4BL0 STOLEN
? DIJ
? sTSOrMH -Seektne gold In the
?? . J, -Cameron," solitary pros
W .,J forms a partnership with
KT Unk.i(i"ii man whom he later
teams is J?'las w'arren> father or
? girl whom Cameron wronged.
Kut lati'r married, back in Illinois,
fcniero.i's explanations appease
?barren, and the two proceed to
gether Taking refuge from a
M.,n<i*torm in a cave, Cameron dls
KvcfS gold, bUt t0? ,a,e' b0th men
Ere dying Ca nitron leaves evi
dence in the cave, of their dis
Kovery pf gold, and personal docu
ments. Kichari Gale, adventurer,
L Casita. Mexican border town,
Imeels George Thorrte, lieutenant In
mthe Ninth cavalry, old college
?friend. Thome tells Gale he Is
?there to save Mercedes Castaneda,
?Spanish Ifirl. his affianced wife,
Mfroni Hops. Mexican bandit. Gale
? roughhouses' Rojas and his gang,
? with the help of two American
Mcont.oys. and he. Mercedes and
M Thorne escape. A bugle calj from
? the fort orders Thorne to hla regl
Iment. He le.ivea .Mercedes under
? Gale's protection. The pair, aided
I by the cowboys, Charlie I^dd and
I Jim f-*?h. arrive in safety at a
I ram h known as Forlorn River,
I tcross 'he border. The fugitives
fare at Tom Heldins's home. Bold
ling is immigration inspector. Living
I with him are his wife and step
I daughter, .Veil Burton. Gale, with
I Ladd and I?ish, take service with
I Beldins a,s rangers, Ga' ? telling
I Beldi'lK the cause of his being a
I wanderer, a misunderstanding with
I his father concerning the son's
I business abilities. ' Mercedes gets
I word j to Thorne of her safety.
I Dick also writes to his parents, ln
| forming them of his whereabouts.
I Sell's personality, and her kind
I ness, attract Gale. Riding the
I range. Gale falls in with a party
I of three Mexican raiders encamped
I at a water hole. Watching his
I opportunity to oust them, he sees
I two Indians ride Into the camp.
I One of them, ? Taqul, is evidently
I badly wounded, and the Mexicans
I seek to kill him in a cruel way.
I Dick drives them off. conveying
I the wounded Yaqui to Belding*s
I ranch.
CHAPTER VII.? Continued.
O _
I a erent fenced field of velvety green
Jfalfa furnished a rich background
Lr the drove of about twenty white
Ues. Blanco Diablo was the only
[? in the Held that was not free to
(am and graze where he listed. A
ake and a lmlter held him to one
imer, where he was severely fcrt
lone by the other horses. He did not
te this Isolation. Blanco Diablo was
ot happy unless he was running, or
luting a rival. Of the two he would
Hither flsht. If anything white could
eiubte a devil, this horse surely
Iid. He had nothing beautiful about |
Im. yet he drew the gaze and held
The look of him suggested dis
ontent, anper. revolt, vlclousness.
jvtk'n he was not grazing or prancing,
held his Ions, lean head level, point
ng his nose and showing his teeth,
folding's favorite was nlmost all the
jtorld to him, and he swore Diablo
oiild stand more heait and thirst and
actus than any other horse he owned,
Ind could run down and kill any
ope in the Southwest.
Th<? cowboys admitted some of
eldiiig's claims for Dihblo, but they
ave loyal and unshakable allegiance
Rlanco Sol. As for Dick, he had
fight himself to keep out of argu
ents, for he sometimes imagined he
ras unreasonable about the horse,
hough he could not understand him
self, he knew he loved Sol as a man
loved a friend, a brother. Free of
fwy saddle and the clumsy leg
Welds, Blanco Sol was somehow all
itlsfying to the eyes of the rangers,
"he dazzling whiteness of the desert
in shone from his goat; he had the
pre and spirit of the desert In his
Poble head. Its strength and power in
gigantic frame.
