Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1923-02-01
CHAPTER !
Old Friends.

Richard Gale reflected that his So
journ in the West had been what his
Disguised father had predicted
idling here and dreaming there, with
no objective point or purpose.
1t was reflection such as this, only
more serious and perhaps somewhat
| desperate, that had brought Gale down
| to the border. For some time the
newspapers had been printing news
warfare, United States cavalry pa
trolling the international line. Ameri-
can cowboys fighting with the rebels,
and wild stories of bold raiders and
bandits. Regarding these rumors Gale
was skeptical. But as opportunity,
and adventure, too, had apparently
given him a wide berth in Montana,
Wyoming, Colorado, he had struck
| southwest for the Arizona border,
where he hoped to see some stirring
life.
| 1t was after dark one evening in
early October when Richard arrived
in Casita. There was jostling, jab-
bering, sombreroed crowd of Mexicans
| around the railroad station. He felt
as if he were in a foreign country.
| After a while he saw several men Of
| his nationality, one of whom he en-
gagged to carry his luggage to hotel.
| OF the ,lany people encountered by
Gale most were Nexicans. His guide
explained that the smaller half of
| Casita lay in Arizona, the other half
| in Mexico, and of several thousand
| inhabitants the majority belonged on
the southern side Of the street, which
| was the boundary line. He also
said that rebels had entered the town
that day, causing good deal Of ex-
! citeTuent.
| Gale was almost at the end of his
| finartial resources, which fact ocea-
stoned him to turn away from a pre-
| tentious hotel and ask his guide for
a cheaper lodging house. When this
was found, a sight of the Ioungers in
the Office, and also a desire for COM
fort, persuaded Gale to change his
travelling clothes for rough outing
garb and boots.
"Well, I'm almost broke" he solilo-
ouized, thoughtfully. "The governor
/ said wouldn't make any money. He's
right-so far. And he said I'd be
coming home beaten. There he's
wrong. I've got a bunch that some
thing IL happen to me in this Greaser
| town."
He went out into the wide, white
washed, high-ceiied corridor, and
from that into an immense room
| which, but for pool tables, bar and
benches, would have been like a
courtyard. Bare-legged, sandal-footed
Mexicans in white rubbed shoulders
with Mexicans mantled in black and
red. There were black-bearded,
coarse-visaged Al ~ricans, some gam
bling round the little tables, others
! drinking. There we're khaki-cIad cav
alrymen strutting In ana out.
At one end of the room. somewhat
| apart from the general melee, was a
group o! six men round little table,
fcur Of w I'm were seated, the other
two standing. These last two drew
second glance from Gale. The
sharp-featured bronzed faces and
piercing eyes, the tall, slender, loosely
| iointed bodies, the quiet, easy, ! sck-
less air that seemed to be a part of
/ the men-these things would plainly
have staLped them G cowboys with
out the buckle sombreros, the col
ored scarfs the high-topped, high
heeled boots with great silver-roweled
spurs.
Ee satisfied his hunger in q re .au-
rant adjoining, and $ he sepped
back into the saloon man wearing
military cape jostled him. Apollo
gies from both were instant. Gale was
moving on when the other stopped
short as if startled, and leaning for
ward, exclaimed:
"Dick Gale? IF this isn't great
Don't you know me?"
give heard your voice somewhere, y
replied Gale. "Maybe I'll recognize
Won if YOU came out from under that
bonnet"
/ For answer the man, suddenly mani
Testing thought of himself, hurriedly
drew Gale into tn restaurant where
he thrust back his hat to disclose q
handsome, sunburned face.
George Thorne! SO help me"
"'S-s-ssh. You needn't YELL" inter
rupted the other, as he met Gales
outstretched hand. There was a close
hard. straining grip. 81 must not be
recognized here. There are reasons
I'll explain in a minute Say, but it's
fine to see you! Five years, Dick, five
years since I saw you run Gown Uni
versity field and 'spread-eagle the
whole Wisconsin football team
Don't recollect that" replied Dick
laughing. George, I'll bet you I'm
gladden. to see you than you are to
see me. It seems so long. You went
into the army, didn't you"
81 did. I'm here now with the
Ninth cavalry. But-never mind me-
What're you doing way down here?'