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Show bad fix. anxious t get blm out ef hot they bad to wait for orders, "When Nell found out Thome was bein' starved an' beat In a dobe shack bo moreB- 4we- mil across the lice. she' shore stirred up that cavalry She's a little devil at times, but she camp. Shore! She told thera soldiers always had good sense." Bojas was boldin' Thome torturtn "Tom, you can gamble she's gone," blm to make blm tell where Mercedes was. An she begged the cavalrymen said Ladd "Aw, b L nol Jim, what do you to rescue Thome. "From the way It was told to me thlpkr Implored Beldlng. "I reckon Sol's white head Is point- I reckon them cavalrymen went ap ed level and straight down Casita In the air. Fine flerj. lot of young trull. An' Nell can ride. We're losln' bloods, I thought, achln for a scrap. time." But the officer In charge, bein' in a That roused Beldlng to action. ticklish place, still held out for higher "I say you're all wrong,'' he yelled, orders. Ton-ail "Then Nell broke loose. starting for the corrals. "She's only like done a as same she's little Is sometimes know Nell's tongue ride, taking often. But rustle now. Find out. a choya thorn. I'd have give some-thiJim, Dick, you ride cross the valley. to see her work np that soldier you hunt up and down the river. I'll outfit. Can't you fellers see her on head up San Felipe way. And you, Blunco Sol with her eyes turaln' Lnddy, take Diablo and hit the Caalta black trail. If she really has j;one after Ladd mopped his sweaty face with Thome you can catch tier In an hour his dusty scarf. He was beaming. He or so." ".Shore I'll go," replied Idd. "But, Beldln, If you're not plumb crazy you're close to It. That big white devil can't cutch Sol. Not In an hour or a day or a week!" "Lnddy. you mean to nay Sol Is a faster horse thun DlabloT thundered Beldlnj.', Ida face purple. "Shore I mean to tell you Just that there," replied the ranger. "I'll ride your Blanco Devil as lie never was rid before, 'cept once when a d n sight better hossmau than I am couldn't make him outrun Sol," Without more words the men saddled and were off. The Interminable time that followed contained for Gale as he could about as well bear. 7 What astonished him imd helped hlra greatly to fight off actual distress was the endurance of Nell's mother. Karly on the mornlns of the second day, Gale saw three white horses and a bay come wearily stepping down the road. He lieurd Blanco Sol's familiar whistle, and he leaped up wild with joy. The horse was riderless. Gale's sudden Joy received a violent check, then resurged when he saw a limp form In Jim Lash's anus. Ladd was supporting a horseman who wore a He Waa Very-We- ak, Yet He Would military uniform. Gale shouted with Joy and ran Into Keep" Mercedes1 Hand and Gaze at the house to tell the good news. It Her With Unbelieving Eyes. was the Mrs. Beldlng who prevented him from rushing to was growing excited, hurried In his narrative. tell Mercedes. Lash handed down a ragged, travel- "Bight out then Nell swore she'd stained, wan girl Into Belding's arms. go after Thome. If them cavalrymen couldn't ride with a western girl to "Dad J Mamma!" It was Indeed a repentant Nell, but save a brother American let them there was spirit yet In the tired blue bang back! One feller, under orders, eyes. Then she caught sight of Gale tried to stop Blanco Sol. An' that feller Invited himself to the hospital. and gave him a faint smile. Then the cavalrymen went flyln' for "Hello Dick." "Nell!" Gale reached for her band. their hosses. It didn't take long for held It tightly, and found speech diff- every man In that camp to get wind of what was comln' off. Shore they icult "Ton needn't worry about your old musta been wild. They strung out horse," she said, as Beldlng carried after Nell In a thunderln' troop. ber toward the door. "Oh, Dick! "Bojas and his