The L'Anse sentinel., 1923-06-15
DESERT
GOLD
by Zane Grey
Aufhor Of
Riders of the Purple
Sade. Wildfire. Etc.
Copyright by Harper & Brothers.
CHAPTER xviI-continued.

ptiulnk PNhuCiC0. LC ulu nNN hOW
for a moment consider an accidental
discharge of dynamite. But why had
this blast been set Off? The loose
sandy soil had yielded readily to
shovel; there were no rocks; as far
m construction Of q ditch was con-
,eerned such blast would have done
more harm than good.
Slowly. with reluctant feet, Belding
walked toward q green hollow, where
In cluster Of willows lay the never
failing spring that his horses loved so
well, and, indeed, which he loved no
less.
He was just In time to see the last
Of the water. 1t seemed to sink as in
quicksand. The shape of the hole had
changed. The tremendous force of
the blast had obstructed or diverted
the underground stream Of water.
Belongs never-failing spring had
been ruined. What had made, this lit
tie plot of ground green and sweet
and fragrant was now no more. Beld-
tng's first feeling was for the pity Of
1t. He thought how many times in the
middle of hot summer nights he had
come down to the spring to drink.
Never again
The pail Of dust drifting over him,
the din of the falling water up at the
dam, diverted Belongs mind to the
Chases. All at once he was In the
harsh grip of cold certainty. The
blast had been set off Intentionally to
ruin his spring. What a hellish trick
No westerner, no Indian or Mexican,
no desert man could have been guilty
Of such a crime. To ruin beautiful,
clear. cool, never-falling stream of
water in the desert
1t was then that Belongs worry
and indecision and brooding were as
II they had never existed. He went
directly to his room, and with an air
that was now final he buckled on his
gun belt. He looked the gun over and
tried the action. He squared himself
and walked little more erect. Some
iong-lost individuality had returned to
Bedding.
Lets see," he was saying. "I can
get Carter to send the horses I've got
left back to Waco to my brother. I'll
make Nell take what money there is
and 60 hunt up her mother. The
Gales are ready to go-today, II / say
the word. Nell can travel with them
part way East. That's your game,
Tom Beldng, don't mistake me-"
AS he went out he encountered Mr..
Gale coming up the walk. The long
sojourn at Forlorn River, despite the
fact that 1t had been laden with sus-
pense which was gradually changing
to a sad certainty. had been of great
benefit to Dicks father. The dry air,
the heat, and the quiet had made him,
IL not entirely well man, certainly
stronger than he had been In many
years.
"Belding, what was that terrible
roarf' asked Mr.. Gale. 1--WE were
badly frightened until Miss Nell came
to US. We feared 1t was an earth
quake"
"Well, I'll tell you, Mr.. Gale; we've
had some quakes here, but none of
them could hold a candle to this jar
we just had"
Then Beldlng explained what had
~NuoCu thc CApiOSiOlt WY ~ hdo
been set of so close to his property.
Heavy steps sounded outside on the
hagstones, then the door ratified un-
der a strong knock. Belding opened
II. The Chases, father and son, stood
beyond the threshold.
Good morning, Beldlng," said the
elder Chase. "We were routed out
early by that big blast and came up
to see what was wrong. All blunder.
The Greaser foreman was drunk yes
terday, and his ignorant men made a
mistake. Sorry II the blast bothered
you. was q little worried-you've
always been so touchy-we never
could get together. / hurried over,
fearing maybe You might think the
blast-you see, Belding-"
II see this. Mr.. Ben Chase" inter-
rupted Belding. In curt and ringing
voice. '-rhe blast was a mistake, the
biggest you ever made In your life"
what do you meanT demanded
Chase % 80 B
you'll have to excuse me for a
while, unless you're dead set on hav-
ing 1t out right now. Mr.. Gale and his
family are leaving. and my daughter
10 going with them. I'd rather you'd
wait little" "a sit~s
Nell going awayi" exclaimed Rad
ford Chase. He reminded Belding of
IN overgrown boy In disappointment.
Yes. But--Miss Burton to you.
young man" ,a
"Mr. Belding. certainly would pre-
fer a conference with you right now"
-lnterposed the elder Chase. cutting
short Belding's strange speech. "There
are other matters-important matters
to discuss. They've got to be settled.
May we step in, slrT
mo. you, may not" replied Belding.
bluntly. I'm sure particular who
lnvite into my house. But I'll 20 with
you." xt ~
Bedding stepped out and closed the
aoor "Come away from the house 90
The women won't hear the--the talk"
The elder Chase was purple with
e et seemed " be controlling II.