Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1923-05-10
CHAPTER XVI
Mountain Sheep.

was shut in by the red-rlDbed lava
walls and great dry wastes, matter
calmly accepted as inevitable. So he
5magined it was accepted by the 9th
ers. Not even Mercedes uttered
regret. No word was spoken of home.
nc there was thought of loved ones,
it was locked deep in their minds.
BY tacit agreement Ladd again be-
came the leader of the party. The
first thing he asked was to have the
store Of food that remained spread
out upon a tarpaulin. Assuredly, 1t
was a slender enough supply It was
impossible to read the gravity of
Ladd's face, for he still looked like
a dead man, but the slow shake of his
head told Gale much. There was
grain of hope, however, in the signiti-
canoe with which he touched tie bags
of salt and said, "Shore it was sense
packin' all that salt!"
Then he turned to face his COM
rades.
That's little grub for six starvin'
people corralled in the desert. But
the grub end amt worryin' me. Yaqui
can get sheep up the slopes. Water!
That's the beginnin' an middle an
end of our case
lady, reckon the waterhole here
never goes dry" replied Jim.
"Ask the Indian"
Upon being questioned, Yaqui spoke
of the dreaded ano seco Of the Mexi-
cans. In a dry year this waterhole
failed.
Dick, take a rope an see how much
waters in the hole"
Gale could not find bottom with
dhirty-foot lasso. The water was as
cool, clear sweet as if it had been
kept in a shaded iron receptacle.
Laid welcomed this information
with surprise and gladness. Lets
see. Last year was shore pretty dry.
Mebbe this summer won't be. Mebbe
our wonderful good luck'll hold. Ask
Yaqui il ae thinks it'll RAIN
Mercedes questioned the Indian.
"He says no man can tell surely.
But he thinks the rain will come" she
replied
"Sbore it'll rain, you can gamble
on that now continued Laid. eff
there's only grass for the bosses! We
can't get out of here without bosses.
Dick. take the Indian an scout down
the arroyo. Today seen the bosses
were gettin' fat. Gettin' fat in this
desert! But mebbe they've about
grazed up all the grass. Go an see,
ho0
more good news !"
Gale found that the arroyo widened
as it opened. Near the head, where
it was narrow, patches Of gray grass
grew everywhere. Gale began to won
der where the horses were. Finally
the trees and brush thinned out, and
a mile-wide gray plain stretched down
to reddish sand dunes. Over to one
side were the white horses, and here
was grass enough for many; the ar
royo was indeed an oasis.
Laid and the others were awaiting
Gales report, and they received it
with calmness, yet with a joy no less
evident because it was restrained.
Gale, in his keen observation at the
moment, found that he and his COM
rades turned with glad eyes to the
woman of the party.
"Senor Laddy, you think-you-be-
9ieve-we shall" she faltered. and
her voice failed.
Mercedes, no white man can tell
what'u come to pass out here" said
Iadd. earnestly. ashore I have hopes
now / never dreamed of. ] was pretty
near a dead man The Indian saved
me. Beldin' had it right. Yaqui's
our godsend. Now, as to the future,
I'd like to know mebbe as well as
you If we're ever to get home. Only
bein what l am, I say, Quien sabe?
But somethfn' tells me Yaqui knows.
Ask him, Mercedes. Make him tell
He's a silent Indian, but make him
tell"
Mercedes called to Yaqui. At her
bidding there was always suggestion
of hurry, which otherwise was never
manifest in his actions She put a
hand on his barred muscular arm and
began to speak in Spanish. Her voice
thrilled Gale, though he understood
scarcely a word she said. He did not
need translation to know that here
spoke the longing of woman for life,
love. home, the heritage of a woman's
heart.
"Si!" rolled out the Indians reply.
full of power and depth.
Mercedes drew a long breath, and
her hand sought Thorne's.
'He says yes she whispered. HE
answers he'll save us; he'll take us
all back-he knows y
The Indian turned away to his
tasks. and the silence that held the
little group was finally broken by
Ladd.
sShore 1 said so. Now all we've
got to do is ~se sense. Friends I'm
the commissary department of this
outfit, an what l say goes. You all
won't eat except when / tel, you.
Mebbe it'll not be so hard to keep our
health. Starved beggars don't get
sick. But there's the heat comm, an
we can all go loco, you know. To pass
the time! Lord, that's our problem.
Now. If you all only had a hankerin'
FOR checkers. Shore I'll make a board
an make you play. Thorne, you're
the lucziest. You've got your girl, an
this can be honeymoon. Now with a
few tools an little material see what
a oand house Won cnn bufld for vOur