The Lamar register., 1923-02-07
CHAPTER xI
Across Cactus and L.va.

At the far corner of the field Yaqui
halted, and slowly the line of white
horses merged into compact mass.
Yaqui slipped out of his saddle. He
ran his hand over Diablo's nose and
spoke low. and repeated this action
for each of the other horses. Gale
had long ceased to question the
strange Indians behavior. There was
no explaining or understanding many
of his maneuyers But the results of
them were always thought-provoking
Gale had never seen horses stand so
silently as In this instance: n" stamp
no champ Of bit-no toss Of head
no shake Of saddle or pack-no heave
or snort II seemed they had become
imbued with the spirit OF the Indian.
Yaqui moved away into the shadows
as noiselessiy as IL he were one of
them. The darkness swallowed him.
He had taken a direction parallel with
the trail. Gale wondered II Yaqui
meant to try to lead his string of
horses by the rebel sentinels.
The Indian appeared as he had van
ished. He might have been part of
the shadows. But he was there. He
started off down the trail leading
Dtsblo. Again the white line stretched
slowly out. Gale fell in behind. Peer
Ing low with keen eyes, he made out
three Objects white sombrero,
blanket and Mexican lying face
down. The Yaqui had stolen upon this
sentinel ike silent wind OF death.
Once under the dark lee Of the river
bank Yaqui caused another halt, and
he disappeared as before. Moments
passed. The horses held heads up,
looked toward the glimmering camp
fires and listened. Gale thrilled with
the meaning of IL all-the night-the
siIence-the Highland the wonderful
Indian stealing with the slow inev-
itableness of doom upon another sen
tinel
Suddenly the Indian stalked out OF
the gloom. He mounted Dlablo and
headed across the river. Once more
the line OF moving white shadows
stretched out. Gale peered sharply
along the trail. and. presumably. on
the pale sand under cactus. there
lay blanketed form. prone. out
stretched. cnrbine clutched in one
hand, a cigarette. still burning. In the
other.
The cavalcade of white horses
passed within five hundred yards OF
rampfires. around which dark forms
moved In plain sight The lights dis
appeared from time to time, grew
thinner more fiickering. and at last
they vanished altogether. Belding's
fleet and tireless steeds were out in
front: the desert opened ahead wide.
dark. vast Rojas and his rebels were
behind. eating. drinking. careless. The
-omber shadow lifted from Gales
heart He held now an unquenchable
faith in the Yaqui. Belding would he
listening back there along the river.
lie would know Of the escape. He
would tell Nell. and then hide her
,afely As Gale had accepted
strange and fatalistlc foreshadowing
nf toll. blood and agony in this desert
Journey SO he believed in Mercedes
ultimate freedom and happiness. and
his own return to the girl who had
crown dearer than life.
A cold. gray dawn was fleeing be-
fore II rosy sun when laqui halted
the march ut Papago we'll. The horses
were taken TO water. then led down
The arroyo into the grass. Here packs
were slipped, saddles removed. Jim
Lash remarked how cleyerly they had
fooled the rebels
shore they'll be comm along" re
piled Ladd
They built a lire, cooked and ate.
The Yaqul spoke only one word:
sleep" Blankets were spread. Mer-
eedss dropped into = deep slumber.