The Lamar register., 1923-02-14

\ .hd-arf'iI lf .'' falt'f
tus was ilc "ulg th."s E.aurp Sol
could not stand Many lines ihnt day.
before lie carried Mercedes he had
Wildly snoricd, and then stood trem-
bling while Gale picked broken thorns
from the muscular legs. But after
Mercedes had been put upon Sol Gale
made sure no choya touched him.
The afternoon passed like the morn
ing, In ceaseless winding and twist
ing and climbing along this abandoned
trail. Gale saw many waterholes.
mostly dry. some containing water. all
of them cstch-basins. full only after
rainy season. Little ugly punched
bushes, that Gale scarcely recognized
as mosquitoes, grew near these holes;
also stunted greasewood and prickly
pear. There was no grass, and the
choya alone fiourished In that hard
soil
Darkness overlook the party as they
unpacked beside a pool of water deep
under AN overhanging shelf Of lava.
1t had been hard day. The horses
drank their flll. and then stood pa
tiently with dropping heads. Hunger
and thirst were appeased. and a warm
nre cheered the weary and footsore
fugitives Yaqui said. sleep" And
20 another night passed.
Upon the following morning, ten
miles or more up the slow-ascending
lavs slope. Gale was in the rear Of
all the other horses. so as to take.
20 alrs h. adN taO n
the broken trail Yaqui was leading
Diablo. winding around a break. His
head was bent as he stepped slowly
and unevenly upon the lava. Gale
turned to look back. the first time In
several days. He thought, Of course,
Of RoJas In certain pursuit: but II
seemed absurd TO look for him.
Yzqui led on. and Gale often glanced
up from his task to watch the Indian
Presently he saw him stop, turn, and
look back. Ladd did likewise, and
then Jim and Thorne. Gale found the
desire Irresistible Thereafter he
often rested Blanco Sol, and looked
back the while. He had his field
glass. but did not choose TO use 1t.
"Rojas will follow" said Mercedes
Gale regarded her In amaze. The
tone OF her voice had been indetinable.
II there were fear then he failed TO
detect IT, She was gazing back down
the colored slope and something about
her. perhaps the steady. falcon gaze
Of her magnificent eyes. reminded him
of Yaqui
Many times during the ensuing hour
the Indian faced about, and always
his followers did likewise II was high
noon. with the sun beating hot and
the lava radiating heat. when Yaqui
halted for q rest. The horses punched
and dropped their heads. The rangers
were about TO slip the packs and re
move saddles when Yaqui restrained
them
He fixed changeless. cleaning gaze
on the slow descent but did not seem
to look afar
Suddenly he uttered his strange
cry-the one Gale considered involun
tary. or else significant Of some tribal
trait or feeling. Yaqui pointed down
the lava slope, pointing with finger
and arm and neck and head-hls
whole being seemed to have been ami
mated and then frozen.
"Shorp he sees somethin'" said
Ladd. "But my eyes are no good"
II reckon I amt sure OF mine" re-
piled Jim. I'm bothered by dim
movin' streak down there"
Thorne gazed eagerly down as he
stood beside Mercedes, who sat mo
tionless facing the slope. Gale looked
and looked till he hurt his eyes. Then
he took his glass out NJ It's case on
Soils saddle.
There appeared TO he nothing upon
the lava but the innumerable dots of
choya shining In the sun. Gale swept
his glass slowly forward and back
Then into a nearer field of vision crept
a long whte-and-black line OF horses
and men. Without a word he handed
the glass to Ladd. The ranger used
il. muttering to himself.
They're on the lava fifteen miles
down in an air line" he said. present
ly. "Jim. shore they're twice that an
more accordin' TO the trail
Jim had his look and replied: Il
reckon we're day an night in The
lead"
"Is 1t Rojasr' burst out Thorne
with set jaw.
Yes. Thorne, It's Rojas and