Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1923-04-05
CHAPTER x-continued.

gether. Gale walked to the window
and looked out at the distant group
of bandits, and then turned his gaze
to rest upon Mercedes. She was con-
scioHs now, and her eyes seemed all
the larger and blacker for the white
ness of bsr face No one but Gale
saw the Yaqui in the background look
ing down upon the Spanish girl. All
of Yaqui's looks were str~nge; but
this was singularly So Gale Won
.dered if the Indian were affected by
her loneliness, her helplessness, or her
terror
Presently Bedding called his rang
ers to him, and then Thorne.
Listen to this he said, earnestly.
@T'll so out and have talk with Ro-
jas. I'll try to reason with him; tell
him TO think a long time before he
sheds blood on Uncle Sans soil. That
he's now after an Americans wife!
I'll not commit myself, nor will re
fuse outright to consider his demands,
nor will I show the least fear Of him.
TIL play for time If my bluff goes
through we'll and good. :.
After dark the four of you, Lady, Jim,
Dick and Thorne, will take Mercedes
and my best white horses, and, with
Yaqui as guide, circle round through
Altar valley to the trail, and head for
Yuma. | want you to take the Indian,
because in a case of this kind he'll
he a godsend. If you get headed or
lost or have to circle off the trail,
think what it'd mean to have a Yaqui
with you He knows Sonora as no
: Greaser knows it. He could hide you,
find water and grass, when you would
absolutely believe it impossible. The
Indian is loyal. Ee has his debt to
pay, and he'll pay it, don't mistake me.
When, you're gone I'll hide Nell SO
Rojas won't see her if he searches the
place. Then / think could sit down
and wait without any particular
worry"
The rangers approved of Belongs
plan, and Thorne went to the side of
his wife.
mercedes, we've planned to outwit
Rojas VIII you tell US what he
wrOte?"
'Rojas swore-by his saints and his
Virgin-that if I wasn't giyen-to him
lin twenty-four hours-hel would set
fire to the village-kill the men-car-
~ off the women-hang the children
on cactus thornsP'
A moments silence followed her
last hating whisper.
Then the Yaqui uttered singular
cry Gale had heard this once before,
and now he remembered 1t was at the
Papago well.
Look at the Indian" whispered
Bedding, hoarsely. On If 1 don't
believe he understood every word Mer-
cedes said. And, gentlemen, don't mis-
take me, if he ever gets near Senior
Rojas there'l be some CORY Aztec
knife work"
Yaqui had moved close to Mercedes,
and stood beside her as she leaned
against her husband. She seemed i'm
PEELED to meet the Indians gaze, and
evidently it was so powerful or hyp-
motto that it wrought irresistibly upon
her. But she must have seen or di-
vined what was beyond the others,
for she offered him her trembling
hand. Yaqui took it and laid it
against his body in a strange motion,
and bowed his head. Then he stepped
back into the shadow of the room.
Bedding went outdoors while the
rangers took up their former position
at the west window. Each had his
own somber thoughts, Gale imagined.
and knew his own were dark enough.
He saw Bedding halt at the corrals
and wave his hand. Then the rebels
mounted and came briskly up the
road, this time to rein in abreast.
Wherever Rojas had kept himself
upon the former advance was not
clear; but he certainly was prominent
ly in sight now. He made gaudy.
almost dashing figure. Rojas dis
mounted and seemed to be listening.
Bedding made gestures, vehemently
bobbed his big head, appeared to talk
with his body as much as with his
tongue. Then Rojas was seen to reply.
and after that it was clear that the
talk became painful and difficult. It
ended finally in what appeared to be
mutual understanding Rojas mount
ed and rode away with his men.
while Bedding came tramping back to
the house.
AS he entered the door his eyes
were shining, his big hands were
clenched, and he was breathing au-
dibly.
"You can rope me If I'm not To-
coed!" he burst out. ST went out to
conciliate a red-handed little muir
derer, and d-n me If / didn't meet
a-a-well, I've no suitable name
handy. I started my bluff and got
along pretty well, but forgot to men
ton that Mercedes was Thorne's wife.
And what do you Think Rojas swore
he loved Mercedes-swore he'd marry
her right here, in ForIorn River
swore he would give up robbing and
killing people, and take her away
from Mexico. He has gold-teweIs.
He swore If he didn't get her moth
ing mattered. He'd die anyway with
out her. And here's the strange
thing. I believe him! He was cold
as ice and all hi inside Never saw
a Greaser like him. Anyway, without
my asking he said for me to think it
over for day and then we'd talk
q cain