The Nevada County picayune., 1923-04-12
CHAPTER XVIII
Reality Against Dreams.

Dick Gale was Stauuihe po"
 Nell's slight form, almost hiodeh III his arms Bedding hugged them po.h' Re was like a boy. He saw Ben Chase and his son slip away uiiuei ,ho +raos hut the circumstances meant nothing to him then. "Dick! Dick!" he roared. IS , vou9 Say, who do you thihh here-here. in Forlorn River!
 If was then three more persons cam nnon the scene-Elsie Gale. ruhhih swiftly, her father assisting Mrs. "ai' who appeared about to faint.
 'BelUng! Who on earths that cried Dick, hoarsely. "Ouien sabe, my son. replied be,' ing: and now his voice seemed a iltt ahaky "Nel, come here. Give Ill a chance" NJ Fielding slipped his arm round Ne and whispered in her ear "Ihis Il E great!" ... .. Elsie Gales face was white ana a tated. a face expressing extreme J' "Oh. brother. Mamma saw you papa saw you, and never knew So Rut I knew you when you Jump cu,ck-that way-off your horse. now I don't know you. You wild ms You giant! You splendid barparii
 Mamma, papa, hurry Dick! Look at him. Just iooh him, Oh-h, thank God!
 Bedding turned away and are" with him. In another second she Mercedes were clasped in each oth arms. Then followed a time or Jo' vreetings all round. Diablo found old spirit; Blanco Sol tossed ms and whistled his satisfaction " Woman pranced to and fro; ana an,,v they all settled down to q grazing. How good 1t was Tor bel to see those white shapes against rich background of green! Ills plistened. It was sight he had expected to see again. He ing taere many moments when ne wa to hurry back to his rangers.
 At last he tore himself away watching Blanco piablo and rett to the house. It was only to hnu he might have spared himself the ". Jim and Ladd were lying ol beds that had not held them l many months. Their slumber St as deep and quiet as death. Cur Rald,ne gazed down upon them. had removed only boots aho Their clothes were in tatters. Jl neared little more than sKlh homes. long shape, dark ana ms iron. Ladds appearance si Fielding. The ranger looked man, blasted, shrlyeled, starved
 About the middle of the 10 m the following day the rangel bled out of the kitchen to the
 .Pm il sick man, tell you, was complaining, "an gotta
 Sounl Beef tea! That aint as wind to me. l want aDout of bread an butter, all Whoi tor of mashed potatoes with gr green stuff-all kinds of green an whole big apple pie. " everythin' an anythin' 10 eat bu Shore l never, hS'N'
 meat again, an sight of D sheen meat would jest about ,na Jim. you used tt human bein' that stood up for
 Ladd."
 "Laddy, I'm lined up beside V hoth guns" replied Jim, piai ..Hungry? Say, the siheii oi rast in that kitchen made my water so I near choked to reckon we're gettin' most treatment"
 apnt I'm a sick man, Iadd "an' I'm agoin' to fall
 n,nute if somebody don't ft Nell. you used to be fond or in'
 ooh. Laddy. I am yet" repli' ashore, I don't believe 1t. A with a tender heart just couidi man starve under her eyes. Look at Dick, there. III pet .omathine to eat, mebbe potal gravy, an pie an--
 daddy, Dick has had no Ill
 I gave you-indeed, not ne
 much"
 .Shore he's had lot or kls'
 for he hasn't hollered onet al
 treatment"
 "Perhaps he has, said Nell
 blush; "and if you think th
 would help you to be reas