The Elk Mountain pilot., 1923-03-22

'''N. my SUI. ItDlltu IDelu-
ing; and now his voice seemed little
shaky. "Nell, come here. Give him
a chance"
Belding slipped his arm round Nell
and whispered in her ear. ",rhis1l he
great ~
Elsie Gales face was white and agi-
tated, face expressing extreme joy.
"Oh, brother Mamma saw you
papa saw you. and never knew youl
But l knew you when you iumped
quick-that way-off your horse. And
now I don't know you. You wild man
You giant! You splendid barbarian |,
Mamma. papa, hurry! 1t is
Dick Look at him. Just look at
him Oh-h, thank God !"
Belding turned away and drew Nell
with him. In another second she and
Mercedes We're clasped in each others
arms. Then followed time of joyful
greetings all round Diablo found his
old spirit; Blanco Sol tossed his head
and whistled his satisfaction White
Woman pranced to and fro; and pres
emily they all settled down to quiet
grazing. How good it was for Belding
to see those white shapes against the
rich background of greer His ewes
glistened. 1t was sight he had never
expected to see again. He fingered
there many moments when he wanted
to hurry back to his rangers.
AT last he tore himself away from
watching Blanco Diablo and returned
to the house. 1t was only to find that
he might have spared himself the hur-
ry. Jim and Ladd were living on the
beds that had not held them for so
many months. Their slumber seemed
as deep and quiet as death. Curiously
Bedding gazed down upon them. They
had removed only boots and chaps.
Their clothes were in tatters. Jim ap-
peared little more than skin and
bones, long shape, dark and hard
as iron. Ladd's appearance shocked
Belding. The ranger looked an old
man, blasted. shriveled. starved.
About the middle of the forenoon
on the following day the rangers hob.
bled out of the kitchen to the porch.
I'm a sick man, l tell you" Ladd
was complaining, 'an' l gotta be fed.
Soupl Beef teal That amt so much
as wind to me- I want about barrel
Of bread an butter, an a whole plat
ter of mashed potatoes with gravy an
green stuff-all kinds of green stuff
an whole big apple pie. Give me
everythin' an anythin' to eat but meat.
Shore / never, never want to taste
meat again, an sight of a piece of
ch IL.
me. Jim, you used to be a
human bein' that stood up for Charlie
Ladd."
'Laddy, I'm lined up beside you with
both guns" replied Jim, plaintively.
Hungry? Say. the smell of break.
fast in that kitchen made my mouth
water so 1 near choked to death. l
reckon we're gettin' most onhuman
treatment"
"But I'm sick man." protested
Ladd. "an' I'm agoin' to fall over in
minute if somebody don't feed me.
Nell, you used to be fond of me-"
"Oh, Laddy, am yet" replied Nell.
ashore, don't believe it. Any girl
with tender heart just couldn't let
Ulun SldlNt HGI eyes.
Look at nsck, there. I'll bet he's had
something 20 eat, mebbe potatoes an
gravy, an pie an"
"Laddy. DICK mas nad no more than
gave you-indeed. not nearly so
much"
"Shore he's had a lot of kisses then
for he hasn't hollered onct about this
treatment"
perhaps he has, said Nell, with a
blush "and if you think that-they
would help you to be reasonable
might-I'll-"
"Well. powerful fond as 1 am of you,
just now kisses'll have to run second
to bread an butter"
"Oh. Laddy, what gallant speech !
laughed Nell I'm sorry, but I've
dads orders"
"Laddy," interrupted Belding, you've
got to be broke in gradually to eating.
Now you know that. You'd be the Sc
verest kind of boss if you had some
starved beggars on your hands"
But I'm sick-Im dyin'," howled
Ladd.
you We're never sick in your life,
and If all the bullet holes 1 see in you
couldn't kill you, why, you never will
die"
Can l smoker queried Ladd, with
sudden animation. my Gawd, l used
to smoke. Shore I've forgot. Nell, If
you want to be reinstated in my gal
lery of angels, just find me a pipe an
tobacco"
1--WE hung onto my pipe" said jim,
thoughtfully. 81 reckon l had it emp
ty in my mouth for seven years or so,
wasn't it, Laddy? A long time! can
see the red lava an the red haze, an
the red twilight creepin' up. 1t was
hot an some lonely. Then the wind
and always that awful silence! An
always Ya1ui watchin' the west, an