men vamoosed without a shot. That ain't surprlsln'. Blanco Sol Is glorious !" Gale turned to greet his friend. In There wasn't a shot fired by anybody. deed, It was but a haggard ghost of The cavalrymen soon found Thome the cavalryman. Thome looked 111 an' hnrried with him hack on Uncle or wounded. Gale's greeting was also Sam's land. Thorne was half naked, black an' blue all over, thin as a rail. a question full of fear. Thome's answer was a faint smile. He was given food an' drink. Shore He seemed rtady to drop from the he seemed a starved man. But he saddle. Gale helped Ladd hold Tborne picked up wonderful, an' by the time upon the horso until they reached the Jim came along he was wantln' to house. Beldlng rame out Again. His start for Forlorn River. So was Nell. welcome was checked as he saw the By main strength ns much as per condition of the cavalryman. Tborne suasion we kept the two men quiet reeled Into Dick's arms. But he was till next evenln' nt dark. able to stand and walk. "Weil, we made as sneaky a start in the dark as Jim an' me could manhurt. "I'm not Only weak starved," he said. "Is Mercede- s- age, an' never hit the trull till we was miles from town. Thome's nerve Take me to her." "She'll be well the minute she sees held him up for a while. Then all at trim;" averred Beldlng, as he and Gale once he tumbled out of his saddle. led the cavalryman to Mercedes' We got him back, an' IjisIi beld him room. There they left him; and Gale, on. Nell didn't give out till daybreak." As Lodd paused In his story Belding at least, felt his ears ringing with the began to stutter, and nnn11yhe exgirl's broken cry of Joy. When Beldlng and Gale hnrried ploded. Ills mighty utterances were forth again the rangers were tending Incoherent. But plainly the wrath he the tired horses. Upon returning to bad felt toward the willful girl was the house Jim Lash calmly lit his forgotten, dale remained gripped by pllie, and Iidd declared that, hungry silence. as he was, he had to tell his story. "Laddy. what knock me is Rojas "Shore. Boldin'," heguu Ladd, "that holding Thorne prisoner, trying to make him tell where Mercedes had was funny alout Diablo cati-hlBlanco Sol. Funny alnt the word. I been bidden."' s;ild Beldlng. " "Shore. Ir'd fcnn.'l; anybody" nearly laughed myself lo death. Well, "The bandit's crazy over her. That's I rode In Sol's tracks all the wny to Casita. Never eeen a ;rebel or a the Spanish of It." replied Beldlng. raider till I got to town. I went his voice rolling, "linj;, loves Mercedes its he bates her. He want this straight to the . camp, of the cavalrymen, an' found thera Just coolln' off 'girl only to hate. her. then kill her. an dressln' down their houses after It's d- -n strnnce. boys, nnd even with Thome here our troubles have Just what looked to me like a big ride. "Some soldier took me to an offlcer's becim." "Tom. you spoke correi t." said Jim tent Nell was there, some white an' all In. She Just said, 'Laddy!' l.ndd. In bis cool drawl. "Shore I'm not sa,vln" what I think." Thome was there, too, an' he was beln' worked over hy the camp doc-to- added Ladd. But the look of him was I didn't ask no questions, be- not liidh ntlve of a trnmjull optimism. Thome was put to bed In ChIc's cause I seen quiet was needed round that tent. After satisfying mvself room, tie wa very weak, jet he that Nell was all right, an' Thome would keep Mercedes' hand and tiu..