Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1923-03-08
AkaIIIlIlIE ISlE5H

trouble between here and Casita,
sent him that way. Since you've been
out our friend Carter lost bunch of
horses and a few steers. Did you get
a good look at the horses those raid
ers had at Papago well?"
Dick had learned, since he had be-
come a ranger, to see everything with
keen, sure, Photographic eye; and be
ing put to the test so often required of
him, he described the horses as
dark-colored drove, mostly bays and
blacks, with one spotted sorrel.
''Some of Carter sure as you're
born!" exclaimed Bedding.
"Well, what shall I do now?' asked
Dick.
"Stay here and rest bluntly replied
Bedding "You need it. Let the WON
en- fuss over you-doctor you a little.
When Jim gets back from Sonoyta I'll
know more about What we ought to
do"
Gale had received several letters
from his sister Elsie, the last of
which he had not answered. There
had not been much opportunity for
writing on his infrequent returns to
Forlorn River; and, besides, Elsie had
written that her father had stormed
over what he considered Dicks falling
into wild and evil ways.
"Time flies" said Dick. George
Thorne will be free before long, and
he'll be coming out. / wonder if he'll
stay here or try to take Mercedes
away?"
"Well, he'll stay right here in For
lorn River, if have any say" replied
Bedding. ''I'd like to know how he'd
ever get that Spanish girl out of the
country now, with all the trails over
run by rebels and raiders. It'd be
hard to disguise her. Say, Dick, may
be we can get Thorne to stay here
You know, since you've discovered
the possibility Of big water supply,
I've had dreams of a future for For
lorn River. If only this war
was over p
The discovery that Bedding alluded
to was one that might very well lead
to the making of wonderful and
agricultural district of Altar valley
While in college Dick Gale had studied
engineering, but he had not set the
scientific world afre with his brill
lance overtheless, his smattering
of engineering skill bore fruit in the
last place on earth where anything
might have been expected of it-in
the desert. Gale had always Won
dered about the source of Forlorn
River. He had discovered a long, mar
row, rock-bottomed and rock-walIed
gulch that could be damned at the
lower end by the dynamiting of lean
ing cliffs above. An inexhaustible
supply Of water could be stored there.
Furthermore, he had worked out an
irrigation plan to bring the water
down for mining uses, and to make
paradise out Of that part of Altar
valley which lty in the United States
Bedding claimed there was gold in the
arroyos, gold in the guIches, not in
quantities to make a prospector re-
ioice. but enough to work for And
the soil on the higher levels of Altar
valley needed only water to make it
grow anything the year round. Gale,
too, had come to have dreams of
future for Forlorn River.
On the afternoon of the following
day Laid unexpectedly appeared lead
ing lame and lathered horse into the
yard. The legs of the horse were raw
and red, and he seemed about to drop.
Ladd's sombrerO was missing: he
wore bloody scarf round his head;
sweat and blood and dust had formed
a crust on his face; little streams of
powdery dust slid from him; and the
lower half of his scared chaps were
full of broken white thorns.
"Howdy, boys,' he drawled. 81
shore am glad to see you ALL
daddy, go in the house to the
women" sale Bedding. "I'll tend to
your horse"
ashore, Tom, in minute. I've been
down the road An / found boss
tracks and steer tracks goin' across
the line But seen no sign of raid
ers till this mornin' Slept at Carriers
last night. That raid the other day
cleaned him out. He's shootin' mad.
Well, this mornin' : rode plumb into
bunch of Carriers bosses, runnin
wild for home. Some Greasers were
tryin' to head them round an chase
them back across the line. l rode in
between an made matters embarras-
~ r,x, x,1s. xJ Xxx. 81 u.