Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1923-07-27

gun. Gale tnOught ne was dead
Upon examination, however, II was
found that Ladd still lived, though he
had many wounds. Gale lifted him
and carried him back to the others
"He's alive, but that's ALL" said
Dick, as he laid the ranger down. ''DO
what you can. Stop the blood. Lad
dy's tough as cactus, you know. I'll
hurry back for Mercedes and Yaqui."
Gale, like fleet, sure-footed noun
tain sheep, ran along the trail He
came upon Mercedes and the Yaqui.
She ran right into Dicks arms, and
then her strength, If not her courage,
broke and she grew lax.
Mercedes, you're safe Thorne's
safe. It's all right now"
'Rojas !" she whispered.
"Gone To the bottom of the
craterl A Yaquis vengeance Mer-
cedes."
He heard the girl whisper the name
of the Virgin. Then he gathered her
up in his arms.
"Come, Yaqui."
The Indian grunted. He had one
hand pressed close over a bloody place
in his shoulder Gale looked keenly
at him. Yaqui was inscrutable, as Of
old, yet Gale somehow knew that
wound meant little to him. The In
dian followed him.
Gale carried Mercedes up to the
rim and along to the others. Jim Lash
worked awkYardly over Ladd. Thorne
was trying to assist. Ladd, himself,
was conscious, but he was a pallid,
apparently a death-stricken man.
The greeting between Mercedes and
Thorne was calm-strangely so, it
seemed to Gale. But he was now
calm himself Ladd smiled at him,
and evidently would have spoken had
he the power. Yaqui then Joined tn
group, and his piercing eyes rovet
from one to the other, lingering long
est over Ladd.
"Dick, I'm figger'n' hard" said Jim,
family "In a minute it'll be up to
you an Mercedes. I've about shot my
bolt. Reckon you'll dO-best by
bringin' up blankets-water- salt
firewood. Laddy's got-one chance
in hundred. Fix him up-frst Use
hot salt water. If my legs broken
set it best you can. That hole in
Yaqui-onlyIl bother him day
Thorne's bad hurt Now rustic
Dick, old-boy"
Lash's voice died away in a husky
whisper, and he quietly lay back,
stretching out all but the crippled leg.
Gale examined 1t, assured himself tlse
bones had not been broken, and then
rose ready to go down the trail
mercedes, hold Thorne's head up,
in your lap-so Now I'll 60"
On the moment Yaqui appeared to
have completed the binding of his
wounded shoulder and he started to
follow Gale. The descent to the ar
royo was swift and easy. Gale hastily |
put together the things he needed; |
and, packing them all in a tarpaulin,
he turned to retraee his steps up the
trail.
Darkness was setting in. The trail
was narrow, exceedingly steep, and In
some places fronted on precipices
Gales burden was not very heavy, but
its bulk made it unwieldy, and it was
always overbaIancing him or knocking
against the wall side of the trail. At
last they reached a level, and were
soon on the spot with Mercedes and
the injured men.
Gale then set to work. Yaqul's part
was to keep the fire blazing and the
water hot, Mercedes to help Gale In
what way she could. Gale found Laid
had many wounds, yet not one of them
was directly in a vital place. Evi-
IDENTIFY, the ranger had almost bled to
death. He remained unconscious
through Gales operations.
Jim Lash came out of his stupor. A
bullet had torn a great
hole in his leg. Gale upon examina-
ton. could not be sure the bones had
been missed, but there was no bad
break. The application of hot salt
water made Jim groan. When he had
been bandaged and laid beside Ladd,
Gale went on to the cavalryman. A
furrow had been plowed through his
scalp down to the bone. When 1t had
been dressed, Mercedes collapsed.
Gale laid her with the three in row
and covered them with blankets and
the tarpaulin.
Then Yaqui submitted to examina-
tion. A bullet had gone through the
Indians shoulder. To Gale 1t appeared
serious. Yaqui said It was flea bite.
But he allowed Gale to bandage 1t,
and obeyed when he was told to lie
1uiet in his blanket beside the fire.
Gale stood guard. The hour had
come for him to face his great prob
EN-. 1t was natural that he hung back
/ little at first; natural that when he
went forward to look at the quiet
sleepers he did so with a grim and
stern force urging him. Yaqui stirred,
yawned, got up; and, though !
le did not smile at Gale, a light /