Show f we v TT jf r Y v ff ILI dw lot rh or or T 1111 L tl JL K JL XV A A jl A JL FORLORN RIVER ar NorsIS seeking gold cold in tia t deserts cameron solitario eoll soli tary pros pe et 0 forms form a partnership with A an n u unknown n own n man whom he ha later I 1 Is en a I 1 li ion donaa its warren father of it ft girt whom cameron Cai neron wronged boned ro ned wit later marr married led back in illinois camer cameran 0 cn as explanations appease W warren or r en and tha th two proceed together taking takina refuge from a sandstorm in I a c cave a vs cameron discovers g told old but too late both men are dinc d cameron leaves leaven evidence v I 1 donee in the tai cave of their discovery of gold and personal per tonal documents richard gale adventurer in cas caiata its it mexican border town m meet ets george thorne theme lieutenant in the ninth cavalry 0 old id college friend thorne tells telli gale gala he to la there to ave mercedes mercedea cassadena Cas spanish garl hla his affianced wife from mexican bandit oate gale and lite ills gang with the th help ut of two american cowboys cowboy and he and thorne thome escape A bugle call from the tort fort orders orden thorne to hla his regiment ile he leaves leave mercede under oalee protection CHAPTER III A flight into the desert uneasy and startled gale turned his ear to the lie soft wind presently he ha heard or imagined he be heard low beats in a moment he was certain the sounds were the steps of hoofs in yielding sand rand the regular tramp was not that of grazing horses in the instants instant made cautious and stealthy te althy by alarm gale drew mercedes fecs deeper into the lie gloom of the shrubbery the rounds bounds of hoot boats pew grew louder gale made out a dark moving mass against a background of dull gray there was a line of horses ile he could not cot discern whether or not all the horses carried riders the murmur of a voice strict his ear then a low laugh it made him tingle for or it sounded american eagerly he listened it shore wits was arddy it shore was come came a voice out of the darkness rough hough housel house 1 laddy since wire fences drove u s out of texas we aint seen een the like of that an we never had bad such a call call it was vi as it a burri burrian ln roast replied another voice 1 I felt low down he vamoosed some sudden aal an I 1 hope he an his friends shook the dust of castle a rotten town jim gale jumped up in joy what luck I 1 the th speakers were none other than the two cowboys whom he be had bad accosted la in the mexican hotel hold on nn fellows he called and strode into frito the road the horses snorted and slag stamped ped then followed swift rustling sounds a clinking of spurs then silence the figures loomed clearer in the gloom gale saw five fire or six horses two with riders and one other at least carrying it pack when gale got within fifteen feet of the group the foremost bor horseman serian said 1 I reckon close enough stranger t ranger something in the cowboys hand glin dintel dinted teI darkly bright in the starlight recognize me if it so BO dark replied gale halting 1 I spoke to you yon a little while ago tu in the saloon back there come over an lets see you said the cowboy oboy cr curtly gale advanced till lie he wits was close to the horse the cowboy loaned leaned over the saddle and peered into gales face then without a word he sheathed the gun and held out his hind hand gale net met a grip of steel that warmed his blood the other cowboy got off hla his nervous spirited horse and threw the bridle ile he too peered closely laid into gales face my names ladd lie he said reckon rm im some glad to meet you again gale felt another grip as hard and strong as the other had been he realized he had found friends who belonged to a class of men whom he hid had desp despaired alrod of ever knowing gale dick gale Is my name he began swiftly 1 I dropped into carlta basits tonight hardly knowing where I 1 was A boy took we me to that hotel there I 1 met an old friend whom I 1 had not seen for years ile he belongs to the cavalry stationed here ile he had befriended a spanish girl fallen la in love with her rojas kojis had killed this girls father tried to abduct her you tou know what took place at the hotel gentlemen if its ever possible ill show how you bow I 1 appreciate what you did for or me there I 1 sot got away found my friend with the girl we hurried out here beyond the edge of town then thorne thome had bad to make a break for camp we heard bugle calls shots and he was away aa ay without leave that left the girl with me I 1 dont know what to do thorne swears canita Is no do place for mercedes at night the girt aint no peon no common Grea ierO interrupted ladd no iler her name Is castaneda she belongs to an old spanish family once rich arid Influent laV reckoned ned as much replied the cowboy theres there more than war itin to kidnap a pretty girl shore he h does that every day or so must be b to methin political or feelen against class clan well casita carlta aint no place placa for your friends friend girl arl at night or er day or any time shore then take her in an fight for or her ber it ceary ue but it aint wise to risk that lah fash what do you say ayt ita beta getten hotter botter bourd this arau drau corra camj for some weeks