Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1936-03-13

down the narrow, rocky canyon in
which he had made his camp since
Yank, two days ago, had disappeared
from Novedad with scant rations and
pair of blankets.
Hes told me some," Ken admitted
grimly as he dumped fist full of
coffee into the blackened pot that
rode the embers. Enough SOS /
don't blame you for what happened.
should say the A. K. & n. was kinda
up against it,"
eve a]e," FELTON, admitted with
a smothered groan, "but we can't do
damn thing about it. Mescalero
Ted's got thousand reasons why he
can't go out for meat It'll tomorrow
and the supply you brought in is pref
ty near gone"
Gomez" The frontiersman looked
up sharply. "That should have lasted
you ten days."
ut should have" grunted FELTON,
savagely "but somehow the supply
tent caught fire last night and ruined
most of it along with a lot of other
stuff. We've got half rations left for
three days. The men are gettin' pref
ty nasty"
$50 then," the frontiersman cut a
slice of pork from heel that he pull
ed from a hog "there amt much about
that Ted intends to play crooked"
"Not much," the construction chief
replied vehemently shaking his head.
Ever since his riders framed you into
that gun fight he acts like he owns the
A. K. & N. He knows he's top dog
and no one dare stand up to him on
account of the Injuns."
SIS the work going on?" Ken in
quired, his hawk-like profile gilded
by the flames.
yep, but it's almighty slow. A
prospector who hove into town last
night said the Rio Verde's got mile,
and three quarters on us now" Wear
lily, the older man loaded his pipe and
lit it with a coal. We're up against
1t bad, Ken, if those troops don't get
here from Fort Smith. Is that true
what Yank says about all them
Paches?"
Every word. He's been scoutin' to
the southeast while I been kepin' a
eye on the Jicarillas. The medicine
drums have been banging all week
and they're sure gettin' set for one
big raid. Only this morning | spot
ted war party Of two hundred braves
sneakin' along the foothills o. the
Naca range. Round noon l near bump
ed into another outfit wearin' black
and red paint. Oh, they're out all
/ light, and you're in for more trouble'n
| like to think about. What kind Of
d fight kin you put up?"
Felton's long features were tragic
by the Pickering freight as he spread
helpless hands.
"Not much. Here's our fix. If we
ship any laborers back to Volcano,
they may get jumped on tn way and
therell surely be a panic among the
ones left behind-besides we'll lose
our fight with the Rio Verde. We've
got guns enough to stand a chance if
we hold tight in Novedad. Besides,
amt no ways sure the PEACHES amt
tore up the road above the San Lo-
renzo bridge.
Somebody's already cut the wire
| twixt here and Volcanic, but l sure
burned them up It'll the last minute
hollerin' for soldiers. The colonel
said he'll rush some troops soon's they
get back from the Navajo campaign.
"That means you can't get 'em It'll
tomorrow some time-That's cuttin'
it pretty fine"
eyes, but that amt the worst of it.
The frontiersman looked up. "Some
of Cranes men have been stirring up
cur laborers until they're hot against
the A. K. & N. for not givin' better
protection and more rations. 1 heard
about three hundred of them are set,
come sun up to quit US cold and hike
ever to the Rio Verde-they know it's
only ten miles cross country"
"Only ten miles Of HE'LL" snapped
Ken harshly. eff those blamed fools
ever start across the Yellow Mesa,
they'll wish they'd never been foaled."l
"How can l stop them?" Felton's
hands misshapen from years of toll,
again spread themselves in an elo-
quent gesture of hlplessness. "How
can do anythin' but what am doin'?
Oh God, it's terrible, Ken, to be re-
sponsible for all those stupid section
hands along with their poor kids and
women folks"
Kor oo,of,,ll,r olnnnL q e,,o..l IL