The Nevada County picayune., 1923-03-01

them. The desert trips between these two places were taken in automobiles. A months time made the motor cars almost as familiar a sight in Forlorn River as they had been in Casita be- fore the revolution.
 Belding's wrath at the usurplng Glasses increased as he slowly realized his powerlessness to cope with such men. They were promoters, men or big interests and wide influence ill the Southwest. The more they did for Forlorn River the less reason there seemed to be for his own grievance. He had to admit that it was personal; that he and Gale and the rangers would never have been able to develop the resources of the valley as these men were doing it.
 April arrived with no news Of the rangers From Casta came vague re ports of raiders in the Sonoyta coun- try-reports impossible to verify until his Mexican rangers returned When these men rode in, one of them. Con zales. an intelligent and reliable half breed, said he had met prospectors at the oasis. They had just come In on the Camino del Diablo. reported ter rible trip of heat and drought, and not a trace of the Taqufs party.
 That settles it." declared Bedding. "Yaqu never went to Sonoyta. Hes circled round to the Devils road, and the rangers, Mercedes Thorne, the horses-they-Tm afraid they have been lost in the desert. It's an old story on Camino del Diablo."
 He had to tell Nell that, and 1t was an ordeal which left him weak
 Mrs. Bedding listened to him. and was silent for a long time while she held the stricken Nell to her breast. Then she opposed his convictions with that quiet strength so characteristic of her arguments.
 "But mother, they're gone seven weeks. Seven weeks At the most gave them six weeks. Seven weeks in the desert" :"
 "How do the Yaquis live?" she asked.
 Bedding could not reply to that, but hope revived in him. He had faith in his wife, though he could not In the least understand what he imag- ined was something mystic In her.
 "Years ago when I was searching for my father I learned many things about this country" said Mrs. Beld- ing. "YOu can never tell how long a man may live in the desert The fercest. most terrible and inaccessible places often have their hidden oasis. In his later years my father became prospector. That was strange to me. for he never cared for gold or money. I learned that he was often gone in the desert for weeks, once for months Then the time came when he never came back That was years before I reached the southwest border and heard of him. Even then I did not for long give up hope of his com ing back. I know now-something tells me-indeed, 1t seems his spirit tells me-he was lost But I don't have that feeling for Yaqui and his party. Yaqui has given Rojas the slip or has amhushed him in some trap. Probably that took time and long journey into Sonora. The Indian Is too wise 10 start back now over dry trails. He'll curb the rangers he'll wait. I seem 10 know this. dear Nell, so be brave, patient. Dick Gale will come back to you"
 That talk with the strong mother worked a change in Nell and in Beld- ing. Nell, who had done little but brood and watch the west and take violent rides. seemed to settle into waiting patience that was sad. vet serene. Bedding, who had been break ing under the strain of worry, recov- cred himself so that to outward ap- pearance he was his old self He alone knew, however that his humor was forced, and that the slow burning wrath he felt for the Glasses was fam ing into hate.
 Bedding argued with himself that if Ben Chase and his son, Radford, had turned out to he big men in other ways than in the power to carry on great enterprises he might have be- come reconciled to them But the father was greedy, grasping hard cold; the son added to those traits an overbearing disposition to rule and he showed fondness for drink and cards, These men were developing the valley, to be sure, and a horde of poor Mexicans and many Americans were benefting from that develop ment; nevertheless, these Glasses were operating in way which proved they cared only for themselves.