Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1923-03-29

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He Was Very Weak, Yet He Would
Keep Mercedes Hand and Gaze at
Her With UnbeIieving Eyes.
Jim came along he was wantin' to
start for Forlorn River. So was Nell.
By main strength as much as per-
suasion we kept the two men quiet
till next evenin' at dark.
swell, we made as sneaky start
in the dark as Jim an me could man
age, an never hit the trail till we
was miles from town Thorne's nerve
held him up for a while Then all at
once he fumbled out Of his saddle
We got him back, an Lash held him
on. Nell didn't give out till daybreak."
AS Laid paused in his story Bedding
began to stutter, and finally he ex-
ploded. His mighty utterances were
fncoherent. But plainly the wrath he
had felt toward the willful girl was
forgotten Gale remained gripped by
silence.
daddy, what knocks me is Rojas
holding Thorne prisoner, trying to
make him tell where Mercedes had
been hidden,'' said Bedding.
"Shore. It'd knock anybody"
"The bandits crazy over her. That's
the Spanish Of It," replied Bedding,
his voice rolling. "Rojas loves Mer-
cedes as he hates her. He wants this
girl only to have her. then kill her.
It's d-n strange, boys, and even with
Thorne here our troubles have just
begun"
''Tom, you spoke correct" said Jim
Ladd, in his cool drawl
ashore I'm not sayin' what think, !"
added Ladd. But the look of him was
not indicative Of tranquil optimism.
Thorne was put to bed in Gales
room He was very weak, yet he
would keep Mercedes hand and gaze
at her with unbelieving eyes. Then,
fighting sleep with what little strength
he had left. at last he succumbed.
For all Dick could ascertain his
friend never stirred an eyelash nor a
finger for ltwenty-seven hours. When
he awoke he was pale, weak, but the
old Thorne.
'Hello, Dick; I didn't dream it,
them" he said. "There you are, ana
my darling with the proud, dark
eyes-she's here? Mercedes is we'll
safe! Oh! But say, haven't
a dollar to my name. had lot of
money, Dick. and those robbers stole
it, my watch-everything. On that
little black Greaserl"
tsCheer up. Bedding will make you
a proposition presently. The future
smiles, old friend. If this rebel bust
ness was only ended!'
s'Dick, you're going to be my savior
twice over. Well, now, listen
to me-" His gay excitement changed
to earnest gravity. 81 want to marry
Mercedes at once. Is there padre
hereY
Eyes. But are you wise in letting
any Mexican, even a priest, know Mer-
cedes is hidden in Forlorn River?"
TT couldn't be hidden long"
Gale was compelled to acknowledge
the truth of this statement.
"Tll marry her first, then I'll face
my problem. Fetch the padre, Dick
And ask our kind friends to be wit
nesses at the ceremony"
Much to Gales surprise, neither
Bedding nor Laid objected to the idea
Of bringing a padre into the house
hold, and thereby making known to at
Iooce+ ono NFc~v;ocy, fl,o xr7borno bouts, of
Mercedes Castaneda. Belongs eau
ton was wearing out in wrath at the
persistent unsettled condition Of the
border, and Laid grew only the cooler
and more silent as possibilities Of
trouble multiplied.
Gale fetched the padre, little,
weakened, timid maj who was old and
without interest or penetration, APP
parently he married Mercedes and
Thorne as he told his beads or num-
bled q prayer. 1t was Mrs. Belding
who kept the occasion from being a
merry one, and she insisted on not
exciting Thorne Gale marked her
unusual pallor and the singular depth
and sweetness of her voice.
Thorne could not be kept in bed,
and all in day. 1t seemed, he grew
so well and so hungry that his friends
were delighted and Mercedes was
radiant. In few days his weakness
disappeared and he was going the
round of the fields and looking over
the ground marked out in Gales plan
of water development. Thorne was
highly enthusiastic, and at once staked
out his claim for one hundred and
sixty acres of land adjoining that OF
Bedding and the rangers. These i've