The Elk Mountain pilot., 1923-01-25
/ ANp oRoTHeas.

lay a blanketed form. prone, out
stretched. a carbine clutched in one
hand. a cigarette, still burning, in the
other.
The cavalcade Of white horses
passed within five hundred yards of
campfres. around which dark forms
moved In plain sight. The lights dis
appeared from time to time, grew
DINNER, more flickering, and at last
they vanished altogether Belongs
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
somber shadow lifted from Gales
heart. He held now an unquenchable
faith In the Yaqui. Bedding would be
listening back there along the river
He would know of the escape He
would tell Nell. and then hide her
safely AS Gale had accepted a
strange and fatalistic foreshadowing
of 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
grown dearer than life.
A cold, gray dawn was fleeing be-
fore a rosy sun when Yaqui halted
the march at 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 cleverly they had
fooled the rebels
"Shore they'll be comm along" re-
piled Ladd. 0is.S
They built fire. cooked and ate.
The Yaqui spoke only one word ::
sleep" Blankets were spread. Mer-
cedes dropped into deep slumber,
her head on Thornes shoulder. Ex-
element kept Thorne awake. The
two rangers dozed beside the fire.
Gale shared the Yaqui's watch. At
the end of three hours the rangers
grew active, Mercedes was awak-
ened; and soon the party faced west
ward, their long shadows moving be-
fore them. Yaqui led with BlancO
Diablo in long. easy lope. The
heated air lifted, and incoming cur
rents from the west swept low and
hard over the barren earth In the
distance, all around the horizon, accu-
mutations Of dust seemed like ranging.
mushrOOming yellow clouds.
Yaqui was the only one of the fu-
gitives who never looked back. Gale
had conviction that when Yaqui
shining plain beyond. there would be
reason for 1t. But when the sun lost
It's heat and the wind died down Yaqui
took long and careful surveys west
ward from the high points on the
trail. Sunset was not far off. and
there In bare. spotted valley lay
Coyote tanks. the only waterhole he
tween Papago well and the Sonoyta
oasis. Gale used his glass, told Yaqui
there was no smoke. no sign of life:
stIll the Indian fixed his falcon eyes
on distant spots and looked long. No
further advance was undertaken The
Yaqui headed south and travelled
slowly, climbing to the brow of bold
height of weathered mesa. There he
sat his horse and waited No one
questioned HIM The rangers dis
mounted to stretch their legs. and
Mercedes was lifted to rock, where
she rested. Thorne had gradually
Yielded to the deserts influence for
silence. He spoke once or twice to
Gale. and occasionally whispered to
Mercedes. Gale fancied his friend
would soon learn that necessary
speech In desert travel meant a few
greetings. a few words to make real
the fact of human companionship,
few short. terse terms for the busi-
ness of the day or night. and perhaps
stern order or soft call to horse.
The sun went down, and the golden,
rosy wells turned to blue and shaded
darker till twilight was there in the
valley. Darkness approached, and the
clear peaks faded. The horses stamped
to be on the move.
"Malo" exclaimed the Yaqui.
He did not point with arm, but his
falcon head was outstretched. and his
piercing eyes gazed at the blurring
spot which marked the location of
Coyote tanks.
"Jim, can you see anything?" asked
Ladd.
Nope, but 1 reckon he can"
Then Ladd suddenly Strengthened
up, turned to his horse, and muttered
low under his breath.
Il reckon so." said Lash. and for
once his easy, good-natured tone was
not in evidence. His voice was
harsh.
Gales eyes, keen as they were, were
last of the rangers to see tiny needle
points of light just family perceptlble
In the blackness.
'Laddyl Campfires?' he asked.
quickly.
"Shore's you're born. my boy"
How many7"