"Beldln^ swears Sol never beat
Mablo," Dick was saying.
"He helleves It," replied Nell. "Dad
queer about that horse."
"I've often wondered how fielding
w ramp to give Blanco Sol to me,"
aid Dick.
"I think he wanted to get rid of
|So1."
"Maybe. He surely has strange pas
lon for horses. I think I understand
totter than I used to. I owned a
^tiple of racers once. They were
tot animals to me, I guess. But
Blanco Sol !"
you love him?" asked Nell; and
1Jmr !) warm, blue flash of eyes swept
his (ace.
"Do I? Well, rather."
'ni glad, sol has been finer, a
*tter horse since you owned him. He
you, Dick. Sol always hated
ahin, and never had much use for
Dad."
hick l(if.)<(-d up j,cr
It'll be? Ik> pretty hard to leave Sol
~whc-n I co awav."
sat perfectly still.
? ?". nw?y?" she asked, presently,
I 1 just the faintest tremor in her
| voice.
in |PS S'>,n, ,lllies when I get blue ?
J 1 ??> today? I think I'll go. But,
soli(.r tnith NeIli i(tg not Hkely
I * HI >=pei)d all my life here."
here uas no answer to this. Dick
?'s hand softly over hers; and,
Pte her half-hearted struggle to
l7 't. he held on.
N'ell !"
'n'"r fled. He saw her Hps
? -I. z h,avy steP on the gravel.
C0InP,nln'ng voice Inter
bhn, and made him release Nell
,r8w l|ack. Relding strode Into
ground the adobe shed.
^?7. Dick, that darned TiquT~lii'|
rtB 1 ** drtv?o or hired or coaxed
By Z ANE GREY
Author of
?
The Riders of the Purple Sage,
Wildfire, Etc.
Copyright by Harp?r A Brother*.
to lea*e Forlorn River. He's well
enough to travel. I offered him horse,
gun, blanket, grub. But no go."
"That's funny," replied Gale, with
a smile. "Let him stay ? put him to
work."
"It doesn't strike me funny. But
I'll tell you what I think. That poor,
homeless, heartbroken Indian has
taken a liking to you, Dick. You
saved his life. That sort of thing
counts big with any Indian, even with
an Apache. With a Taqul maybe It's
of deep significance. I've heard a
Yaqui say that with his tribe no debt
to friend or foe ever went unpaid.
Perhaps that's what alls this fellow."
"Dick, don't laugh," said Nell. "I've
noticed the YaquL It's pathetic the
.ditlllhii
Her Color Fled. He 8aw Her Lips
Part.
way his great gloomy eyes follow
you."
"You've made a friend," continued
Beldlng. "A YaquI could be a real
friend on this desert. If he gets his
strength back he'll be of service to
you, don't mistake me. He's welcome
here. But you're responsible for him,
and you'll have trouble keeping him
from massacring all the Greasers in
Forlorn River."
? ??????
\
The probability of a visit from the
raiders, and a dash bolder than usual
on the outskirts of a ranch, led Beld
lng to build a new corral. It was not
sightly to the eye, but It was high and
exceedingly strong. The gate was a
massive affair, swinging on huge
hinges and fastening rvith heavy
chains and padlocks.
At night Beldlng locked his white
horses In this corral. The Papago
herdsmen slept in the adobe shed ad
joining. Beldlng did not Imagine that
any wooden fence, however substan- 1
tlally built, could keep determined
raiders from breaking it down. They
would have to take time, however, and
make considerable noise; and Beldlng
relied on these facts. Beldlng did not
believe a band of night' raiders would
hold out against a hot rifle fire. Ladd
did not share Belding's sanguine
hopes.
