Evening star., 1936-04-02
CHAPTER xxx.

and how they do enjoy their little re-
venge. They're smarter'n men at plan
min a job. This Joaquin's a genius,
but even q genius gets tired, or too
bold, or too conceited an lets down his
guard. Joaquin let his down when he
sent couriers as far south as San
Gabriel to look up his old scattered
gang, some of whom have gone into.
business independently, and summon
them to join him at Arroyo Cantova.
You'd think he'd be too smart for that.
Well, he trusts these men so far out
side the law: he knows they'd never
tell peace officer, but he forgot that
they might tell their women and that
no woman can keep secret. That's
the angle that Largo she-devil worked
and now believe we're going to
declare a dividend
He sat down, gazed long over the
distant terrain through his telescope
and laid his battle plans. Dolores
tells me Joaquin hasn't had much re-
sponse to his bid for reinforcements,"
he resumed, because his old men see
the handwriting on the wall. I got
feeling that them that's crazy enough
to heed his call haven't had time to
get there yet, and even if they have
! figure our crowd can handle them"
"It wouldn't be good strategy for
us to enter via that narrow canon.
We got to figure that Joaquin will act
with discretion, that he'll have an out
post at the mouth Of the canon to
warn him of our coming. Well sneak
in from the rear or one side"
Guided by the tell-tale column of
smoke the Rangers moved down across
that wild and broken country. They
had no difficulty in keeping out of
sight In the scrubby timber that
clothed the mountainside. Just before
dark Love crept up to the top of a
ridge and looked down into the heart
of Arroyo Cantova. The column of
smoke assembled again from a point
about 3 miles up the valley from the
spot where he lay; through his tele-
scope he could see horses and men
moving about. To where the valley
narrowed to the gut that led tor
tuously out into the vast San Joaquin
below him draw descended gradually
into the secret valley. The footing in
this draw was good and the scrubby
pines grew sparsely. 1t could be nego-
tiated in the starlight.
The Rangers ate a cold supper.
grths we're frightened and the descent
into the valley began an hour after
loo ~
horses, the captain picking the path.
A little before dawn they emerged into
the valley, crossed it and came to Can
tova Creek. The stream ran the length
OF the valley and through the CEN
turies had eroded deep channel with
red dirt bank from Is to 20 feet high.
Love walked along this bank until, just
as the light began to break, he found
in a low spot trail that had been
worn down the bank by deer, elk and
bear going to drink. He led his Rang
ers down into the stream bed via this
trail. Cantova Creek was perennial
stream, but in midsummer the VOL
ume of water receded until it was only
or feet wide and perhaps inches
deep. Along each side of this de-
pleted stream lay stretched sandy
this cushion the horses hoofs made no
sound as they walked slowly up the
valley, completely screened by the high
banks.
AS the light increased Love crept up
the bank and surveyed the enemy
through his glasses He returned,
grinning, to the Rangers punched in
the creek They've had a bale!
There's quite few women with them
and suspect they've been up all night,
for the party Is still going on. Lis
tenm
Family to the Rangers came the
sound Of music, of voices singing in
chorus LA Golondrina."
"A young fellow walked down to this
creek with bucket in his hand. If
1t wasn't for this big bend he'd have
seen us. That argues a trail down
into the creek-probably where the
horses go down to water. The horses
are grazing loose few hundred yards
from the camp; saddles are piled here
and there; there are probably 20 men
and dozen women: a few rough
tables around where they've been eat
ing, and that will be all they'll have to
fight behind. Listen to me. When we
come up out of this creek we come with
a rush. Parsons, you will bear off to-
ward the horses and stampede them up
the canon. The rest of us will charge
with pistols straight into the camp
and through it; then ride around it
continuously, after the fashion of In
dians attacking a wagon train. That's
the only way we can insure that none
of this gang escape to the brush. We
got to keep 'em cornered."
Quite near they heard man sing
ing "Cielito Lindo" That's Joa-
quin's voice." said Bill Warren.
Then Joaquin's the chap that went
to the creek for a bucket of water.
I'll look again"
When Love came down the bank he
said: "Joaquin's the only man in the
lot with any brains. He has his horse
right in camp and he's back there now
washing the animal. Warren. you ride
beside me and point him out as soon
as you identify him. Forward"
As Love had suspected, a broad trail
led up the bank out of the arroyo, and
UP it they galloped in single file, fan
ming out into troop front as they
reached the top. Evidently the bandits
supposed these advancing horsemen
must be part of their own company
arriving, for there = was no general
alarm until less than a hundred yards
separated the Rangers from their prey.
Then Three fingered Jack beloved a
warning.
Joaquin, busy washing his horses
legs, glanced up. His weapons lay on
a table so feet away and he knew he
had no possible chance to reach them
knew that at last he was cornered,
that here was case Of every man for
himself and the devil take the hind
most. He leaped on his horse. unsad-
died and unbridled, and, guiding the
magnificent animal with his knee and