale considered involun-.
tary, or else significant Of some tribal
trait or feeling. Yaqui pointed down
the lava slope, pointing with finger
and arm and neck and head--his
whole being seemed to have been ami
mated and then frozen.
ashore he sees somethin'," said
Ladd. "But my eyes are no good"
II reckon I amt sure of mine," re-
piled Jim. I'm bothered by dim
movin' streak down there"
Thorne gazed eagerly down as he
stood beside Mercedes, who sat mo-
tionless facing the slope. Gale looked
and looked till he hurt his eyes. Then
he took his glass out Of it's case on
Soils saddle.
There appeared to be nothing upon
the lava but 'the innumerable dots Of
choya shining In the sun. Gale swept
his glass slowly forward and back.
Then into nearer field Of vision crept
a long white-and-blacb line of horses
and men. Without a word he handed
the glass 10 Ladd. = The ranger used
it, mutterflg to himself. 3S -.
"They'rd on the lava fifteen miles
down in ahsalr line he SAID present. /
ly. slim, sh0re they're twtee that an.
more accotyfifi to the trail,"".H~ IT, J
Jim had his look and replied: II
reckon we're q day an a night in the
lead" e. =. * =.
IFS it Roias?" burst out Thorne
with set jaw..f5. -
Eyes. Iherne. It's Rojas and a
dozen or more" replied Gale, and he
looked up at Mercedes.
She was transformed. She might
have been medieval princess en-
bodying all the. Spanish power and
passion Of that time. breathing re-
venge. hate. unquenchable spirit of
fire. If her beauty had been wonder
full in her helpless and appealing mo-
ments, now, when" she looked back
white-faced and flame-eyed, it was
transcendent
Gale drew q long. deen breath The