Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1922-12-14

SssAd
thing as you came out?" asked Bel
ding, with twinkling eyes.
"Why, yes; | met something white
and swift flying by" replied Dick.
"That was Nell Burton, my girl
Stepdaughter, / should say" said Bel
ding. "She's sure some whirlwind, as
Laddy calls her. Come, let's go in
and meet the wife"
In Mrs. Bedding, Gale found a wom-
an of noble proportions and striking
appearance. Her hair was white. She
had a strong, serious, well-lined face
that bore haunting evidences of past
beauty. The gaze she gent upon him
was almost piercing in it's intensity
Her greeting, which seemed to Dick
rather slow in coming, was kind
though not cordial. Gales first
thought, after he had thanked these
good people for their hospitality, was
to inquire about Mercedes. Mrs. Bel
ding said the girl had suffered no
great hardship, other than mental, and
would very soon be rested and well.
"Now, Gale" said Bedding, when his
wife had. excused herself to get sup
per, "the boys, Jim and Laddy, told
me about you and the miX-up at Ca
sta. I'll be glad to take care of the
girl till it's safe for your soldier
friend to get her out of the country.
That won't be very soon, don't mis-
take me. l don't want to seem
Over-curious about you-Laddy has
interested me in you-and straight
out I'd like to know what you propose
to do now"
81 haven't any plans" replied Dick;
and, taking the moment as prOpitious,
he decided to speak frankly concern
ing himself. II just drifted down
here. My home is in Chicago. When
| left school some years agO-Im
twenty-five nOw-I went to work for
my father. He's-he has business in
terests there. / tried all kinds of in
side Jobs. | couldn't please my ia
Their To tell you frankly, Mr.. Bel
ding, I suppose l didn't much care"
what do you want to do?"
Il want a mans job. l want to do
things with my hands. l want action.
| want to be outdoors"
Bedding nodded his head as if he
understood that and he began to
speak again, cut something short, then
went on, hesitatingly:
nC0la-IoI1 oo11l1 hOr,a DIN
to the old man-it'd be all right?'
"NIr. Bedding, there's nothing shady
in my past The governor would be
glad to have me home. That's the
only consolation I've got. But I'm
not going. Pm broke. l won't be
tramp. And it's up to me to do
something"
How'd you like to be a border
ranger?" asked Belding laying a hand
on Dicks knee. part of my job
here is United States inspector of i'm
migration. I've got that boundary
line to patriotic keep out Chinks
and Japs. You'll not be hired by the
U. S. You'll simply be my ranger,
same as Laddy and Jim, who have
promised to work for me. I'll pay
you well, give you room here, fur
nish everything down to guns, and the
finest horse You ever saw in your life.
Your job won't be safe and healthy,
sometimes, but it'll be a mans job
don't mistake me! You can gamble
on having things to do outdoors. Now,
what do you say?'
81 accept, and l thank you'll can't
say how much" replied Gale, ear
nestly.
"Good That's settled. Let's 60
out and tell Laddy and jim
Both boys expressed satisfaction
at the turn of affairs, and then with
Bedding they set out to take Gale
around the ranch. The wide grounds
were covered with luxuriant grass
and flowers and different kinds of
trees.
Bedding explained that the luxuri-
ance of this desert place was owing
to few springs and the dammed-up
waters of the Rio ForlOrn.
1--WE got one never-failing spring
on my place" said Bedding. Fine,
sweet water You know what that
means in the desert. l like this oasis.
The longer l live here the better l
like it. It's beautiful and healthy.
Forlorn and lonely, yes, especially for
women like my wife and Nell; but
| like 1t. And between you
and me, boys, I've got something up
my sleeve. There's gold dust in the
arroyOS. and there's mineral up in the
mountains If we only had water
There are possibilities, and | want
you boys to stay with me and get in
on the ground floor. l wish this rebel
war was over. Well, here are
the corrals and the fields. Gale, take
look at that bunch Of horses"
Belongs last remark was made as
he led his companions out of shady
gardens into the open. Gale saw an
adobe shed and huge pen formed
by strangely twisted and cOntorted
branches or trunks of mesquite, and
beyond these, wide, fiat fields, green
dark, rich greenland dotted with