The Elk Mountain pilot., 1923-01-18
SYNOPSIS

pROLOGUh-SeekinG gold In the des-
man ' whom he later Ys.rns a is y Jon.. 1VSSe war.
asthis but q .r as s.cS N %
warren. and The two proceed toseshsr.
cave, Cameron discovers gold. but too
lats; both mon are dying. Cameron leaves
81 eoiS ana s psrsonsi Socument 10 nS
CHAPTER I.-Richard Gale, adven-
turer. in Casita, Mexican border town.
Ninth cavalry. old college friend. Thorne
tells Gale he Is there to save Mercedes
Castaneda, Spanish girl, his aff1anced
wife, from Rojas, Mexican bandit
CHAPTER .II.-Gale ''roushhouses"
and Thorns escape. x bugie cali from
He leaves Mercedes under Gaie's pro-
lection.
CHAPTER III.-The pair, aided by the
cowboys who had assisted Gale in the
escapes- Charlie Ladd and Jim Lash, ar
iorn River. Well across sva he sboTn Border. a. "
CHAPTER Iv.-The are at
Tom Belongs home. Belding Is immi-
grafton inspector. Living with him are
Gale. with Ladd and asLssi Lash, taxi take Service service
With Beldins as rangers. Gale telling
Belding the cause of his being q wanderer.
. Misunderstanding with his father COR
cerning the sons business abilities-
CHAPTER v.-Mercedes gets word to
Thorne of her safety. Dick also writes
To his parents, informing them of his
whereabouts. NeIl's personality. and her
kindness, attract Gale.
CHAPTER vI.-Riding the range. Gale
falls in with party of three Mexican
raiders encamped at a water hole.
Watching his opportunity to GUST them.
he sees two Indians ride into the camp.
wounded. and the Mexicans seek to xiii
him in cruel way. Dick drives them
off. conveying. the wounded Yaqui to
Belongs ranch.
CHAPTER vII.-The Indian is taken
In. cared for and remains in Belongs
services. becoming Dicks ardent admirer.
Gales admiration for Nell increases, and
tions. Belding's horses, thoroughbreds.
the pride of his life, after his wife and
stepdaughter. are run of by Mexicans.
CHAPTER vIII.-Gale. with Ladd. Lash
and the Yaqui. pursue the raiding party
Five of the six thieves are killed and the
party of whites. with the recovered
horses. return to the ranch in triumph.
CHAPTER Ix-Gale secures from Mrs
Belding what he feels is reluctant per-
s fS oT his % a sfeE faT
confident that he can win her.
CHAPTER Knot getting word from
Thorne. whose period Of army service has
expired. Mercedes loses heart. Nell. al
information Of him. She finds he g q
prisoner Of Rojas. and il instrumental in
ERECTING his escape. bringing him to Mer.
large force Of raiders. appears At Bel
rendered to him Fearing their ability
70 stand on the bandits. i IL. arranged
that the three rangers with the Ya9ui
across the desert to Yuma. where she viii
be in safety The party sets out
Hello, Dick; 1 didn't dream 1t.
then" he said. There you are, ana
my darling with the proud, dark
eyes-she's here? Mercedes is we'll
safel Oil -. But say. 1 haven't
dollar to my name l had lot of
money. Dick, and those robbers stole
1t, my watch-everything D-n that
little black Greaserw =
Cheer up. Bedding will make you
proposition presently. The future
smiles. old friend. If this rebel busi-
ness was only endedl'
"Dick. you're going to be my savior
twice over. Well, now, listen
to me-" His gay excitement changed
to earnest gravity. II want to marry
Mercedes at once. Is there a padre
herer'
"Yes. But are you wise in letting
any Mexican. even a priest, know Mer-
cedes is hidden In Forlorn RIver?"
1T couldn't he hidden long"
Gale was compelled to acknowledge
the truth of this statement.
tn marry her first. then I'll face
my problem. Fetch the padre, Dick.
And ask our kind friends to be wit
nesses at the ceremony"
Much to Gales surprise, neither
Belding nor Ladd objected to the Idea
OF bringing a padre into the house
hold, and thereby making known to at
least one Mexican the whereabouts Of
Mercedes Castaneda. Belongs eau
tion was wearing out In wrath at the
persistent unsettled condition of the
border. and Ladd grew only the cooler
and more silent as possibilities Of
trouble multiplied.
Gale fetched the padre, little,
weakened. timid man who was old and
without interest or penetration. Ap-
parently he married Mercedes and
Thorne ms he told his beads or num-
bied prayer. 1t was Mrs. Bedding
who kept the occasion from being
merry one. and she insisted on not
exciting Thorne. Gale marked her
unusual pallor and the singular depth 4
and sweetness of her voice.
Ihorne could not be kept In bed.
and all in day. 1t seemed, he grew
SO well and so hungry That his friends
were delighted, and Mercedes was
radiant. In few days his weakness
disappeared and he was going the