The Elk Mountain pilot., 1923-03-01

Of his tongue.
"Shore-this's hi" he whispered.
That was characteristic speech for
the ranger. Gale thought; and indeed
1t made all who had heard 1t smile
while their eyes were wet.
From that time forward Ladd
gained. but he gained so immeasurably
slowly that only the eyes of hope
could have seen any Improvement.
Jim Lash threw away his crutch, and
Thorne was well. II still somewhat
weak. before Ladd could lift his arm
or turn his head. His whispers grew
stronger. And the day arrived when
Gale. who was perhaps the least op-
timistic. threw doubt to the winds
and knew the ranger would get well
Boys, come round" said Lad,l. in
his low voice. AN you. Mercedes
An call the Yaqui"
Ladd lay In the shade of the hr-'s'
shelter that had been erecte' Ti'"re
seemed little Of him but ling. lean
lines, and II It had not been for his
keen. thoughtful. kindly eyes, his face
would have resembled death mask
Of man starved.
ashore I want to know what day
is 1t an what month"; asked Ladd.
Nobody could answer him. The
question seemed surprise to Gale,
and evidently was so to the others.
Look at that cactus" went on
Ladd.
II reckon according to that giant
cactus it's somewheres along the end
of March," said Jim Lash. soberly
"Shore It's April. Look where the
sun is. An can't you feel it's gettin'
hot?"
"Supposin' 1t is April7" queried
Lash, slowly.
well, what I'm drivin' at Is It's
about time you all was hittin' the trail
back to Forlorn River, before the
waterholes dry out"
'Laddy. reckon we'll start soon
as you're able to be put on a hoss."
"Shore that1l be too late"
A silence ensued, In which those
who heard Ladd gazed fixedly at him
and then at one another. Lash un-
easily shifted the position of his lame
leg, and Gale saw him moisten his lips
with his tongue.
Charlie Ladd, I amt reckonin' you
mean we're to ride off an leave you
here?"
"What else is there to do? The
hot weather's close. Pretty soon most
of the waterholes will be dry. You
can't travel then. I'm on my
back here. an God only knows when
| could be packed ont. Not for weeks,
mebbe I'll never be any good again
even If / was TO get out alive.
You see. shore this sort of case comes
round sometimes in the desert. It's
common enough. I've heard of sew
eral cases where men had to go an
leave feller behind. It's reasonable.
If you're fightin' the desert you can't
afford to be sentimental. Now,
as / said, Pm all in. So what's the
sense of you waitin' here, when it
means the old desert story? BY goin'
now mebbe you'll get home. Shore
now, boys, you'll see this the right
way? Jim, old pard?"
mo, Laddy, an can't figger how
you could ever ask me-"
"Shore then leave me here with va
qui an couple Of the hosses. We
can eat sheep meat. An If the water
holds out"
mol" interrupted Lash, violently.
Ladd's eyes sought Gales face.
"Son, you amt bull-headed like Jim.
You'll see the sense of it. There's
Nell a-waitin' back at Forlorn River.
Think what 1t means to heri You'll
go. son, won't your"
Dick shook his head.
The ranger turned his gaze upon
Thorne, and now the keen, glistening
eyes had blurred.
''Thorne. it's different with you.
Jim's fool, an young Gale has been
punctured by choya thorns. He's got
the desert poison in his blood. But
you now-you've no call to stick-you
can find that trail out. Take your
wife an go. Shore you'll go.
Thorne?'
Deliberately and without a mo-
ment's hesitation the cavalryman re-
piled mo"
Ladd tnen directed his appeal to
Mercedes. His face was now con-
vulsed, and his voice, though it had
sunk to a whisper, was clear, and
beautiful with some rich quality that
Gale had never before heard in 1t.
Mercedes, you're a woman. You're
the woman we fought for. An some
of us are shore goin' to die for you.
Don't make II all for nOthin' Let MS
MzSNlN ,r-.