-a- t In no danger, I went out. her with unbelieving eyes. Then, "Shore thore was so dam many fel- lighting sleep with what little strength lers who wanted to an' trie to tell be had left, at last he succumbed. me what'd come ofT, I For all Dick could ascertain his thought I'd never find out. But I got the story friend never 'stirred an eyelash nor u piece by piece. An' here's what linger for twenty-wvehours. When : t be awoke be was pale. weak, hut the "Nell rode Blanco Sol Inlo old Thome. camp, an' had a crowd round her In "Hello. Dick; I didn't dreniu It. a Jiffy. She told vim she was, where then," he snld. "There you are. u.im she'd come from, an' what nbe wanlwl. my darling with the proud, dark Well, It seemed a day or so before eyes she's here? Mercedes Is well Nell got there the cavalrymen had Oh! . . . Km ay I haen't heard word of Tborne. Tou see, a dollar to my name. I had a lot of Thorne had left camp on leave of ab- money, Dick, and those roblr mo. sence some time before, In a few more It, my watch everything. D- - n thai days It turned outVetty sure that for little black Greaser!" t some reason ltojas was holdlu' Thorne. "Cheer up. Beldlng will make v.u "Now, It happened when this news a proposition presently. The future came Colonel Weede wSts in Nogales smiles, old friend. If this rel.e busl-iii'with his staff, an' the officer left to was only ended!" charge didn't know how to proceed. "Dick, you're going to be my savior Rojas camp was acrc- -i the line In twice ever. . . , Well, now, isten Mexico, an rtdln' ever lucre was to me." His gsy excitement business. It meant a whole lot to earnest gravity. "I want tochsnged marry more than just scatterln' on Greaser Mercedes at Met Is there a padre was ramp.. Tnomo'i feller DESERT GOOD ZANE GREY Author o Riders of the Purple Sage, Wildfire, Etc. Copyrlg-h- t by Harper at Brother. THORNE gTKOPgI3.-8eek- gold In the lnr r, desert. "Cameron," solitary forme a partnership with an unknown man whom he later learnt la Jonas Warren, fattier of a girl whom Cameron wronged, but later married, back In Illinois. Cameron's explanation appease Warren, and the two proceed together. Taking refuge from a sandstorm hi a cava, Cameron discovers gold, but too late; both men are dying. Cameron leave evidence, la the sCave, or their discovery of gold, and personal docu- menta. Richard Oale, adventurer, In.Caalta, Mexican 'border town, meet Qeorga Thome, lieutenant in the Ninth cavalry. - old college friend. Thome telle Oale he la there to aave Mercedes Caataneda, Spanish girl, his affianced wife, from Rojas, Mexican bandit Gale "rough houses" Rojas and his gang, with the help of two American cowboys, and he, Mercedes and pron-pecto- ' ' .Thorn scape, A bugle call from the fort orders Thome to his regiment 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 Holding's home. Held-- . Ing Is Immigration Inspector. Living with him are his wife and stepdaughter, Nell Burton. . Dale, with Ladd and Lash, take service with Beldlng as rangers, Gale telling Balding the cause of his being a wanderer, a misunderstanding with his father concerning the son's business abilities. Mercedes gets word to Thorns of her safety. Dick also writes to his parents, informing them of bis whereabouts. Nell's personality, and her attract kind- Riding the range. Gale falls In with a party of three Mexican raiders encamped at 'a water hole, Watching his opportunity to dust them, he sees two Indians ride Into the camp. One of them, a Yaqul. Is evidently badly wounded, and the Mexicans seek to kill him In a cruel way. Dick drives them oft, conveying the wounded Taqul to Beldlngs ranch. The Indian becomes Dick's ardent admirer. Gale's admiration for Nell Increases. Belding's horses, the pride of his life, ars run off by the Mexicans. Gals, with Ladd, Lash and the Taqul, party, finally pursue the raiding " cornering them. The whites, with the recovered horses, return to the ranch. In triumph. Gals secures from Mrs, Beldlng reluctant per mission and begins his courtship with, energy. Not getting word from Thorns, whose .period of army service ha expired, Mercedes losee heart Nell, although forbid' den, sides toTaslta to seek information of him. ' ness, J Gale. CHAPTER X. i Continued. 10 . . ''" "Blanco Sol gone!" yelled Beldlng, In rage."