The Elk Mountain pilot., 1923-02-15
AZ . sRorneo.

Shdrdcters anu tneSe men, OF course,
made the saloon. which was also an
inn, their headquarters. Belding. with
Carter and other old residents, saw
the need of a sheriff for Forlorn
River
One morning early In this spring
month, while Belding was on his way
from the house to the corrals, he saw
Nell running Blanco Jose down the
road at a gait that amazed him. She
did not take the turn of the road to
come in by the gate. She put Jose at
four-foot wire fence, and came
Gathering into the yard.
1t did not take more than half an
eye for Belding to see that she was
furious
Nell. what's come of nowr' asked
Belding.
'Pm not going to tell you," she re-
piled, and started away. leading Jose
toward the corral.
Bedding leisurely followed. She
went into the corral. removed Jose's
bride. and led him to the watering
trough. Bedding came up. and with
out saying anything began to unbuckle
Jose's saddle girths. But he ventured
a look at Nell. The red had gone from
her face. and he was surprised to see
her eyes brimming with tears. Most
assuredly this was not one of Nells
tantrums. While taking of Jose's
saddle and hanging 1t in the shed
Belding pondered in his slow way.
When he came back to the corral Nell
had her face against the bars. and
she was crying. He slipped big arm
around her and waited.
dad, don't want you to think me
a "a baby any MORE" she said. i've
oeen insulted"
With specific fact to make clear
thought in Belongs mind he was
never slow.
come off. guess you'd better tell
me-"
Dad. will, If you promise"
-What?"
mot to mention 1t to mother. not
~ pack a gun down there. and never.
never tell Dick"
Bedding was silent. Seldom did he
make promises readily.
'If you don't promise I'll never tell,
THAT'S ALL" she declared. firmly.
Bedding deliberated a little longer.
he knew the girl.
well, promise not to tell moth
a." he said. presently; land seeing
you're here safe and well, guess
won't go packing gun down there,
wherever that is. But won't promise
90 keep anything from Dick that per-
haps he ought to know"
Nell, regaining her composure, wiped
her eyes and smoothed back her hair.
"The other day, Wednesday," she
began, 'T was coming home. and in
'front.' of that mescal drinking place
there was a crowd. 1t was noisy
crowd. didn't want to walk out into
the street or seem afraid. But had
men. and If they weren't drunk they
certainly were rude. I never saw
yhem before. but l think they must
pelong to the mining company that
vas run out of Sonora by rebels. Any
way. these young fellows were Amer
icans. They stretched themselves
across the walk and smiled at me. I
had to go out in the road. One of
them, the rudest, followed me. He
vas big fellow. red-faced, with prom
nent eyes and bold look. He came
up beside me and spoke to me. I ran
home. And as I ran heard his COM
panions jeering.
swell, today. just now. when 1 was
r1ding up the valley road came upon
the same fellows. They had instru-
nents and were surveying. Remem-
Dering Dick, and how he always
wished for an instrument to help work
cut his plan for irrigation, was GER
.ainly surprised to see these strangers
surveyipg-and surveying upon Lad
dy's plot of land. II was a sandy
road there, and Jose happened to be
wnlking. So 1 reined in and asked
these engineers what they were do
ing. The leader. who was that same
oold fellow who had followed me.
seemed much pleased at being ad-
dressed. He said he was glad to tell
me he was going to run water all over
altar valley. Dad. you can bet that
made me wild. That was Dicks plan.
his discovery, and here were surveyors
on Laddy's claim.
Then told him that he was work.
ing on private land and he'd better
get of. He said something about not
seeing any squatters on the land. and
then he shut up tight on that score.
But he began to be flrty again. He
got hold Of Jose's bride. and before
could catch my breath he said /
was a peach, that he wanted to make
date with me. that his name was
Chase, that he owned gold mine In
Mexico. He said a lot more / didn't
gather. but when he called me
'Dearie' I-well. I lost my temper
Il jerked on the bride and told him
to let go. He held on and rolled his