Newspapers / Jackson County Journal (Sylva, … / June 8, 1923, edition 1 / Page 8
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T7 DESERT GOLD by ,xl ZANE GREY / Author of RIDERS Of THE PURPLE SAGE, WILDFIRE, ETC. , . v \ 9 0 Copyright by Harper & Brothers. , !?????????>< NELL BURTON ' SYNOPSIS.? Seeking gold In the desert, ?'Cameron," solitary pros pector, forms a partnership with an unknown man whom he later learns is Jonas Warren, father of ? girl whom Cameron wronged, but later married, back In Illinois. Cameron's explanations appease Warren, and the two proceed to gether. Taking refuge from a Sandstorm In a cave, Cameron dis covers gold, but too late; both men are dying. Cameron leaves evi dence, In the cave, of their dis covery of gold, and personal docu ments. Richard Giale, adventurer, in Casita, Mexican border town, meets George Thorne, lieutenant in the Ninth cavalry, old college friend. Thorne tells Gale he Is there to save Mercedes Castaneda, Spanish girl, his affianced wife, from Rojas, Mexican bandit Gale "roughhouses" Rojas and his gang, with the help of two American cowboys, and he. Mercedes and Thorne escape. A bugle call from the fort orders Thome to his regi ment. He leaves Mercedes under Gale's protection. The pair, aided by the cowboys, Charlie Ladd and Jim Lash, arrive In safety at a ranch known as Forlorn River, across the border. The fugitives are at Tom Beiding's home. Beld Ing is Immigration inspector. Living with him are his wife and step daughter, Nell Burton. "What Is he? Who Is he? Where did he come from? Surely you must be?" "Laddy swears he's aH right," Inter rupted the husband. "That's enough reference for me. Isn't it enough for you!" "Humph ! I?addy knows a lot about young men, now doesn't he, especially ?trangers from the East? . . . Tom, you must be careful ! He'll fail In love with Nell!" protested Mrs. Bel ding. "Well, wouldn't that be regular? Doesn't every man who comes along fall In love with Nell? Hasn't it al ways happened?" "But, Tom, Nell might fall in love with this young man !" exclaimed the wife. In distress. "Laddy, Jim, didn't I tell ("you TV cried Belding. "I knew she'd say that. ... My dear wife; I would be simply overcome with Joy If Nell did fall in love once. Real good and hard! She's wilder than any antelope out there on the desert. Nell's nearly twenty now, and so far as we know she's never cared a rap for any fellow. And she's as good and lovable as she Is pretty, but I'm afraid she'll never grow Into a woman while we live out In this lonely land. And you've al ) ways hated towns where there was a chance for the glrf ? Just because you were afraid she'd fall in love. You've always been strange, even silly, about that I've done my best for Nell ? loved her as If she were my own / CHAPTER- IV. ? Continued. 'What Is He? Who It He? Where Did He Come From? Surely You Must Be?" daughter. I've changed many busi ness plans to suit your whims. There Rre rough times ahead, maybe. I need men. I'll hire this chap Gale If he'll stay. Let Nell take her chance with him. She'll be all the better for It." "I hope Laddy's not mistaken In his opinion of this newcomer," replied Mrs. Belding, with a algh of resigna tion. "Well, supper Is to be got. That young man and the girl will be starved. I'll go In now. If Nell hap pens around don't ? don't flatter her. Laddy, like you did at dinner. Don't mftke her think of her looks." Dick heard ? Mrs. Belding walk away. "Shore she's powerful particular about that girl," observed Laddy. "Say, Tom, Nell knows she's pretty, doesn't she." "She's liable to find It out unless you shut up, Laddy. When you vis ited as out -here some weeks ago, you kept paying cowboy compliments to \ "An' It's your Idea that cowboy compliments are plumb bad for girls?" "Downright bad, Laddy, so my wife says." "I'll be darned If I believe any girl can be hurt by a little sweet talk. It pleases 'em. ..." > . "Chop It," Interrupted Beldlng. "Here comes Nell now." Dick's tingling ears took In the pat tering of light footsteps, the rush of someone running. "Here you are," cried a sweet, hap py voice. "Dad, the senorita is lper rectly lovely. I've been peeping at her. She sleeps like ? like death. She's