- - - " : "Raider P exclaimed Jim Lash. "Lord only knows. Taqul says It wasn't raiders." "Send Taqul to find the boss trail, an' . let's Agger," said Ladd. "Shore this s no raider Job. In the swift search that ensued Gale did not have anything to say; but bis mind was forming a conclusion. When be found bis old saddle and bridle missing from the peg In the barn his - - r much-suspe- nse . rttiU .V 7' v - r. i Blanco Sol Qonel" Yelled Beldlng, In a Rage. conclusion lHme a positive cinvlc-lion, and It inude liiin. for the. moment. rrfd unl alck uml spwbleN. "Iley. Pick, don't time It no much to henrt." Raid "We'll likely find Sol. nnd If we ilon'i, there's other (nod hiireea, Tm nt thinking of Sol." replied Csle. .add cntl n sharp dance nt Gnle. wiiied his tinner, nml snld: "O n me If I nlti'l guessed U too!" It h yoo "What's wrung locoed gentsT Iduntly detmmded fielding. "Nell has started for Oulta. burst out Oslo. "Sue hog gone to fetch Mercedes some word sbout Tborne. Oh, Beldlng, you needn't shake your head. 1 know she's gone. She tried to persusde me to go, and was furious when I wouldn't." don't MIe?e It." replied Beldlng, bo "Nell may bare her temps. 1 i hno-pene- sa! serl-ooa- .. soldiers barer 4 iin, t Yes But are you know MerMexican, even a priest, cedes "is hidden to Forlorn -It couldn't be hidden long. Gale was compelled to acknowledge the truth of this statement. -- ., K.. 1 ..l"" kla idea of lorthctmlntllllf vents. About aa boor after sunrise Taqul ran in with the Information that fevt of tb rebel were crossing the river. Tab! figU lev" deThat eant meu clared Belding. But get In the house, "By the boys, and make ready anyway. I'll come PofTama,.; a cas Of k.JT1"! meet him. I ; the tad suffered "Beldlng, you're an officer Mexicans art much years,- - U United StateC of authority. Tre Norman ahow Impressed by ttA seen that often In camp saia lnpme, cane white-liTercedar St t tb know "Ob, I Charlotte, x . t ay stomach Greasers better than any of ou, dou't . A aa everytaii mistake me ." replied Beldlng He was p'ale with rage, but kept command was troubled n ess, ana over himself. 'ttaestE?? The rangera," with Taqul , and surt oi jgas around . . 81 i . Thome, stationed themselves; at the most cut offmy bmti r. "Since taklnr rw. several windows of the sitting room.' Rifles and smaller arms and boxes of Is fine. shells Uttered the table and window I eat i st anything t hacts.M ,! seats. No amatl force of besiegers my could overcome a resistance such as new one Beldlng and his men were qapuble of as a die. I am just tha V . o... U. making. The horsemen baited at the corrals. It's a PlAsure for 0 tV friends They were orderly and showed no Tanlac Is sold by ia of hostility. They were, how. Beldlng stalked -A-dvertisement ever, fully armed. out to meet them. Apparently a leader The Moosrn Youth. ' wanted to parley with him, but BelTwo flappers were He shook would bear nothing. dlng window display. his head, waved his arms, stamped to The, and fro, and his loud, angry voice the figure of a could be heard clear back at the bouse, town that dated backhaul" After Whereupon the detachment of rebels was inspecting lt closei, moved to beretired to the bank of the river, ."Say, marked the kld,lt'sno.oSit that white the post yond in them days, boundary line, and there they once reserved SI1 more drew rein. Beldlng remained by low would rough-housthe corrals watching them, evidently klnda clothes she'd bostpS still In threatening mood. Presently a single rider left the troop and trotted his horse back down the road. When be reached the corral be waa seen to bnlt and pass something to Belding. Then he galloped away to Join his comrades. Belding looked, at whatever It was he beld ln bis hand, shook his burly head, and started swiftly for the bouse. He came striding into the room holding a piece of soiled paper. "Can't read it now and don't know as I want to," he said, savagely. Not