r I 1 plied piled the other cowboy it that two bit of 0 a garrison surrenders theres no happen an hein ac across ross the V U S line it ft few inches or so dont make no h 1 I of a difference my advice la Is dont let bliss costaneda ever set foot in castle again looks like youre shore spoke sense said gald ladd 1 I reckon gale yo sou u an the girl ought to come with us we know people take lake core care of the senorita Drita till your alend can come for or her dick camly spoke his gratefulness and inexpressibly rell relieved eved and happy for mercedes he went ent toward the c lump clump of cactus where he had left tier iier she stood erect waiting malting and lark dark as it ans ft as he could tell she had lost jost uie the terror which alch had so shaken her ile he d her In into the rond road up no to the cowboys who now stood bareheaded in the starlight they seemed shy and lash was vias silent while ladd made embarrassed embarras seil unintelligible reply to mercedes thanks there were five horses two saddled two packed and the remaining one carried only a blanked ladd shortened the stir stirrups rips on his mount and she stood erect waiting and dark an a it was wa ho he could tell she sh had lost loit the terror that had so 80 shaken her helped mercedes up into the saddle from the way sh slid settled fettled herself and took the few res ive prances of the mettlesome horse gale judged that she could ride lash urged gale to take his horse but this gale refused to do 1111 ill i walk ll 11 he be said im used to walking I 1 know cowboys are not once started with protection assured tor for the gartand girl gir tand and a real objective point in view lew gale relaxed from the tense strain he had been laboring under row how glad lie he would have been to acquaint thorne with their grod fortune I 1 later of course there would be some way to get word to the cry cavalryman al ryman but till then what torments his friend would suffer I 1 I 1 it seemed to dick that a very long time had elapsed since lie stepped off the train and one by one he went over every detail of incident which had occurred between that arrival and the present moment ills meeting with thorne the wonderful black eyes eye of a spanish girl her appeal to him the hate inspired by rojas and the rush the blow the action sight eight of thorne and mercedes hurrying safely away th the girls hands pressing his to 0 o her heaving breast the sweet fire of her 1181 L the tact fact of tier her being alone with him dependent upon him at all these things gale turned oyer over and over in his mind only to fall all of any definite nite conclusion na as to which had affected him film so ren or to tell what ft hat had bad really happened to him to 11 im had he be fallen in love with Tho rhes sweetheart the idea come came in a flash was ile he all in en an instant and by one of those incomprehensible reversals of character aenlo jealous u i of hla his friend dick wits was almost norald to look up at a mer her cedes still he forced himself to do so rind and as it chanced mercedes mercedea was looking down at hirn him with a quick graceful impulsiveness slie she put iier her hand upon his shoulder like iier her ap 91 perance pM pen rance the action was new bew strange striking to gitle gale hut but it brought home hoine suddenly to him the nature of gratitude anti and affect affection lon iri id a girl of her blood it was as sweet and sisterly lit lie knew then eliat he be had bad not fallen in love with liar hr the reeling that was likin aun to jen jealousy lousY steed to he be of the beautiful something for which llcy cedes stood in Th ornea life alf gale cale then gra graced aped the bewildering the infinite wonder of what nhat a girl could mean to st man the desert began to 0 o lighten oray dray openings in the border of 0 shrubby growths changed to paler hue in the ea east r t a white glow clow grew brighter and brighter reaching up to a ili elji q of cloud defined dan d sharply below by a i rugged notched not clied range senor I 1 am cold said mercedes rick dick had been carrying his coat upon lipan his arm lie stopped the horse and raised the coat up tad and helped mercedes put it on 1 I should ba hare bare re thought of yu you h ho uld maid but bat I 1 seemed to feel wana by i ZANE GREY drey luthor lawhor lul hor of riders of the purple sago sage wildfire etc 0 copyright by harper A brothers brollier the costs cents a little large we e might wrap it around you twice ller cedea smiled and lightly thanked him in spanish lie ile was about to start when lie he observed that ladd had halted and was peering ahead in evident caution mercedes horse began to stamp impatiently raised his ears anti and head and acted as it if he was about to neigh A warning blot from ladd bode bade dick put a quieting hand on the horse lash come noiselessly forward to join his companion the two then listened and watched presently lash went to the rear and ladd started ahead the progress now however was considerably slower blotter not owing to a bad rond road for or that became batter but probably owing to caution exer cleed by the cowboy guide at the end of a halt half hour I 1 ids marked deliberation changed and the horses followed ladds at a gait that put gale dale to his best walking paces his 1113 steps were halted