One January morning Dick Gale
was awakened by a shrill, menacing
cry. He leaped up bewildered and
frightened. H^ heard Belding's boom
ing voice answering shouts, and rapid
steps on flagstones. But these had not
awakened him. Heavy breaths, almost
sobs, seemed at his very door. In
the cold and gray dawn Dick saw
something white. Gun In hand, he
founded across, the room. Just out
side his door stood Blanco Sol.
It was not unusual for Sol to come
poking his head in at Dick's door dur
ing daylight. But now In the early
dawn, when he had been locked In
the corral, it mepnt raiders? no less.
Dick called softly to the snorting
horse; and, hurriedly getting Into
clothes and boots, he went out with a
gun In each hand. Sol was quivering in
every muscle. Like a dog he followed
Dick around the house. Hearing
shouts In the direction of the corrals
Gale bent swift steps that way.
He caught up with Jim Lash, wh
was also leading a white horse.
They reached the corral to find
Beldlng shaking, roaring like a mad
man. The gate was. open, the corral
was empty. "Tom, where's the Papa
go?" said Ladd. ?
"He's gone, Laddy? gone !"
"Double-crossed us, eh? I see heres
a crowbar lyln* b^ the gatepost. That
Indian fetched It tfom the forge.- It
was used to pry out the bolts fin'
steeples. Tom. I reckon there wasn't
mach time lost forctn' that gate^'
Daylight made clear some details of
the raid. The cowboys found tracks
of eight raiders coming up from the
river bed where their horses had h??ei<
left. Evidently the Papaeo had been
false to his trust His few per
sonal belongings were gone. More
hones were found loose in thi fluids.
6 >
The men soon rounded up eleven of
the whites, all more or less fright
ened.
cursed and railed, and finally declared
he was going to trail the. raiders.
"Tom, you -Just ain't agoin' to do
nothln' of the kind," said Laddy,
coolly.
Beiding groaned and bowed his head.
"Laddy, you're right," he replied,
presently. "I've got to 'stand It. I
can't leave the women and my prop
erty. But It's sure tough. I'm sore
way down deep, and nothln* but blood
would ever satisfy me."
"Leave that to me an' Jim," said
Ladd.
"What do you mean to do?" demand
ed Beiding, starting up.
"Shore I don't know yet . . . Give
me a light for my pipe. An' Dick, gd
fetch out your Yaqui."
CHAPTER VIII
ing of Blanco Sol.
over the corral, the swinging gate
with Its broken fastenings, the tracks
fn the road, and then rested upon Beid
ing.
*'Malo," he said, and his Spanish
was clear.
"Shore, Yaqui, about eight bad men,
an' a traitor Indian," said Ladd.
"I think he means my herder," add
ed Beiding. "If he does, that settles
any doubt it might be decent to have
? Yaqui? malo I'apago ? Si?"
The Yaqui spread wide his hands.
Then be bent- over the tracks in the
road. They led everywhither, but
gradually he worked out of the thick
net to take the trail that the cowboys
had followed down to the river. Beid
ing -and the rangers kept close at his
heels. He found a trampled spot where
the raldets had left their horses. From
this point a deeply defined narrow
trail led across the dry river bed.
The trail of the raiders took a
southeasterly course over untrodden
desert. The Yaqui spoke In his own
tongue, then in Spanish.
"Tlilnk he means slow march," said
Beiding. "Laddy, from the looks of
that trail the Greasers are having
trouble with the horses."
|' "Tom, shore a boy could see that,"
replied Laddy. N "Ask Yaqui to tell us
where the raiders are headln', an' If
there's water."
Beiding was nnconsolable. He
strange glance roved
It was wonderful to gee the Yaqul
point. With a stick he traced a line In
the sand, and then at the end of that
another line at right angles. He made
crosses and marks and holes, and as
he drew the rude map he talked In
Yaqul, In Spanish ; with a word here
and there In English. >Beldlng trans
lated as best he could. The raiders
were heading southeast toward the
railroad that ran from Nogales down
Into Sonora. It was four days' travel,
bad trail, good sure waterhole one
day out; then water not sure for two
days. Raiders, not looking for pur
suit, could be headed and ambushed
that night at the first waterhole, a
natural trap In a valley.