one of the men was able to 11 translate the garbled scrawl v rnuL) tvuffvr": 4 "" "Shore Mercedes can read it," said ' Ladd. Thome opened a door and called her. She came into the room followed by Nell and Mrs. Beldlng. "My dear, we want you to read what's written on this paper," said Thome, as he led her to the table. Mercedes gave the writing one swift Death only a matter tfsjnttbi glance, . then fainted in Thome's Don't wait until paint tod ais arms. He carried her to a couch, and with Nell and Mrs. Beldlng began to become) incurable disessa. work over her. painful consequences by tsi Beldlng looked at his rangers, "Laddy, it's Rojas all right How LATHROP'S many men has be out there?" "Mebbe twenty. Not more.n- "We can lick twice . that many HAARLEM OIL " Greasers." "Shore." Tb wtrkl'sttsndsrdranrfy tor ti-- li Jim Lash removed his pipe long vw, bladder snd uric sod troubi-oto "Let's stare the National speak. enough Remedy of HoIUodsaxta Greaser off till dark. Then Laddy an Guaranteed. Three sixes, slldraea me an' Thome will take Mercedes an' Lsek for th nam CM MU am hit the trail for Yuma." host ld sMWtpt Msj aTOitltsWI "Camlno del Diablo! That awful trail with a woman! Jim, do you forget how many hundreds of men have perished on the Devil's roadr I ain't forgettln' nothln'," replied Jim. "The waterholes are full VntiJ laaUrkaat-ttl-il medicine tr auati- n- taciturn aJ ti 111 ft marry her first, then Dick. the padre, Fetch m, problem. witbe to And ask our kind friends ' ceremony." nesses at the " nel her Much to Gale's surprise, to the Idea Beldlng nor Ladd objected houseof bringing a padre Into the to at known hold, and thereby making of least one Mexican the whereabouts csu-tio- n Belding's neda. Mercedes Casta was wearing out In wrath at the rslstent unsettled condition, of the cooler border, and Ladd grew only the as possibilities of iind more silent trouble multiplied. Oale fetched the padre, a little, and weazened, timid man who was old or penetration. Apwithout Interest Mercedes and married he parently or mumbeads his Thorne as he told Mrs. Beldlng was It a bled prayer. a who kept the occasion from being not on Insisted she and merry one, her exciting Thome. Gale marked unusual pallor and the singular depth and sweetness of her voice. Thorne could not be kept in bed, and all in a day. It seemed, be grew so well and so hungry that his friends were delighted, and Mercedes was radiant. In a few days his weakness disappeared and he was going the round of the fields and looking over the ground marked out In Gale's plan of water development. Thome was highly enthusiastic, and at once staked out his claim for one hundred and sixty acres of land adjoining that of Beldlng and the rangers. These five tracts took In all the ground necessary for their operations, "but In case of the success of the Irrigation project the Idea was to Increase their squatter holding by purchuse of more land down the valley. A hundred families had lately moved to Forlorn River; more were coming all the time; and Beldlng vowed he could see a vision of the whole Altar valley green with farms. Meanwhile everybody In Belding's household, except the quiet Ladd and the watchful Yaqul, In the absence of disturbance of any kind along the border, grew freer and more unrestrained, as If anxiety was slowly fading In the peace of the present Jim Lash made a trip to the Sonoyta oasis, and Ladd patrolled fifty miles of the line eastward without Incident or sight of raiders. Evidently all the border hawks were In at the picking of Casita. The February nights were cold, with a dry, Icy, penetrating coldness that made a warm fire most comfortable. Belding's household congregated In the sitting room, where burning mes-qullogs crackled In the open fireplace. There came a low knock at the door. It may have been an ordinary knock, for It did not disturb