so white. Oh, I hope she won't be 111. How strange and sad, that ubout her! Tell me more, Laddy. You prQmlsed. I'm dying to know. Didn't you say the senorita had a sweetheart?" "Shore I did." "Is he the young man who came with you?" "Nope. That fellow's the one who saved the girl from Rojas." "Ah! Where Is he. Laddy?" "He's In there asleep." "Is he ? nice, Laddy?" "Shore." "What Is he like?" ( "Well, I'm not long acquainted, never saw him by day, hut I was spme tolerable took with him. NAn' Jim here. Jim says the young man can have his gun an' his hoss." "Wonderful ! Laddy, what on earth did this stranger do to win you cowboys In Just one night?" . "I'll shore have to t^ll you. Me an' Jim was watchln' a game of cards In the Del Sol saloon In Caslta. That's across the line. We had acquaint ances ? four fellows from the Cross Bar outfit, where we worked a while back. This* Del Sol Is a billiard hall, saloon, restaurant, an' the like. An' It was full of Greasers. Some of Campp's rebels were there drinkln* an' pla.vln' games. Then pretty soon In come Rojas with some of his outfit. They were packln' guns an' kept to themselves off to one side. "A little while aftei-ward I seen a fellow standln' In the restaurant door. He was a young American dressed In corduroys an' boots, like a prospector. He looked round the sa loon, an' when he spotted Rojas he sorta jerked up. Then he pulled his slouch hat lopsided an' began to stag ger down, down tiie steps. First off I made shore he was drunk. But I re membered he didn't seem drunk be fore. It was some queer. So 1 watched that young man. "He reeled around tha room like a fellow who was drunker'n a lord. Nobody but me seemed to notice him. Then he began to stumble over pool players an' get his feet tangled up In chairs an' bump against tables. He got some pretty hard looks. He came round our way, an' all of a sudden he seen us cowboys. He gave another start, like the one when he first seen Rolas. then he made for us. I tipped Jim off that somethin' was doln'. Then this queer young man shot some cool, polite words at me an' Jim. "He was only bluffin' at beln' drunk ?he meant to rush Rojas, to s^rt a rough house. The bandit was after a girl. This girl was in the hotel, an' she was the sweetheart of a soldier, the young fellow's friend. The hotel was watched by Rojas' guards, an' the plan was to make a fuss an' get the girl away In the excitement. Well, Jim an' me got a hint of our beln' Americans ? that cowboys generally had a, name for loyalty to women. Then this amazln' chap ? you can't imagine how Scornful ? said for me an' Jim to watch him. "Before I could catch my breath an' flgger out what he meant by 'rush' an' 'rough house' he had knocked over a table an' crowded some Greaser half off the map. Then, qulcker'n I can tell you the young man dove at Ro jas. Like a mad steer on the. ram page he charged Rojas an' his men. The whole outfit went down ? smash ! I flggered then what 'rush' meant. The young fellow came up out of the pile with Rojas, an" Just like I'd sling an empty sack along the floor he sent the bandit. But swift as that went he was on top of Rojas before the chairs an' tables had stopped roliln'. "I woke up then, an' made for the center of the room, Jim with me. I began to shoot out the lamps. Jim throwed his guns on the crazy rebels, an' I was afraid there'd be blood spilled before I could get the room dark. Beln' shore busy, I lost sight of the young fellow for a second or so, an' when I got an eye free for him I seen a Greaser about to knife him. Think I was considerate of the Greaser by only shootln' his arm off. Then I cracked the last lamp, an' in the hullabaloo me an* Jim vamoosed. "We made tracks for our hosses an' packs, an' was hlttln' the San Felipe road when we run right plumb Into the young man. Well, he said his name was Gale ? Dick Gale. The girl was with him safe an' well; but her sweetheart, the soldier, beln' away without leave, had to go back sudden. There shore was some trouble, for Jim an' me heard shootln'. Qale said he had no money, no friends, was a stranger In a desert country; an' ha was distracted to know how to help the girl. So me an' Jim started off with them for San