The Elk Mountain pilot., 1922-12-21

laws run dcTOSS Lauug III was nti |
likely, for In that event they mI.Ei
not have been 50 comfortable and care
free In camp. Were they waiting for
more members OF their gang? That
was very probable With Gale. how
ever. the most important consider,i-
tion IVES how to get his horse to wa
ter. Sci must have a drink II 1t cost
a fight. There was stern reason for
Gale to hurry eastward along the trail.
He thought II best to go back TO
where he had left his horse and not
make any decisive move until day
light
With the same noiseless care he
had exercised in the advance. Gale re-
treated until 1t was safe for him to
rise and walk on down the arroyo.
He found Blanco Sol contentedly
grazing. Gale carried his saddle.
blankets and bags into the lee of a
little greasewood- covered mound. from
around which the wind had cut the
soil; and here. in a wash, he risked
building a fire. BY this time the wind
was piercingly cold. Gales hands were
numb. and he moved them to and fro
In the little blaze Then he mnde
coffee in a cup. cooked some slices of
bacon on the end of stick. and took
couple of hard biscuits from sad
dlebag. or these his meal consisted.
After that he removed the halter from
Blanco Sol, intending to leave him
free to Craze for while.
Then Gale returned to his little fire,
replenished 1t with short sticks of
dead greasewood and mesquite. and,
wrapping his blanket round his shoul-
ders, he sat down to warm himself
and to wait till 1t was time to bring
in the horse and tie him up.
The fire was inadequate. and Gale
was cold and wet with dew. Hunger
and thirst were with him. His bones
ached, and there was dull, deep
seated pain throbbIng in his unhealed
wound.
Judged by the great average of
ideals and conventional standards Of
life. Dick Gale was a starved. lonely.
suffering. miserable wretch. But in
his case the Judgment would have hit
only externals, would have missed the
vital inner truth. For Gale was happy
with a kind of strange. wild glory in
the privations, the pains. the perils,
and the silence and solitude to he en-
dured on this desert land.
He had duty to man who relied
on his services. He was comrade.
| friend. valuable ally to riding, fight
Ing rangers. Gales happiness. as far
as 1t concerned the toll and strife,
was perhaps grim and stoical one.
But love abided with him, and it had
engendered and fostered other unde-
veloped traits-romance and feeling
for beauty. and keen observation of
nature. He felt pain, but he was
never miserable. He felt the solitude.
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. he
saw Nell's face in every clond. The
clean-cut mesas took on the shape Of
| her straight profile. with Its strong
| chin and lips. it's fine nose and fore
head There was always CLINT OF
| gold or touch of red or graceful line
or CLEAN of blue to remind him of
ther. Then at night her face shone
L
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 Blanco Sol 1t was pitch-dark
now. and Gale could not see rod
ahead. He felt his way, and present.
" as he rounded mesquite he saw
Soils white shape outlined against the
blackness. Gale haltered him In the
likeliest patch of grass and returned
| to his camp. There he lifted his sad
die into protected spot under a 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. He
threw of the wet blanket and got up
cramred and half frozen. A little
brisk rtion was all that was neces-
sary warm his blood and loosen his
mus and then he was fresh,
tinglihg. eager The sun rose in a
golden blaze. and the descending val
ley 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 a drink pretty
soon" he said patting the splendid
neck.
Gale meant 1t. He would not eat till
he had watered his horse. No three
raiders could keep Gale away from
that well. Taking his rifle 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 he
49,. s.ahlod ff, NOT closor tn the we'll