Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1923-01-05
CHAPTER VI.
White Horses.

~ crippled Yaqui! Why the HI did
van saddle yourself with him?' roared
yciHing. rs he laid Gale upon the bed.
Btlding had grown hard these late,
violent weeks.
Because I chose" whispered Gale,
in reply. go after him-he dropped
in the trail-across the river-near
the first big saguaro."
"Sure, Dick, sure Bedding replied,
in softer tones. Then he stalked
out; his heels rang on the t1agstones
he opened a door and called: Mother
girls, here's Dick back. He's done
up. Do what you can to make
him comfortable. I've got a little job
on hand"
Gale slept twenty hours. Then he
arose, thirsty, hungry, lame, over
worn, and presently went in search
of Bedding and the business of the
day.
your Yaqui was neal dead, but
guess we'll pull him through" said
Bedding.
Gale told of his experience at Papa
go well.
"That raider who tried to grind the
Yaqui under a horses hoofs-he was
a hyena % concluded Gale, shuddering.
"I've seen some blood spilled and some
hard sights, but that inhuman devil took
my nerve. Why, as l told you, Beld-
ing, l missed a shot at him-not
twenty pacesl"
'Dick, 1 cases like that the sooner
you clean up the bunch the better"
said Bedding, grimiy. GAS for hard
sights-wait till you've seen a Yaqui
do up a Mexican. Bar none, that Is
the limit Dick, If Pm not mistaken,
this fellow was a chief. 1t was a
waste of strength, a needless risk for
you to SAVE him, pack him back here.
But, d-n the whole Greaser outfit
generally, I'm glad you did!'
Gale remembered then to speak of
his concern for Ladd.
daddy didn't go out to meet you"
replied Bedding. 81 knew you were
due in any day, and, as there's been
trouble between here and Casita, /
sent him that way. Since you've been
u our friend Carter lost a bunch of
horses and a few steers. Did you get
q 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 50 often required ut
him hn daCnr{hnd fhn horCnC az a
dark-colored drove, mostly bays and
blacks, with n spotted sorrels
"Some Of Carter's-sure as you're
born p exclaimed Bedding.
"Well, what shall I do now?' asked
Dick.
"Stay here and rest" bluntly replied
Bedding. "You need it. Let the wom-
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, n
he'll be coming out. I wonder If he'll
stay here or try to take Mercedes
away"
"Well, he'll stay right here in For
lorn River, if l have any say" replied
Belding. 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 a big water supply,
I've had dreams of a future for For.
lorn River. If only this war
was overt"
The discovery that Bedding alluded
to was one that might very well lead
to the making Of a wonderful and
agricultural district of Altar valley.
While in college Dick Gale had studied
engineering, but he had not set he
scientific world afire with his bril-
lance. Nevertheless, his smattering
of engineering skill bore fruit in he
last place on earth where anything
might have been expected of Tin
the desert. Gale had always won
dered about the source of Forlorn