Felipe, got switched, an' then we headed for the Rio Forlorn." "Oh, I think he was perfectly splen did!" exclaimed the girl. "But, Laddy. you haven't told me what he looks like." At this Juncture Dick Gale felt it absolutely Impossible to play the eavesdropper any longer. Quietly he rolled out of bed. Beldlng's kindly Interest, Laddy's blunt and sincere cowboy eulogy, the girl's sweet eager ness and praise ? these wat-med Gale's heart. He had fallen among simple people, Into whose lives the advent of an unknown man was welcome. He was wild to be one of Belding's rangers. The idea of riding a horse In the open desert, with a dangerous duty to perform, seemed to strike him with an appealing force. Something within him went out to the cowboys, to this blunt and kind Belding. He was afraid to meet the girl. If every man who came along fell In love with this sweet-voiced Nell, then what hope had he to escape ? now, when his whole inner awakening betokened a change of spirit, hope, a finding of real worth, real good, real power In himself? > Gale Imagined he made noise enough as he clumsily pulled on his boots ; yet the voices, split by a merry laugh, kept on murmuring outside the Suddenly, Sweetly, She Blushed. door. It was awkward for him, hav ing only one hand available to lace up his toots. He looked out of the window. He heard bees, birds, chick ens, saw the red of roses and green of grass. Then he saw, close to the tfall, a tub full of water, and a bench upon which lay basin, soap, towel, comb and brush. The window was also a door, for under It there was a step. ' 1 Gale hesitated a moment, then went out. He stepped naturally, hop ing and expecting that the cowboys would hear him. But nobody came. Awkwardly, with left hand, he washed his face. Upon a nail in the wall hung a little mirror, by the aid of which Dick combed and brushed his hair. He imagined he looked a most haggard wretch. With that he faced forward, meaning to go round the cor ner of the house to greet the cowboys and these new-found friends. Dick had taken but one step when he was halted by laughter and the patter of light feet. He saw a little foot sweep into view, a white dress, then the swiftly moving form of a glr.l. She was looking backward. "Dad. I shnll fall in love with your new ranger. I will ? I have ? Then she plumped squarely Into Dick's arms. Kick saw a fair face and dark blue, audaciously flashing eyes. Swift as lightning their expression changed to surprise, fear, wonder. For an In stant they were level with Dick's grave questioning. Suddenly, sweet ly, ehe blushed. "Oh-h!" she faltered. Then the blush turned to a scarlet fire. She whirled past him. and like a white gleam was gone. Dick became conscious of the qulckr efled beating of his heart. He expe rienced a singular exhilaration. That moment had been the one for which he had been ripe, the event upon which strange circumstances had been rushing him. > , With a couple of strides he turned the corner. Laddy and Lash were there talking to a man of burly form. "Hello, there's the young fellow," spoke up the burly man. "Mr. Gale, I'm glad to meet you. My name's Beldlng." His greeting was as warm as his handclasp was long and hard. Gale saw a heavy man of medium height. His head was large and covered with grizzled locks. He wore a short cropped mustache an* chin beard. His skin was brown, aid his dark eyes beamed with a genial light "Young man, did yon ran into any thing as you came out?" asked Bel ding, with twinkling eyes. "Why, yes; I met something white and swift flying by," replied Dick. "That was Nell Burton, my girl ? Stepdaughter, I should say," said Bel dlng. "She's sure some whirlwind, as Laddy calls her. Come, let'i go In and meet the wife." In Mrs. Beldlng, Gale found a wom an of noble proportions and striking appearance. Her hair was white. She had a strong, serious, well-lined face that bore haunting evidences of past beauty. The gaze she gent %pon him was almost piercing In Its Intensity. Her greeting, which seemed to Dick rather slow ? In coming, was kind though not cordial. Gale's first thought, after he had thanked these good people for their\hospitaiIty, was to Inquire about Mercedes. Mrs. Bel ding said the