The Bolivar County Democrat., 1923-02-03
CHAPTER VI.-Continued.

replenished 1t with short sticks OF
dead greasewood and mesquite, and
wrapping his blanket round his shoul-
ders, he sat down to warm himself
and to wait till it was time to bring
In the horse and tie him up.
The fire was inadequate, and Gale
was cold and wet with dew. Hunger
and thirst were with him. His bones
ached. and there was dull, deep
seated pain throbbing in his unhealed
wound.
Judged by the great average of
ideals and conventional standards of
life. Dick Gale was starved, lonely,
suffering, miserable wretch. But IN
his case the judgment would have hit
only externals, would have missed the
vital inner truth. For Gale was happy
with a kind Of strange, wild glory In
the privations, the pains, the perils,
and the silence and solitude to be en-
dured on this desert land.
He had a duty to a man who relied
on his services. He was a comrade, a
friend, valuable ally to riding. fight
ing rangers. Gales happiness, as far
rs 1t concerned the toll and strife,
was perhaps grim and stoical one
But love abided with him, and it had
engendered and fostered other unde-
veloped traits-romance and a feeling
for beauty, and keen observation OF
nature. He felt pain. but he was
never miserable. He felt the solitude
but he was never lonely.
AS he rode across the desert, even
though keen eyes searched for the
moving black dots. the rising puffs of
white dust that were warnings, he
saw Nell's face In every cloud. The
clean-cuI mesas took on the shape OF
her straight profile, with its strong
chin and lips, its fine nose and fore
head. There was always a CLINT of
gold or touch of red or graceful line
or CLEAN of blue to remind him of
her. Then at night her face shone
warm and glowing, flushing and pal
ing, in the campfire.
BY and by Gale remembered what
he was waiting for; and, getting up,
he took the halter and went out to
find Blanco Sol 1t was pitch-dark
now. and Gale could not see rod
ahead. He felt his way, and present
ly as he rounded a mesquite he saw
Sors white shape outlined against the
blackness. Gale haltered him In the
likeliest patch of grass and returned
to his camp. There he lifted his sad
die into a protected spot under a low
blanket on the sand, he covered him
SELF with the other and stretched him.
self for the night
r, Daylight came quickly. The morn
ing was clear and nipping cold. He
threw off the wet blanket and got up
cranped and half frozen. A little
brisk action was all that was neces
sary to warm his blood and loosen his
muscles, and then he was fresh
tingling, eager. The sun rose In O
golden blaze, and the descending val
lev took on wondrous changing hues
Then he fetched up Blanco Sol, sad
died him, and tied him to the thickes,
clump of mesquite.
"Sol, We'll have drink pretty
soon," he said, patting the splendid
neck.
Gale meant 1t. He would not eat til
he had watered his horse. No three
raiders could keep Gale away from
that we'll. Taking his rife in hand, ht
faced up the arroyo. From the lay o.
the land and position of trees seen b!
daylight, he found an easier and safel
course than the one he had taken IL
the dark And by careful work ht
was enabled to get closer to the well
and somewhat above 1t.
The Mexicans were leisurely cook
ing their morning meal A slow wratl
stirred In Gale as he watched the trio
They showed not the slightest indica
tion. of breaking camp. One fellow
evidently the leader, packed a gun al
his hip, the only weapon in sight
Gale noted this with speculative eyes
Then he saw two Indians on burros
come riding up the other side of tf1e
knoll upon which the adobe house
stood; and apparently they we're not
aware of the presence of the Mexi
cans for they came on up the path