the women ; but to Beldlng and his rangers It had a subtle meaning. "Who's that?" asked Beldlng. as he slowly pushed back his chair and looked at Ladd. "Taqul," replied the ranger. "Come In," called Belding. The door opened, and the short, square, powerfully built Indian entered. He carried a rifle and strode with Impressive dignity. "Taqul, what do you wantr asked Beldlng. and repeated Ms question In Spanish. "Senor Dick," replied the Indian. Gale Jumped np, stifling an exclamation, and he went outdoors with Yaqul. The Indian's presence was always one of gloom, and now his stem action boded catastrophe. Once clear of trees he pointed to the level desert across the river, where a row of camp-fire- s shone bright out of the darkness, "Raiders!" e.laculntr-- Gale. Then he cautioned Yaqul to keep sharp lookout, and. hurriedly returning to the honse, he called the men out ami told them there were rebels or raiders camping Just across the line. Ladd did not say a word. Beldlng, with an oath, slammed down his cigar. "I knew It was too good to last. Dick, yon and Jam stay bere wnHe Laddy nnd I look around." Dick returned to ihe sitting-room- , The women were nervous and not to !e deceived. So Dkk merely said Taqul bad sighted lights off in the desert, and they probably were campflres. Beldlng did not soon return, and when he did he was alone, . and. saying he wanted to consult with the men. he sent Mrs. Beldlng snd the When He Reached the Corrala Me Was girls to their rooms. Sssn to Halt and Pass "Lnddy's gone over to scout around Something and try to find out who the outfit beto Beldlng. to nnd bow many are In It " said longs Belding. "I don't look for an attack now. There's grass, an' we can do the Job In six days." on Forlorn River. I'ra afraid n "It's tlireo hundred miles to Tama," Belding hesitated snd looked with "Beldln'. Jim's Idea hits me as grim concern at the cavnlrvtna,u. , pretty reasonable," Interposed Ladd. "Whatr queried Thorne. f "Lord knows that's about the "I'm afraid It's Rojas." only chance we've got except flghtln'." Thome turned pale but did not Iose his none. "But suppose we do stove Rojas off "1 thought of that and you get safely away with Mera( on-i;ut cedes. Isn't Rojas going to tnd it Rojas will never get his hands on my out quick? Then whafll he wife. If I can't kill him, Til kill try t do hr! to us who're left hcref . . Beldlng. this Is tougii on von this rik we put upon "I reckon he'd find out jo!lr fumlly by daylight," I regret- -" rpiled Jim. -- But. Tom. he ain't a "Cut that kind of tnlk," goln' to start a scrap then. You seo, replied bluntly. "Well, if , u ,lJU I'm tiggerln' .m the craty Greaser he wantln' the girl. ' But he's too smart acting d- -n queer That s what worries me. We . ru,k.r tight you for nothln'. Jo d,l aii't Rojas may anything but wait, with Ud.ij and" nutty about women, but he's afraid taqul out there we wont be sur ft the s, Take my word for It, prlw.il." discover the trail in the moiW n light out on It. The women of tin. honse I reckon with, ten might have gotten aoine sleep (hit night but It hours' urt w wmld H. was certain the men iV able. ,m fp, Morning broke cold an.l gray, the lotti of Feoruary. Lado ,,ne ln h .m oolr-- on. and cold, and said t "'Dearsst, Mexican, wU And maybe I'M - wvns.u, mmp. ii, never' reVortwj a .J nwiniiu lorce or ebels. and was Til t ttki el . j M'-ppit- TS JJt. Ptlt.U&i ovl-den- te wornT! ; rvsiitiHLiTjo;! TOO Not a ha2&t cannot grip. When you art eonsupttal not enough sf Kitato lubricating liqtud. hto , dnced in the bowel W the food waste soft moving. ' Doctors press Najol beaw It acta . atn till lubrldst ail thai repla Trj.tt d It iij. Sir I i sv IX. SwUpstobR'rtflTf '"" SO, C W. St r fASOlJ&J-- - Standstd cold box fcrtr f. Mr. HilTl Bel-din- fr l MrTCHturfi. hsmls Inflame tyes, to. Bur at aJ drusxlsts. - .fg-- S ' . i m Clear Your With Cute |