girl had suffered no great hardship, other than mental, and would very soon be rested and well. "Now, Gale," said Beldlng, when his wife had excused herself to get sup per, "the boys, Jim and Laddy, told me about you and the mix-up at Ca slta. HI be glad to take care of the girl till It's safe for your soldier friend to get her out of the country. That won't be very soon, don't mis take me. ... I don't want to seem over-curious about you ? Laddy has Interested me in you ? and straight out I'd like to know what you propose to do now." "I haven't any plans," replied Dick; and, taking the moment as propitious, he decided to speak frankly concern ing himself. "I Just drifted down here. My home Is in Chicago. When I left school some years ago ? I'm twenty-five now ? I went to work for my father. He's ? he has business In terests there. I tried all kinds of In side Jobs. I couldn't please my fa ther. To tell you frankly, Mr. Bel dlng, I suppose I didn't much care." "What do you want to do?" "I want a man's Job. I want to do things with my hands. 1 want action. I want to be outdoors." Belding nodded his head as If he understood that, and he began to speak again, cut something short, then went on, hesitatingly: "Gale ? you could go home again ? to the old man ? it'd be all right?" "Mr. Beldlng, there's nothing shady in my past. The governor would be glad to have me home. That's the only consolation I've got. But I'm not going. I'm broke. I won't be a tramp. And It's np to me to do something." "How'd you like to be a border ranger?" asked Beldlng, laying a hand on Dick's knee. "Part of my job here Is United States Inspector of Im migration. I've got that boundary line to patrol ? to beep out Chinks and Japs. You'll nqt be hired by the U. S. You'll simply be my ranger, same as Laddy and Jim, who have promised to work for me. I'll pay you well, give you a room here, fur nish everything down to guns, and the finest horse you ever saw In your life. Your job won't be safe and healthy, ? sometimes, but It'll be a man's Job? don't mistake me I You can gamble on having things to do outdoors. Now, what do you say?" "I accept, and I thank you ? I can't say how much," replied Gale, ear nestly. "Good! That's settled. Let's go out and tell Laddy and Jim." Both boys expressed satisfaction at the turn of affairs, and then wjth Belding they set out to take Gale around the ranch. The wide grounds were covered with luxuriant grass and flowers and different kinds of trees. Belding explained that the luxuri ance of this desert place was owing to a few springs and the dammed-up waters of the Rio Forlorn. "I've got one never-failing spring on my place," said Belding. "Fine, sweet water! You know what that njeans in the desert. I like this oasis. The longer I live here the better I like it. It's beautiful and healthy. Forlorn and lonely, yes, especially for women like my wife and Nell ; but I like it . . . And between you and me, boys, I've got something up my sleeve. There's gold dust in the arroyos, and there's mineral up In the mountains. If we only had water! There are possibilities, and I want you boys to stay with me and get In on the ground floor. I wish this rebel war was over. , . . Well, here are the cormls and the fields. Gale, take a look at that bunch of horses!" Belding's last remark was made as he led his companions out of shady gardens into the open. Gale saw an adobe shed and a huge pen formed by strahgely twisted and contorted branches or trunks of mesquite, and, beyond these, wide, flat fields, green ? a dark, rich green ? and dotted with beautiful horses. There were whites and blacks, and bays and grays. In his admiration Gale searched his memory to see If he could remember the like of these magnificent animals, and had to admit that the only ones he could compare with them were the Arabian steeds. "Shore I reckon I savvy why you don't sleep nights," drawled Laddy. "I see a Greaser out there ? no; lfs an Indian.1* / \ That's my Papa go herdsman. 