The Nevada County picayune., 1923-03-15

Gale who was perhaps the least op- timistic. threw doubt to the winds and knew the ranger would get well.
 
 Boys. come round, said Ladd, in his low voice An you, Mercedes. An call the Yaqui
 Ladd lay in the shade of the brush shelter that had been erected There seemed little of him but long, lean lines, and if it had not been for his keen thoughtful. kindly eyes, his face would have rp~embIed a death mask of q man starved
 "Shore I want fo know what day is it an what month"; asked Ladd.
 Nobody could answer him The question seemed q surprise 10 Gale, and evidently MS SC to the others. Look at that cactus" went on Ladd.
 sI reckon according to that giant cactus frs someWheres along the end of March" said 55m Lash. soberly Shore it's Afrll. Look where the ~aH is An eaH'tfaH feel it's gettin' hotz2
 .sappesfn il k Aprfl?" qaerted Lash. slowly.
 Well. what I'm drivin' at k it's about time you HI vas hittin' the trail to Forloru River before the waterholcs dry out.
 'Eaddy. reckon we'll start soon as you're able to be put on a hoss' Shore thatIl be loo late"
 \ silence ensued. in which those 0be heard Ladd eazed fxedly at him anI then at one another Lash un- easilF shifted the position of his lame lee. and Gale saw him noisten his lips with his tongue4==
 Charlie Ladd, ain't reckonin' you mean we're to ride off an leave you here2'
 What else k there to do? The hat weather'S close Pretty soon most of the Waterholes will he dry You cont travel then. I'm on my back here. an God only knows when I could be packed oHt Not for weeks. mebte I'll never te any good again. even if I was te eet=ant alive. Y9u see. shore this ~ert of case comes round sometimes in the desert@It's common enough I've heard of sey- eral cases where men had to go an leave feller behind. It's reasonable. f you're fghtiH, the desert you can't afford to be sentimental Now, nj q -IaY Ia sense of you Waittn.here, when 1t means the old desert story? By geln' now mebbe you'll get home. Shore now, boys you'll see this the right way Jim. old pard:2
 No. Laddy an, can't hgser how FoH could ever ask me.
 Shore then leave me here with Ya- qui all Il couple of the hosses. We can eat sheep meat. An if the water holds out"
 No" interrupted Lash. violently.
 Ladd's eyes sought Gales face
 Son, you aint bull-headed like Jim You'll see the sense of it. There's Nell a-waitin' back at Forlorn River hiilh what IL AHtdiiS tp lICi lod II go, son, won't you:a
 Dick shook his head
 The ranger turned his gaze upon Thorne and now the keen, glistening eyes had blurred
 ''Thorne, it's different with you Jim's a fool, an young Gale has been punctured by choya thorns. He's got the desert poison in his blood But you noW-you'ye no call to stick-you can find that trail out Take your wife an go. Shore You'l go Thorne2'
 Deliberately and without d mo- ments hesitation the caynlryman re- piled No"
 Laad then directed his appeal to Mercedes His faee Was now con YHlsed. and his voice, though it had sunk To whisper, was clear. and beautiful with some rich quality that Gale bad never before heard in 1t.
 Mercedes, you're q woman You're the woman we fought for An some of us 8re shore goin to die for you. Don't make it all fer nothin' Let Us
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