The L'Anse sentinel., 1923-06-01

he stripped the bandages from Ladd
and applied the mixture to his wounds.
That DONE he let him lie with the
wounds exposed to the air, at night
covering him. Next day he again
exposed the wounds to the warm, dry
air. Slowly they closed. and Ladd
ceased to bleed externally.
Days passed and grew into what
Gale imagined must have been weeks.
Yaqui recovered fully. Jim Lash be-
gan to move about on a crutch; he
shared the Indians watch over Ladd.
Thorne lay haggard, emaciated
ghost Of his former rugged self, but
with life In the eyes that turned al
ways toward Mercedes. Ladd fingered
and fingered. The life seemingly
would not leave his bullet-plerced
body. The tireless, implacable, In
scrutable savage was ever Mt the
rangers side. His great somber eyes
burned At length he went to Gale,
and with that strange light fitting
across the hard bron2ed face, he said
Ladd would live.
The second day after Ladd had
been given such thin nourlshment as
he could swallow he recovered the use
Of his tongue.
"Shore-thiss hi" he whispered.
That was a Characteristic speech for
the ranger, Gale thought; and indeed
1t made all who had heard It smile
while their eyes were wet.
From that time forward Ladd
gained, but he gained so immeasurably
slowly that only the eyes of hope
could have seen any Improvement.
Jim Lash threw away his crutch, and
| Thorne was WELL II still somewhat
weak, before Ladd could lift his arm
or turn his head. His whispers grew
stronger. And the day arrived when
Gale who was perhaps the least op-
timistic, threw doubt to the winds
and knew the ranger would get well.
Boys, come round" said Ladd, in
his low voice. "An' you, Mercedes.
An call the Yaqui'
Ladd lay In the shade of the brush
shelter that had been erected. There
seemed little of him but long, lean
lines, and If It had not been for his
keen, thoughtful, kindly eyes, his face
would have resembled a death mask
of a man starved.
"Shore want to know, what day
is II an what month";" asked Ladd.
Nobody could answer him. The.
question seemed surprise to Gale,
and evidently was so to the others.
'Took at that cactus" went on
Ladd.
81 reckon according to that giant
cactus It's somewheres along the end
of March," said Jim Lash, soberly.
"Shore It's April. Look where the
sun is An can't you feel it's gettin'
hotr
"Supposin' 1t is Aprilr queried
Lash, slowly.
swell, what I'm drivin' at is It's
about time you all was hittin' the trail
back 70 Forlorn River, before the
waterholes dry ont"
daddy, reckon wen start soon
as you're able to be put on hoss."
"Shore thatnl be too late"
A silence ensued, In which those
who heard Ladd gazed fxedly at him
and then at one another. Lash nm
easily shifted the position Of his lame
leg, and Gale saw him moisten his lips
with his tongue.
"Charlie Ladd, I amt reckonin' You
mean we're to ride or an leave you
here?"
"What else Is there to dot The
hot weather's close. Pretty soon most
Of the waterholes will be dry. You
can't travel then. I'm on nv
back here, nm God only knows when
could be packed out. Not for weeks,
mebbe. I'll never be any good again,
even II I was to get out alive.
You see, shore this sort of case comes
round sometimes In the desert. fits
common enough. I've heard of sew
eral cases where men had to go an
leave a Teller behind. It's reasonable.
If you're fightin' the desert you can't
afford to be sentimental. Now.
as I-said, I'm all In. SO what's the
sense of. you waitin' here, when II
means the old desert story1 BY goin'
now mebbe you'll get home. Shore
now, boys, you'll see this the right
wayf Jim, old pard7"
mo, Laddy. an can't figger how
you could ever ask me-
"Shore then leave me here with va
Qui an couple OF the hosses. We
can eat sheep meat. An II the water
holds out"
"Noi- interrupted Lash, violently.
Ladd's eyes sought Gales face.
"Son, you amt buli-headed like Jim.
You'll see the sense Of II. There's
Nell a-waitin' back at Forlorn River.
Think what II means to heri You'll
60. son, won't your
Dick shook his head.
The ranger turned his gnze upon
Thorne, and now the keen, glistening
eyes had blurred.
'-Thorne It's different with You.
inns fool, an young Gale has been
punctured by choya thorns He's got
the desert poison in his blood. But
you now--you'vs no call to stick-ybu
can md that trail out. Take your