1 keep watch ever the horses now day and night. Lord, how I'd hate to have Rojas or Salazar ? any of those bandit rebels? find my horses ! . . . Gale, can you ride?" * Dick modestly replied t&at be could, according to the eastern idea of horsemanship. The ringing of a bell, which Bel ding said was a call to supper, turned the men back toward the house. It was not until they reached it and were about to go In that fielding chanced to discover Gale's crippled hand. "What an awful hand !" he ex claimed. "Where the devil did yon get that?" "I stove in my knuckles on Rojas," replied Dick. "You did that in one punch? Say, Tm glad It wasn't me you hit! Why didn't you tell me? TMht's a bad hand. Those cuts are full of dirt and sand. Inflammation's setting in. It's got to be dressed. Nell !" he called. Dick saw a glimpse of golden hair and a white dress in the door. But they were not visible longer than a second. "Dad, what's the matter?" asked a voice that was still as sweet as formerly, but now rather small and constrained, "Bring flie antiseptics, cotton, ban dages ? and things out here. Hurry, now." Belding fetched a pall of water and a basin from the kitchen. His wife followed him out, and, upon see ing Dick's hand, was all solicitude. Then Dick heard light, quick foot steps, but he did not look up. "Nell, this is Mr. Gale ? Dick Gale, who came with the boys last night," said Belding. "He's got an awful hand. Got it punching that Greaser Rojas. I want you to dress it. . . . Gale, this is my stepdaughter, Nell Burton, of whom I spoke. She's some good when there's somebody sick or hurt. Shove out your fist, my and let her get at it. Supper'a neaciy ready." DMt felt that same strange, quick ening heart throb, yet he had never been cooler In his life. More than anything else in the world he wanted to look at Nell Burton; however, di vining that the situation . might be embarrassing to her, he refrained from looking up. She began to bathe his injured knuckles. He noted the softness, the deftness of her touch, and then it seemed her fingers^ were not quite as steady as they 'might have been. Still, in a moment they appeared to become surer In their work. When she sat down beside him and rested his Injured hand In her ldp as she cut bandages, she was so thrllllngly near that he yielded to an irrepressible desire to look up. She had a sweet, fair face warmly tinted with that same healthy golden-brown sunburn. Her hair was light gold and abundant, a waving mass. Her eyes were shaded by long, downcast lashes, yet through them he caught a gleam of blue. Despite the stir within him, Gale, seeing she was now absorbed In her task, critically studied her with a sec ond closer gaze. She was a sweet, wholesome. Joyous, pretty girl. "Shore it musta hurt?" Inquired Laddy, who sat an interested specta tor. "Yes, I confess it; did," replied Dick slowly, with his eyes on Nell's face. "But I didn't mind." The girl's lashes swept up swiftly in surprise. She had taken his words literally. But the dark-blue eyes met his for only a fleeting second. Then the warm tint in her cheeks turned as red as her lips. Hurriedly she finished tying the bandage and rose to her feet. "I thank you," said Gale, also ris ing. With that Belding appeared in the doorway, and, finding the opera tion concluded, called them in to sup per. After the meal, having a favor able opportunity when for a moment no one was at hand, Dick went out through the yard, past the gardens and fields, and climbed the first knoll. Westward the setting sun gilded a spiked, frost-colored, limitless ex panse of desert. It awed Gale. What a strange, gray, somber place! There was a lighter strip of gray winding down between darker hues. This he realized presently was the river bed, and he saw now the pools of water narrowed and diminished in slse till they lost themselves in gray sand. This was the rainy season, near its end, and here a little river struggled hopelessly, forlornly to live in the desert. He received a potent impres sion of. the nature of that blasted age worn waste which he had divined was to give him strength and work and love. "It was indescribably sweet and provocative of thoughts ? " (TO BE CONTINUED.) Domestic Animals Necessary. Man couldn't get along without do mesticated animals. The world now has one sheep and one head of cattle for each five people, and one head of swine for each 12 people. America, with only a sixteenth of