The Elk Mountain pilot., 1923-01-25

II
tion of No Name mountains, now los
Ing their last faint traces of the after
glow, and he shook his head. lie
made the same impressive gesture
toward the Sonoyta oasis with the
same somber negation.
Thereupon he turned Diablo's head
to the south and started down the
slope His manner had been decisive
even stern. Lash did not question It
nor did Ladd. Both rangers hesitated
however, and showed strange. almost
sullen reluctance which Gale had
never seen In them before Raiders
were one thing. Rojas was another;
Canine del Diablo still another; but
that vast and desolate and unwatered
waste Of cactus and lava. the Sonora
desert, might appall the stoutest
heart. Gale felt his own sink-felt
himself finch.
"Oh, where is he going? cried Mer-
cedes. Her poignant voice seemed
to break spell.
"Shore. lady, Yaquis goin' home" I"
replied Ladd gently. AN considerin'
our troubles, 1 reckon we ought to
thank God he knows the way"
They mounted and rode down the
slope toward the darkening south.
Not until night travel was obstruct-
ed by a wall of cactus did the Indian
halt to make dry camp. Water and
grass for the horses and fire to cook
by were not to be had. Mercedes bore
up surprisingly; but she fell asleep
almost the instant her thirst had been
allayed. Thorne laid her upon a blan-
ket and covered her. The men ate
and drank. Gale lay down weary of
limb and eve. He heard the soft
thump of hoofs. the sough of wind in
the cactus-then no more.
Day dawned with the fugitives in
the saddle. A picketed wall of cac-
tus hedged them in. yet the Yaqui
made tortuous path, that, zigzag as
1t might, In the main always headed
south.
The Yaqui. If not at fault, was vet
uncertain. His falcon eyes searched
and roved and became fixed at length
at the southwest. and toward this he
turned his horse. The great. fiuted
| saguaros, fifty. sixty feet high. raised
columnal forms. and their branching
limbs and curving lines added grace
to the desert. 1t was the low-bushed
cactus that made the toll and pain of
travel. Yet these thorny forms were
| beautiful.
In the basins between the ridges. to
right and left along the floor of low
plains the mirage gllstened. wavered
God Id xt..I. 1.Ir \
clouds. Inverted mountains hung
suspended in the lilac air andurfaint
tracery of white-walled cities
At noon Yaqui halted the cavalcade.
He had selected field of bisnagi cac-
| tus for the place of rest Presently
his reason became obvious With long
heavy knife he cut off the tops of
these barrel-shaped plants He
scooped out soft pulp, and with stone
and hand then began to pound the
deeper pulp into juicy mass. When
he threw this out there was little
water left, sweet. cold water which
man and horse shared eagerly. Thus
he made even the deserts fiercest
growths minister to their needs.
But he did not halt long Miles of
eray-green spiked walls lay between
him and that line of ragged, red lava
which manifestly he must reach be
fore dark The travel became faster,
straighter. And the glistening thorns
clutched and cTung TO leather and
cloth and flesh. The horses reared
snorted, baked. leaped-but they
were sent on. Only Blanco Sol, the
patient. the ploddlng. the indomitable
needed no goad or spur. Mercedes
reeled in her saddle. Thorne bade
her drink, batIied her face, supported
her, and then gave way to Ladd who
took the girl with him on Torres
broad hack The middle of the after
noon saw Thorne reelng in his saddle
and then wherever possible Gales
powerful arm lent him strength to
hold his seat.
The fugtives We're entering a desc
late. burned-nut world. The Waste
Of sand began to Weld to cinders
The horses sank to their fetlocss as
they tolled on. A fine choking dust
blew back from the leaders. and men
rnnghed and horses. snorted. But the
sun WIS now hehinu ihe mis-. IN he
tween ran the stream Of lava. 1t
was broken, sharp. dull rust color, full
of cracks and caves and crevices. and
everywhere upon its Jagged surface
grew the whitethorned choya.
Again twilight encompassed the
travellers. But there was still light
enough for Gale to see the CONSTRUCTED
passage open into wide. deep space
where the dun color was relieved by
the gray Of gnarled and dwarfed mes
quite. Blanco Sol, keenest of scent.
whistled his welcome herald of water.
The other horses answered, quIckened
their gait. Gale smelled 1t, too, sweet
cool. damp on the dry air.
Yaqui turned the corner of pocket
in the lava wall. The file of white
horses rounded the corner after him.