The men returned to the ranch.
The rangers ate and drank while mak
ing hurried preparations for travel.
Blanco Sol and the cowboys' horses
were fed, watered, and saddled. Ladd
refused to ride one of Beldlng's
whites. He was quick and cold.
"Get me a long-range rifle an' lots
of shells. Rustle, now," he said. "I
want a gun that'll outshoot the dinky
little carbines an' muskets used by
the rebels. Trot one out an* be quick."
"I've got a .405, a long-barreled
heavy- rifle that'll shoot a mile. I use
It for mountain sheep. But Laddy,
It'll break that bronch's back."
"His back won't break so easy. . . .
Dick, take plenty of shells for your
Remington. An' don't , forget your
field glass."
In less than an hour after the time
of the raid the three rangers, heavily
armed and superbly mounted on fresh
Jhorses, rode out on the trail. As Gale
turned to look back from the far bank
of Forlorn river, he saw Nell waving
a white scarf. He stood high In his
stlrrupS and waved his sombrero.
Then the mesqulte hid the girl's slight
figure, and Gale wheeled grim-faced
to follow the rangers.
They rode In single file with Ladd
In the lead. He took a bee-line course
for the white escarpment pointed out
by the Yaqul; and nothing save deep
washes aqd Impassable patches of
cactus or Crocks made him swerve
from It.
At noon the rangers got out of the
thick cactus. The desert floor Inclined
perceptibly upward. When Gale got
an unobstructed view of the slope of
the escarpment he located the raiders
and horses. In another hour's travel
the rangers could see with naked eyes
a long, faint moving streak of black
nnd-whlte dots. 1
"They're headln' for that yellow
pass," said Ladd. pointing to a break
in the eastern end of the escarpment.
"When they :et out of sight we'll
rufetle. ? I'm think n' that waterhole
the Yaqul Rj>o':e if lays In the phss."
The -nwwwr# traveled swiftly over
the r-Mimlrt uu miles of l***l desert
leading to the ascent of the escarp- j
ment. When they achieved the gate
way of the pass the sun was low in
the west Ladd gave the word to
tie up horses and go forward on foot
Tbe narrow neck of the pass opened
and descended Into a valley half a mile j
wide, perhaps twice "that in length.
It had apparently unscalable slopes of
weathered rode leading np to beetling
walfs.v
"Keep dowi?. boys," said Ladd.
"There's the waterhole, an' hosses
have sharp eyes. Shore the YaquI
figgered this place. I never seen Its
like for a trap."
Both white and black horses showed
against the green, and a thin curling
column of blue smoke rose lazily from
amid the roesqultes.
"I reckon we'd better wait till dark,
or mebby daylight," said Jim Lash.
"Let me figger some. Dick, what
do you make of {the outlet to this
hole? Looks rough to me."
With hid glass Gale studied the nar
row construction of walls and rough
ened rising floor.
"Laddy, it's harder to get out at
that end than here," he replied.
"Shore that's hard enough. Let me
have a look. . . J Well, boys, it don't
take no figgerin' for tbls job. Jim,
m want you at the other end blockin'
the pass when we're ready to start"
"When '11 that be?" Inquired Jim.
"Soon as ifs light enough in the
mornin'. That Greaser outfit will hang
till tomorrow. There's no sure water
ahead for two days, you remember."
The rangers stole back from the
vantage point and returned to their
horses, which they Untied and left
farther round among broken sections
of cliff. For the horses It was a dry,
hungry camp, but the rangers built a
fire and had t
tielr short though
strengthening meajl.