the world's population, has a sixth of the world's cattle, a tenth of the sheep and three sevenths of the swine. We are the greatest meat eaters' on earth. Yet we are the most peaceful people. Mili tant Japan's diet is based on rice. It is an uncomfortable contrast for the theorists who preach that meat-eating makes people ferocious or savagely emotional. Ancient City ef Carthage, Carthage was founded by the Vhm nldans abort 850 B, d t \ MRS. J. MITCHELL GAINS 30 POUNIR Long-Standing Stomach Trouble Completely Overcome by Tanlac. "I was sick for a year an.j thirty pounds, but the Tanlac ment ended all ray troubles, I gained ray lost weight, and mv Won. derful Improvement was the talk a all my friends," said Mrs. .jilln<| Mitchell, 107 16th St.. Columbus. "I suffered with chronic iruli-_'>-<iioD became dreadfully run down anil and I fell off until I was little itiort than a skeleton. My nerves frightfully excited and 1 felt tliat Hft held nothing for me. "What others said in the papers started me taking Tanlac and the wav It built me up was astonishing. ,\jt indigestion has disappeared, my nerv? are steady and I get plenty ot ^ I can work all day without L-eitin? too tired. Several of my frills have taken Tanlac on my advi.e anj all have had splendid results." Tanlac is for' sale by all good drug gists. Accept no substitute. over 3; million bottles sold. ? Advertisement. The Fishing Hog. ? I have my loves and my hates. \0 z&ords can record iny aversion f.ir the person (Is he inan'or ?lt?vil?) 'who Bnares the little fish under size. win*,, abortive selfishness leads him to Aw. tihue when llie creel is full, ami. who catches the mother at spawning time. To me he is the human wolverine, fish glutton; and for him I have Jt?arh Ing as well as hate. ? From "Old lllack Bass," by Albert Benjamin Ciiruiinj. ham. FOR OVER 40 YEARS HALL'S CATARRH MEDICINE hai been used successfully in the treatment of Catarrh. HALL'S CATARRH MEDICINE con sists of an Ointment which Qulcklj Relieves by local application, and the Internal Medicine, a Tonic, which acti through the Blood on the Mucous 9ur> faces, thus reducing the inflammation. Sold by all druggists. F. J. Cheney k. Co., Toledo, Ohio, C The Unnecessary Sex. Mother (leaving Egyptian room In museum) ? What did you think of It, dear? Dorothy ? Well, It was alf right, hot I don't see why there were so manj mummies and no daddies. ? Life. Got Their Money's Worth. Nevada Paper ? The beautiful ren ditions of several numbers by Miss Martha Scraggs was well worth the admission fee, which was purposely made small. ? Boston Transcript. Sure Relief FOR INDIGESTION 6 Bell-ans Hot water Sure Relief ELL-ANS 25$ AND 75$ PACKAGES EVERYWHERE TOO FEW PEOPLE HEED DANGER SIGN Observations of an Illinois Wom an, Who Says Her Family's Good Health Is Due to Prompt Use of Black Drauyht. Saint Joseph, 111. ? In speaking "f the good health record of her family, Mrs. Asa G. OlJis, of this place, says that for symptoms of torpid liver "'he first thing we do Is to take Black Draught." V "It Is the best liver tonic I have ever known," declares Mrs. Ollis, "8^ the rest of the family seem to the same way. They take it for sour stomach, indigestion and constipation "Too few people pay enough atten tion to constipation, which is the he ginning of most Ills, but I have used Black-Draught for constipation and it regulated me, and I can recommend it for that" As Mrs. Ollls so truthfully says, constipation leads to a great deal sickness among those who do not un derstand its dangers, and -.vho n? lect prompt treatment. The poisons which constipation forces your hl'M to reabsorb may cause much suffer ing, and greatly tjftdanger your fun eral health. } Thedford's Black-Draught (P?w vegetable) has been found to constlpatloto, and by stimulating T" action of the liver, when it Is torpi helps to drive many poisons out yonr system. Biliousness, Indian" . headache, and similar trouble? ? often relieved In this way. ; k. natural way. Be natural ! Try Bia Draught ^ Sold everywhere. Price only -<*? ? ? 1
Jackson County Journal (Sylva, N.C.)
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June 8, 1923, edition 1
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