The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1922-12-27

akin TO jealousy seetdeG to be Of the
beautiful something for which Mer-
cedes stood in Thorne's l!fc. Gale
then 4rasped the howilderIng posi-.
hultles. the Infinite wonder NJ what
a glrl could mean to a man.
The desert began to tighten. Gray
openings ln 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 q
rugged Lotched range.
Senior am cold" said Mercedes.
Dick had been carrying his coat
upon his arm He stopped the horse
and raised the coat up. and helped
Mercedes put ii on.
Il should have thought OF you" he
aid. But ! seemed to feel warm. -.
The coats a little large: we might
wrap II around you twice"
Mercedes smiled and lightly thanked
him in Spanish. He was about to start
Hhen he observed that Ladd had halt
I'd and was Beering ahead in evident
caution Mercedes horse began TO
stamp impafientiy. raised his ears and
head. and acted as II he was about TO
neigh
A warning hist from Ladd babe
Dick put . quletins hand on the
horse. Lash came noiselessly forward
to join his companion. The two then
listened and watched.
Presently Lash went to the rear
and Ladd started ahead. The prog
rsss now. however. was considerably
slower, not owing to q bad road-for
that became better-but probably ow-
ing to caution exercised by the cow
boy xuide. At the end OF q half hour
this marked elaboration changed. and
the horses followed Ladd's at gait
that put Gale to his best walking
PAGES.
His steps were halted by Ladds &C
tions The cowboy refined In his horse,
listened q moment. then swung down
out of the saddle. He raised eau
tioning hand TO the others. then
slipped into the gloom and disap-
peared. Gale marked that the halt
had been made In II ridsed and cut-up
pass between low mesas. To the right,
up under The lodges some distance
away. stood two square black objects.
too uniform. he thought. to he rocks.
While he was peering al them, uncer-
tain what TO think. the shrili whistle
OF horse peAled out, to be follow ed
by the rafting of hoofs on hard stone.
Then d dog barked. AT the same
moment that Ladd hurriedly APP
pesred IN the road = light shone out
and danced before one OF the square
black objects
Keep close an don't make no
noise" he whispered. and led his
horse at right angles on the road.
Gale followed. leading Mercedes
horse As he turned he observed that
Lash also had dismounted.
To keep closely at Ladd's heels
without brushing the cactus or STUN
bling over rocks and depressions was
a task Gale found impossible. II was
no easy matter to lead spirited horse
through the dark. winding lanes walled
by thOrns. Dick saw that the travel
was fast. but by no means nois eless.
The pack animals at times crashed and
ripped through the narrow places. II
seemed to Gale that anyone within
q mile could have heard these sounds.
Presently Ladd led out into q
wider lane that appeared to run
straight The cowboy mounted his
horse. and this convinced Gale that
they had circled back to the road.
The march proceeded then once more
at a good, steady. silent walk. When
Dick consulted his watch he was
amazed to see the hour was still early.
He asked Mercedes II she was cold,
and she answered that she was, speak
ing especially of her feet. which were
growing numb. Then she asked to be
helped down to walk awhile. AT tirst
she was cold and lame. and accepted
the helping hand Dick proffered. After
d little, however. she recovered and
went on without assistance. They
had reached the summit OF what was
evidently high ridge sloped with
much greater steepness on the fur
side. II was only after few more
forward steps, however. that Dick
could see down the slope. Then full
In view flashed bright campfire
around which clustered group Of
dark figures. They were encamped In
8 wide arroyo, where horses could be
seen grazing In black patches OF grass
psswssp clusters Of trees A second