Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-11-10

mettleSOne morse Dule JuuSeu tH"t
she could ride. Lash urged Gale to
take his horse. But this Gale refused
TO do.
"I'll walk" he said. "I'm used to
walking. know cowboys are not" D.
Once started with protection assured
for the girl and a real objective point
in view, Gale relaxed from the tense
strain he had been labOrirg under.
How glad he would have been to ac-
quaint Thorne with their good for
tune! Later, Of course, there would
be some way to get word to the cav
aEyman. But till then what tor
ments his friend would suffer!
II seemed to Dick that very long
time had elapsed since he stepped OFT
the train; and one by one he went
over every detail of incident which
had occurred between that arrival and
the present moment. His meeting
with Thorne; the wonderful black
eyes Of a Spanish girl; her appeal to
him; the hate inspired by Rojas, and
the rush, the blow, the action; sight
of Thorne and Mercedes hurrying
safely away; the girls hands pressing
his to her heaving breast; the sweet
fire of her kiss; the fact Of her being
alone with him, dependent upon him
all these things Gale turned over and
over in his mind, only to fail OF any
definite conclusion as TO which had
affected him so remarkably, or to tell
what had really happened to him.
Had he fallen in love with Thorne's
sweetheart? The idea came in a flash.
Was he, all in an instant, and by one
of those incomprehensible reversals OF
character, jealous of his friend? Dick
was almost afraid to look up at Mer-
cedes. Still he forced himself to do
so. and as 1t chanced Mercedes was
looking down at him. With quick,
graceful impulsiveness she put her
hand upon his shoulder. Like her ap-
pearance, the action was new, strange,
striking to Gale; but 1t brought home
SuUueulN W llllIl lilC AHluAS VI SA"tA
tude and affection In a girl Of her
blood. It was sweet and sisterly. He
knew then that he had not fallen in
love with her. The feeling that was
akin to jealousy seemed to be Of the
beautiful something for which Mer-
cedes stood in Thorne's life. Gale
then graSped the bewlldering posi-
billtieS, the Infinite wonder Of what
q girl could mean to man.
The desert began to tighten. Gray
openings in the border Of shrubby
growths changed to paler hue. In the
east a white glow grew brighter and
brighter, reaching up to line Of
cloud, defined sharply below by
rugged notched range.
"Senor l am cold" said Mercedes.
Dick had been carrying his coat
upon his arm. lie stopped the horse
and raised the coat UP, and helped
Mercedes put it on.
81 should have thought of YOU" he
said. "But I seemed TO feel warm. ;,
The coats little large; we might
wrap it around you twice"
Mercedes smiled and lightly thanked
him in Spanish He was about to start
when he observed that ladd had halt
ed and was peering ahead in evident
caution. Mercedes horse began to
stamp impatiently. raised his ears and
head, and acted as If he was about to
neigh.
A warning Dist" from Ladh bads
Dick put a quieting band OIL thc
hrrse. Lash came noiselessly forward
to join his companion. The two then
listened and watched.
Presently Lash went TO the rear
and Lldd started ahead. The prog
resS now, however, was considerably
slower, not owing to bad road-for
that became better--but probably ow-
Ing to ,aution exercised by the cow
boy guide. At the end Of q half hour
this marked deliberation changed, and
the horses followed Ladd's at q gait
that put Gale to his best walking
PAGES.
His steps were halted by Ladd's ac-
tionS. The cowboy reined in his horse,
listened moment, then swung down
out OF the saddle. He raised caN-
tiOning hand to the others, then
slipped into the gloom and diSap-
peared. Gale marked that the halt
had been made in ridged and cut-up
pass between low mesas. To the right,
up under the lcGges some distance
away, stood two square black objects,
too uniform. lie thought, to he rocks.
While he was pecring at them, uncer-
tain what to think. the Shrill whistle
of horse pealCd out, to be followed
by the rattling Of hOOfS on hard stone.
Then dog barkpd. At the same
moment that Ladd hurricdly ap-
peared in the road a light shOne out
and danced before one Of the square
black objects. y
"Keep close an don't make no
noise" he whispered, and led his
horse at right angles off the road.
Gale followed, leading Mercedes
horse. AS he turned he observed that
Lash also had diSmounted.
To keep closely at Ladd's heels
u.;tho,,+ brucI,inp Tho coctuc or ctI,n-