The Nevada County picayune., 1923-03-22
CHAPTER XVI
Mountain Sheep.

What Gale might have thought an appalling situation, if considered from a safe and comfortable home a"aE from the desert, became, now that he was shut in by the red-ribbedZfaNa walls and great dry wastes, q matter calmly accepted as inevitable So he imagined it was accepted by the oth- CTS Not even Mercedes uttered q regret. No word was spoken of home. If 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 tarpaulin. Assuredly. II was slender enough supply. lt was impossible to read the gravity of Ladd's face, for he still looked like q dead man, but the slow shake of hls head told Gale much. There was q grain of hope, however, in the sfgnift- canoe with which he ouched the 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 corralIed in the desert But the grub end amt worryin' me Yaaui can get sheep up the slopes. Water. That's the beginnin an middle an end of our case
 "Laddy, 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 rope an see how much waters In the hole"
 Gale could not find bottom with thirty-foot lasso. The water was as cool clear. sweet as if ii had been kept in shaded iron receptacle.
 Ladd welcomed this information with surprise and gladness. Lets see. Last year was shore pretty dry Mebbe this summer won't be. Mehbe our wonderful good luckIl hold. Ask Yaqui if he thinks it'll rain"
 Mercedes questioned the Indian.
 He says no man can tell surely But he thinks the rain will come she replied
 "Shore It'll rain, you can gamble on that now" continued Ladd "lf there's only grass for the hosses We can't get out of here without bosses. tL In lnNVn the arroyo Today l seen the hosses were gettin' fat Gettin fat In this desert But mebbe they've about grazed up all the grass. Go an see, Dick An may you come back with more good news "
 Gale found that the arroyo widened as it opened Near the head. where 1t 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 che side were the white horses and here was grass enough for many; the ar royo was indeed an oasis,
 Iadd and the others were awaiting Gales report and they received It with calmness, yet with a joy no less evident because 1t was restrained. Gale, in hts keen observation at the moment, found that he and his com rades turned with glad eyes 10 the woman of the party.
 "Senor Laddy, you think-you-be- lieve-we shall" she faltered, and her voice failed
 Mercedes. no white man can tell whatll come to pass out here said LAdd. earnestly. Shore l have hopes now never dreamed of l was pretty near dead man. The Indian saved me. Beldin' had 1t right. Gaquis our godsend. Now, as 10 the future I'd like to know mebbe as well as you if we're ever to get home. Only bein' what l am. l say, Quien sabe2 But somethin' tells me Yaqui knows, Ask him. Mercedes. Make him tell. He's silent Indian, but make him tell"
 Mercedes called to Yaqul. At her bidding there was always u suggestion of hurry, which otherwise was never manifest In his actions. She put Il hand on his barred muscular arm and began to speak Tn Spanish. Her voice thrilled Gale, though he understood seareaIy n word sha astd fe did not