Jim Lash rolled In his saddle
blanket, his feet near the fire, and
went to sleep. Ladd told Gale to do
likewise while he kept the fire up and
waited until It was late enough for
Jim to undertake circling round the
raiders. When Gale awakened, Jim
was up saddling his horse, and Ladd
was talking low.
With Ladd leading, they moved
away Into the gloom. Advance was
exceedingly slow, careful, silent. Final
ly the trail showed pale In the gloom,
and eastern stars .twinkled between
the lofty ramparts of tbe pass. -
Ladd halted an^ stood silent a mo
ment "Luck again!" he whispered.
"The wind's in your face, Jim. The
horses won't scent you. Try to get up
as high as this at the other end. Walt
till daylight before riskin' a loose
slope. I'll be ridin' the Job early)
That's all." j ?
Ladd's cool, easy speech was scarce
ly significant of the perilous under
taking. Lash moved very slowly
away, leading his horse. Then Ladd
touched Dick's arm, and turned back'
up the trail.
Together they picked a way back
through the winding recesses of cliff.
The campflre was, smoldering. Ladd
replenished it and
few hours' sleep,
watch. The after
lay down to get a
while Gale kept
part of the night
wore on till the baling of stars, the
thickening of gloom Indicated the
dark hour before dawn. Ladd awoke
before the faintest gray appeared.
The rangers ate and drank. When the
black did lighten to gray they sad
dled the horses and led thein out to
the pass and down to the point where
they had parted with Lash. Here
they awaited daylight.
The valley grew clear of gray
shadow except under leaning walls on
the eastern side. Then a straight col
umn of smoke rose from among the
"Dick, Here's Your Stand. If Any
Raider Rides "In Range Take a
Crack at Him."
mesquites. Manifestly this was what
Ladd had been awaiting. He took the
long .405 from its sheath and tried
the lever. Then he lifted a cartridge
belt from the pommel of his saddle
Every ring held a shell and thes?
shells were four Inches' long. Ho
buckled 'the belt round him.
"Come on. Dick."
Ladd led the way down the slope
until he reached ? position that tvtr j
tuanded the rising of the trail ftm? '
a teveJ. It urti Of only place a asm
or horse could leave the valley for
the pass.
"Dick, here's your stand, it any
raider rides in range take a crack at
him. . . . 'Now I want the lend of.
your boss."
"Blanco Sol !" exclaimed Gale, mora
in amaze that Ladd should ask for the
horse than in reluctance to lend him.
"Will you let me have him?" Ladd
repeated, almost curtly.
"Certainly, Laddy."
4 smile momentarily chased tha
dark, cold gloom that had set upon
the ranger's lean face.
"Shore I. appreciate it, Dick. I
know how you care for tha\ boss. I
guess mebbe Charley Ladd has loved
a hoss! An' one not so good as Sol.
I was. only tryln' your nerve, Dick,
askin' you without tellin* my plan.
Sol won't get a scratch, you can
gamble on that! I'll ride him down
Into the valley an' pull the Greasers
out Into the open. They've got short
ranged carbines. They can't keep out
of range' of the .405, an' I'll be mkln*
the dust of their lead. .They can't gain
on Sol, an' he'll run theyi down when
I want. Can you beat It?"
"No. It's great! . . . But sup-,
pose a raider comes out on Blanco
Diablo?"
"I reckon that's the one weak place
in my plan. But if they do, well, Sol
can outrun Diablo. An' I can always
! kill the white devil !"
| Ladd '8 strange hate of the horse
showed In the passion of his last
words, in his hardening jaw and grim
set lips.
Gale's hand went swiftly to the
ranger's shoulder.
"Laddy. Dan't kill Dlaftto natess
It's to save your life."
"All right. But by G? d, if I get
a chance I'll make Blanco Sol run him
off his legs!"
He spoke no more and set about
changing the length of Sol's stirrups.
When he bad 'them adjusted to suit, he
mounted and rode down the trail and
out upon the level. He rode leisurely
as if merely going to water his horse.
