The Bolivar County Democrat., 1923-02-03

| trouble between here and Caslta, L
sent him that way. Since you've been
out our friend Carter lost a bunch OF
horses and a few steers. Did you get
a good look at the horses those raid
ers had at Papago well?"
| Dick had learned, since he had be-
come ranger, to see everything with
keen, sure, Photographic eye; ana, De-
| ing put to the test so often required OF
him, he described the horses as
dark-colored drove, mostly bays and
blacks, with one spotted sorrel.
"Some Of Carter's-sure as you're
| born % exclaimed Belding.
"Well, what shall l do nowT asked
Dick.
Stay here and rest bluntly replied
Belding. "You need it. Let the wom-
en- fuss over you-doctOr you a little.
When Jim gets back from Sonoyta Ill
know more about what we ought to
do"
Gale had received several letters
from his sister Elsie, the last of
which he had not answered. There
had not been much opportunity for
writing on his infrequent returns to
Forlorn River; and, besides, Elsie had
written that her father had stormed
over what he considered Dicks falling
into wild and evil ways.
"Time flies" said Dick. George
Thorne will be free before long, and
he'll be coming out. wonder If he'll
stay here or try to take Mercedes
away"
"Well, he'll stay right here In For
lorn River, If have any say" replied
Belding. I'D like to know how he'd
ever get that Spanish girl out Of the
country now, with all the trails over
run by rebels and raiders. It'd be
hard to disguise her Say, Dick. may
be we can get Thorne to stay here.
You know, since you've discovered
the possibility of big water supply,
lorn River. If only this war
was over!"
The discovery that Belding alluded
to was one that might very well lead
to the making of wonderful and
| agricultural district of Altar valley.
While in college Dick Gale had studied
| engineering, but he had not set the
scientific world afire with his bril-
lance. --,evertheless, his smattering
Of engineering skill bore fruit in the
last place on earth where anything
might have been expected of it-in
the desert. Gale had always Won
dered about the source Of Forlorn
River. He had discovered long, mar
row, rock-bottomed and rock-walled
gulch that could be damned at the
lower end by the dynamiting Of lean
ing cliffs above. An inexhaustible
supply of water could be stored there.
Furthermore, he had worked out an
irrigation plan to bring the water
down for mining uses, and to make a
paradise out Of that part Of Altar
valley which lay in the United States.
Belding claimed there was gold in the
arroyos, gold in the gulches, not in
quantities to make a prospector re-
joice, but enough to work for. And
the soil on the higher levels of Altar
valley needed only water to make it
grow anything the year round. Gale,
too, had come to have dreams of a
future for Forlorn River.
On the afternoon of the following
day Ladd unexpectedly appeared lead
ing lame and lathered horse into the
yard. The legs of the horse were raw
| and red, and he seemed about to drop.
Ladd's sombrero was missing; he
wore a bloody scarf round his head;
sweat and blood and dust had formed
crust on his face; little streams Of
| powdery dust slid from him; and the
lower half of his SCARED chaps were
full of broken white thorns.
"Howdy, boys" he drawled. II
shore am glad to see you ALL"
daddy, go In the house to the
women" said Bedding. "Tll tend to
your horse"
"Shore, Tom, in minute. I've been
down the road. An I found hoss
tracks and steer tracks goin' across
the line. But seen no sign Of raid
ers till this mornin'. Slept at Carter's
last night. That raid the other day
cleaned him out. He's shootin' mad
Well, this mornin' I rode plumb into
a bunch Of Carter's hOsses, runnin'
wild for home. Some Greasers were
tryin' to head them round an chase
them back across the line. I rode in
between an made matters embarras-
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