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

head up San Felipe way And you,
Laddy, take Diablo and hit the Casita
trail. If she really has gone after
Thorne you can catch her in an hour
or So"
Shore III CO." replied Ladd. "But,
I Beldin', If you're not plumb crazy
you're close to it. That big white
devil can't catch Sol. Not in an hour
or a day or a week !''
/! daddy, you mean to say Sol is
faster horse than Diablo?" Numbered
Bedding, his face purple.
''Shore [ mean to tell you just that
there" replied the ranger. "I'll ride
your Blanco Devil as he never was rid
| before, 'cept once when a d-n sight
better hossman than I am couldn't
make him outrun SOL"
Without more words the men sad
died and were off. The interminable
time that followed contained for Gale
about as much suspense as he could
well bear What astonished him and
helped him greatly to fight off actual
distress was the endurance of Nelps
motlser
EARLY on the morning of the second
day, Gale saw three white horses and
bay come YEARLY stepping down the
road. He heard Blanco Sols familiar
whistle, and he leaped up wild with
joy. The horse was riderless. Gales
sudden joy received a violent check,
then resurged when he saw limp
form in Jim Lash's arms. Ladd was
supporting a horseman who wore a
military uniform.
Gale shouted with joy and ran into
the house to tell the good news. 1t
was the ever-thoughtful Mrs. Bedding
who prevented him from rushing to
tell Mercedes.
Lash handed down ragged, travel
stained, wan girl into Belongs arms.
dad! Mamma p
It was indeed a repentant Nell, but
there was spirit yet in the tired blue
eyes. Then she caught sight Of Gale
and gave him a faint smile.
"Hello--Dick.
''ISell y Gale reached for her hand,
held it tightly, and found speech diff
cult.
You needn't worry-about your old
horse" she said, as Bedding carried
her toward the door "Oh, Dick!
Blanco Sol -gloriousi !"
Gale turned to greet his friend. In
deed, it was but a haggard ghost Of
the cavalryman. Thorne looked Ill
or wounded. Gales greeting was also
/ a question figll of fear.
Thorne's answer was a faint smile
He seemed ready to drop from the
saddle Gale helped Laid hold Thorne
upon the horse until they reached the
house. Bedding came out again. His
welcome was checked as he saw the
condition Of the cayalryman. Thorne
reeled into Dicks arms. But he was
able to stand and walk.
I'm not = hurt. Only weak -
starved" he said. rs Mercedes
Take me to her."
"She'll be well the minute she sees
him. averred Bedding, as he and Gale
led the cavalryman to Mercedes
room There they left him; and Gale,
at least, felt his ears ringing with the
girls broken cry Of joy
When Bedding and Gale hurried
forth again the rangers were tending
the tired horses. Upon returning to
the house Jim Lash calmly lit his
pipe, and Laid declared that, hungry
as he was, he had to tell his story.
'Shore, Beldin'," began Laid, "that
was funny about Dfablo catchin'
Blanco Sol. Funny amt the word. 1
nearly laughed myself to death. Well,
rode in SoPs tracks all the way to
Casita. Never seen a rebel or a
raider till I got to town. 1 went
straight to the camp Of the cavalry
men, an found them just coolin' off
an dressin' down their bosses after
what looked to me like big ride.
'Some soldier took me to an officers
tent Nell was there some white an
all in She just said, lady
Thorne was there, too, an he was
bein' worked over by the camp doc
! tor I didn't ask no questions, be-
cause I seen quiet was needed round
that tent. After satisfying myself
that Nell was all right, an Thorne
in no danger, went out.
"Shore there was so darn many fell
lers who wanted to an tried to tell
me what'd come off, | thought I'd
never find out. But I got the story
piece by piece. An here's what hap
pened:
Nell rode Blanco Sol a-tearin' into
camp, an had crowd round her in
a jiffy She told who she was, where
she'd come from, an what she wanted.
Well, it seemed day or so before
Nell got there the cavalrymen had
heard word of Thorne. You see,
Thorne had left camp on leave of alb
sence some time before In a few more
days it turned out pretty sure that for
some reason Rojas was hoIdin' Thorne
Nov, it happened when this news
came Colonel Weede was in Nogales
with his staff, an the officer left in
charge didn't know how to proceed.
Rojas' camp was across the line in
Mexico, an ridin' over there was seri-
Gus business. 1t meant a whole lot
more than just scatterin' one Greaser
camp. Thorne's teller soldiers was
anxious to get him out Of bad fix
but they had to wait for orders.
"When Nell found out Thorne was
bein' starved an beat in a dobe shack