batted by ladds actions the cowboy reined in his horse listened a moment then swung down out of the saddle no lie raised it cautioning hand to the others then slipped dipped into the gloom and disappeared galo gale marked that the halt had bad been made in a ridged and cutup cut up pass between low mesas means to the right up under the ledges isome come distance away stood two square black objects too uniform he thought to be rocks while he was wag peering at them uncertain what to think the shrill whistle of a horse pealed out to be followed by the rattling of hoofs on hard bard stone then a dog barked at the same moment that ladd hurriedly appeared in the roads road a light shone out and danced before one of the square black objects keep close an dont make no noise he whispered and led his horse at right angles off the road gale followed leading mercedes horse As he tum turned edhe be observed that I 1 lash also had dismounted to keep closely at ladds heels without brushing bruihl nt the cactus or stumbling over rocks and depressions was a task gale found impossible it was no easy matter to lead a spirited horse through the dark winding lanes walled by thorns dick saw that the travel ravel was fast but by no means noiseless the pack animals at times crashed end and ripped through the narrow places it seemed to gale that anyone within amile a mile could have heard these sounds presently ladd led out into a wider lane that appeared to run straight the cowboy mounted bla big horse and this convinced galo gale that they had bad circled back to the road the march proceeded then once more at a good steady silent walk falk when ahen dick con consulted silted his watch he ha was amazed to see the hour was waa still early lie ile asked mercedes if she was cold and she on answered that she bhe wn was speaking especially of her feet which were growing numb then she ibe asked to be helped down to walk awhile at first she was cold find and lame and accepted too the helping liand hand dick proffered after a little however slit fhe recovered and went on without assistance they had bad reached the summit of what was evidently a high ridge sloped with much greater steepness steeple s on the far side it was 0 only aftin a few more forward steps however that dick could see ace down the slope then full in view flit lashed shed a bright campfire campf lre around which cluttered clustered a group of dark figures they were encamped in a wide arroyo ft where here horses could be seen grazing in black patches of gross grau between clusters of trees A second took look at the campers told gale they were mexicans Mexican tg at this moment lash laah corne forward to join ladd and the he two spent a long uninterrupted moment m en t studying the arroyo A hoarse firse laugh faint yet it distinct floated upon the cool wind well laddy what ir r you makin of that ou tilt inquired lash sp speak eakin ln softly saine as any iby of them raider outfits replied ladd across the he line for beef but ut run off ary any good stock As hors thieves these rebels lime have got cot ern nil all bent beat that outfit Is 1 fl itin till its late inte Not liln to it but head south for the he nio file for lorn lom its on lite border line but its iti country where these rebels aint been et its i a bike to BeI baidins dins rou h an li IL we e get there la in daylight om greater will see mee the girl before beldin can hid bid arr set get tallied talked about the news cewa 11 11 travel to carlta like sage sace bells balls before the lit wind shore we a dont ride into lite alto forlorn in the daytime fetn slip the packs jim we can alde them off in the cactus an come back otter after them with the young man inan aldin we the whispering wis interrupted by a loud ringing that whistled up from the arroyo one of the th horses had scented the trav travelers tra eleis on the ridge top the of the chanted to attention ladd and lash turned hack back and fed the ilia horses boragi into the lie brit brat opening on th the south side aide ot of the tb road the packs were ft ore ppe d securely tied and hidden in a mesquite clump ladd strap strapped pid a blanket around ono one of the horses hoi tea ills next move was to take off his chaps anle youre wearn boots an by liftin your tour feet you can beat the me to he whispered but the the miss castaneda Cast anoda shell be torn till all to pieces unless she puts put these oil please tell her on an hurry dick took the chaps and going up to mercedes ho he explained the situation she laughed evidently at his embarrassed earnestness ind and slipped out of the saddle senor nod and I 1 are not strangers she said deftly and promptly site she equipped herself and then dale colo helped her into the saddle called to tier her horse and started oft off lash directed ORIO dale to mount the other saddled horse and to 90 next dick had not ridden a hundred yards behind the trotting leaders be fore ho he had sundry painful encounters with reaching cactus arms arins the horse missed these by a narrow roar mar gin bin dicks knees appeared to be in line and it became necessary for him to lift them high and let hla his boots take the onslaught of the spikes ladd pursuer pursued a zigzag course southward across the desert trotting down the aisles cantering bantering cant ering |