The long black rifle lying across his
saddle, however, was ominous.
Gale securely tied the other horse
to a mesquite at hand, and took a
position behind a low rock over which
he could easily see and shoot when
necessary. Ladd rode a quarter of a
mile out upon the flat before anything
happened. Then a whistle rent the
still, cold air. A horse had seen or
scented Blanco Sol. The whistle was
prolonged, faint, but clear. It made
the blood thrum In Gale's ears. Sol
halted. His head shot up with the
old, wild, spirited sweep. Gale leveled
his glass, at the patch of mesqultes.
He saw the raiders running to an open
place, pointing, gesticulating. Then
he got only white and dark gleams of
moving bodies. Evidently that tooment
Was one of boots, guns and saddles
for the raiders.
Then Gale saw a rider gallop
swiftly from the group toward the far
ther outlet of the valley. This might
have been owing to characteristic^
cowardice; but It was more likely a
move of the raiders to make sure of
retreat. Undoubtedly Ladd saw this
galloplhg horseman. A few waiting
moments ensued. The galloping horse
man reached the slope, began to climb,
With naked eyes Gale saw a puff dt
white smoke spring out of the rocksi
Then the raider wheeled his plunging
hdt-se back to the level, and went rac
ing wildly down the valley.
The compact bunch of bays and!
blacks seemed to break apart and
spread rapidly from the edge of th#
mesqultes. Puffs of white smoke In
dicated firing, and showed the nature
of the raiders' excitement. They were
far out of ordinary range; but they
spurred toward Ladd, shooting as they
rode. The raiders' bullets, ^striking
low, were skipping along the hard,
bare floor of the valley. Then Ladd .
raised the long rifle. There was no |
smoke, but three high, spanging re
ports rang out. A gap opened In the '
dark line of advancing horsemen;
then a riderless steed sheered off to
the right. Blanco Sol seemed to turn
as on a pivot and charged bock
toward the lower end of the valley.
He circled over to Gale's right and
stretched out Into his run. There
were now five raiders In pursuit, and
they came sweeping down, yelling and
shooting, evidently sure of their
quarry. Ladd reserved his fire. Ho
kept turning from back to front In
bis saddle.
Manifestly he Intended to try to,
lead the raiders round In front of
Gale's position, and, presently. Gale
saw he was going to succeed. The
raiders, riding like vaqueros, swepf
on In a curve, cutting off what dis
tance they could. Blanco Sol pound
ed by, his rapid, rhythmic hoofbent*
plainly to be heard. He was running
easily.
Gale tried to still the jump of heart
and pulse, and turned his eye again
on the nearest pursuer. This raider
was crossing In, his carbine held
mhzzle up in his right hand, and he
was coming swiftly. It was a long
shot, upward of five hundred yards.
Gale had not time to adjust the sights
of the Remington, but he knew the
gun and, holding coarsely upon the
swiftly moving blot, he began to shoot
The rifle was automatic-; Gale needed
only to pull the trigger. Swiftly ho
worked It. Suddenly the leading
horse leaped convulsively, not up nor
aside, but straight ahead, and then
he crashed to the gronnd. throwing bis
rider like a catapult, and then slid
and rolled. He half got up, fell hack,
and kicked; but his rider never moved
"'I love Nell/ went on Dick,
simply, 'and I want you to let
me ask her to be my wife.'"
(TO mu cntrrtr
\
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Erring but Politic Husband.
Mrs. Wish ? At last I have found
you out. You were seen flirting with a
woman yesterday !
Mr. Wish ? It was my mistake. She
had on a hat exactly like yours. Come
with me and buy an exclusive Paris
hat. I don't, want to be embarrassed
"again. ? London Answers.
What did Adam have to brag- abort
until he got out of the Cardoi ?f
Eden? ^
disagrees
drinks
Postum
?? qjtere'* " ^'"S?