Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1923-01-05

"Dick, Here's Your Stand. II Any
Raider Rides in Range Take a
Crack at Him."
In amaze that Ladd should ask for the
horse thar in reluctance to lend him.
"Will you let me have himY" Laid
repeated, almost CURLY.
Certainly, Laddy."
A smile momentarily chased the
dark, cold gloom that had set upon
the rangers lean face.
"Shore l appreciate it, Dick. /
know how you care for that boss. I
guess mebbe Charley Ladd has loved
a hossl An one not so good as Sol.
I was only tryin' your nerve, Dick,
askin' you without tellin' my plan.
Sol won't get a scratch, you can
gamble on that! I'll ride him down
out into the open. They've got short
ranged carbines. They can't keep out
of range of the .405, an I'll be takin'
the dust of their lead. They can't gain
on Sol, an he'll run them down when
I want. Can you beat it?"
f"No. It's great! But sup
pose a raider comes out on Blanco,
Diablo?'
81 reckon that's the one weak place
in my plan. But if they do, well, Sol
can outrun piablO. An 1 can always
kill the white devil"
Ladd's strange hate of the horse
showed in the passion of his last
words, in his hardening jaw and grim
set lips.
Gales hand went swiftly to the
rangers shoulder.
daddy. Don't kill Diablo unless
it's to save your life"
"AU right. But by Cd, if 1 get
a chance I'll make Blanco Sol run him
off his legs"
He spoke no more and set about
changing the length of Soils stirrups-
When he had them adjusted to suit, he
mounted and rode down the trail and
out upon the level. He rode leisurely
as if merely going to water his horse.
The long black rifle lying acros: his
saddle, however, was ominous.
Gale securely tied the other horse
to a mesquite at hand, and TOOK a
position behind q low rock over which
he could easily see and shoot when
necessary. Ladd rode a quarter Of a
mile out upon the fiat before anything
happened. Then a whistle rent the
still, cold air. A horse had seen or
scented Blanco Sol. The whistle was
prolonged, faint, but clear. 1t made
the blood thrum in Gales ears. Sol
halted. His head shot up with the
old, wild, spirited sweep. Gale leveled
his glass at the patch Of mesquites.
He saw the raiders running to an open
place, pointing, g~esticulating. Then
he got only white and dark CLEANS of
moving bodies. Evidently that moment
was one of boots, guns and saddles
for the raiders.
Then Gale saw a rider gallOp
swiftly from the group toward the far
Their outlet of the valley. This might
have been owing to characteristic
cowardice; but it was more likely a
move of the raiders to make sure OF
retreat. Undoubtedly Ladd saw this
galloping horseman. A few waiting
moments ensued. The galloping horse
man reached the slope, began to climb,
With naked eyes Gale saw a puff OF
white smoke spring out of the rocks.
Then the raider wheeled his plunging
horse back to the level, and went rae
ing wildly down the valley.
The compact bunch of bays and
blacks seemed to break apart and
spread rapidly from the edge of the
mesouites. Puffs of white smoke in
dicated firing, and showed the nature
of the raiders excitement. They were
far out of ordinary range; but they
spurred toward Ladd, shooting as they
rode. The raiders bullets, striking
low, were skipping along the lard,
bare floor of the valley. Then Laid
raised the long rifle. There was no
smoke, but three high, spanging re-
ports rang out. A gap opened in the
dark line of advancing hOrsemen
then a riderless steed sheered off to
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