The Nevada County picayune., February 01, 1923, Image 6

About The Nevada County picayune. (Prescott, Ark.) 190?-current

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DESERT GOLD
by
| ZANE GREY
cAuthor of Riders of the Purple Sage.
^ Wildfire, Etc. ,
Illustrations by
r. Irwin Myers
' 'A. »»
COPYPlOHT ~~ZX ' HARPfd A/ND OROTHtdi.
“Well, we made n> sneak.v a start
In file dark as Jim an’ me erndd man
age, an’ never hit the trail (ill we
was miles from town. Thorne's nerve
held him up fur a while. Then ail at
I
He Was Very Weak, Yet Hs Would
Keep Mercedes' Hand and Gaze at
Her With Unbelieving Eyes.
once he tumbled out of his saddle.
We got him back, an' Lash held him
on. Nell didn't give out till daybreak.”
As Badd paused In bis story lidding
began to stulter, and finally he ex
ploded. His mighty utterances were
Incoherent. But plainly the wrath he
had felt toward the willful girl was
forgotten. Uale remained gripped by
silence.
"Baddy, what knocks me Is Itojas
holding Thome prisoner, trying to
make him tell where Mercedes had
been hidden,” said Beldlng.
‘‘Shore. It’d knock anybody.”
“The bandit’s crazy over her That’s
the Spanish of It.” replied Beldlng,
his voice rolling. “Rojas loves Mer
cedes as he hates her. He wants this
girl only to have her, then kill her.
It’s d—n strange, hoys, and even with
Thome here our troubles have Just
begun.”
“Tom, you spoke correct,*’ said Jim
Ladd, in his cool drawl.
"Shore I'm not savin’ what I think,"
added Iauld. I’.ut the look of him was
not Indicative of a tranquil optimism.
Thorne was put to bed in (one’s
room. He was very weak, yet lie
would keep Mercedes’ hand and gaze
at her with unbelieving eyes. Then,
lighting sleep with what little strength
lie had left, at last he succumbed.
For all Dick could ascertain his
friend never stirred an eyelash nor a
linger for twenty-seven hours. When
lie awoke be was pale, weak, but the
old Thome.
•Hello, Dick; I didn't dream it.
then," lie said. "There you are, uno
my darling with the proud, dark
eyes—she's here? Mercedes is well—
safe! Oh! . . . Hut say, I haven’t
a dollar to my name. I iiad a lot of
money, Dick, and those robbers stole
It, my watch—everything. D—n that
little black Greaser!’
“Cheer up. Holding will make you
a proposition presently. The future
smiles, old friend. If this rebel busi
ness was only ended!’’
"Dick, you're going to l*e my savior
twice over. . . . Well, now, listen
to me.” Ills guy excitement changed
to earnest gravity. "1 want to marry
Mercedes at once, is there a padre
here?"
“Yes. Hut are you wise in letting
any Mexican, even a priest, know Mer
cedes is hidden in Forlorn ltiver?"
"It couldn’t be hidden long."
Gale was compelled to acknowledge
the truth of tills statement.
‘Til marry her first, then I'll fa<^e
my problem. Fetch the padre, Dick.
And usk our kin ! frien Is to be wit
nesses at the cer* mony.’’
Much to Gale’s surprise, neither
Holding nor Ladd objected to the idea
of bringing a padre into the house
hold, and thereby making known to at
li ;s( one 'NTi xTchn the wdieroahouts of j
Mercedes Castaneda. Beldlng’s cau
tion was wearing out in wrath nt the
persistent unsettled condition of the
border, and Ladd grew only the cooler
and more silent as possibilities of
trouble multiplied.
Gale fetched the padre, a little,
weazened, timid man who was old and
without Interest or penetration. Ap
parently ho nmrried Mercedes and
Thorne as he told his heads or mum
bled a prayer. It was Mrs. Belding
who kept the occasion from being a
merry one, and she Insisted on not
exciting Thome. Gale marked her
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, he grew
so well and so hungry that his friends
were delighted, and Mercedes was
radiant. In u few days his weakness
disappeared and he was going the
round of the fields and looking over
the ground marked out In Gule’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
Belding und the rangers. These tire
tracts took In all the ground necessary
for their operations, but In case of
the success of tto* Irrigation project
the idea was to increase their squatter
holding by purchase of more land
down tile valley. A hundred families
hud lately moved to Forlorn River;
more were coming all the tbne; and
Belding vowed he could see a vision
of the whole Altar valley green with
farms.
Meanwhile everybody In Held tog's
household, except the quiet I^add and
the watchful Yaqnl. In the absence of
disturbance of any kind along the bor
der, grew freer and more unrestrained,
as If anxiety was slowly fading In the
I>eace of the present. Jim Lash made
a trip to the Sonoyta oasis, and Ladd
patrolled fifty miles of the line east
ward without Incident or Hight of raid
ers. FMdently nil the border hawks
were In at the picking of Oaslta.
The February nights were cold, with
a dry. Icy, penetrating coldness that
made a warm fire most comfortable.
Beldlng’s household congregated In
the sitting room, where burning me,s
qtxlte logs crackled In the open fire
place.
There came a low knock nt the door.
It may have been an ordinary knock,
for It did not disturb the women; but
to Belding and his rangers It had a
subtle meaning.
“Who’s that7" nskod Belding, us he
slowly pushed back his chair and
looked nt I^add.
"Yaqul.’* replied the ranger.
"Gome In," called Holding.
The door opened, and the short,
square, powerfully built Indian en
tered. He carried a rllle and strode
with Impressive dignity.
“Yaqul, what do you want?" asked
Holding, and repeated his question in
Spanish.
"Renor Pick,” replied the Indian.
Gale jumped up, stifling an excla
mation. and he went outdoors with
Yaqul. The Indian's presence was al
ways 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
fires shone bright out of the dark
ness.
"Raiders!" ejaculated Gale.
Then he cautioned Yaqul to keep
shan* lookout, and. hurriedly return
ing to the house, he railed the men
out and told them there were rebels or
raiders camping just across the line.
I.add did not say a word. Holding,
with an oath, slammed down Ids
ciga r.
“I knew it was too good to last. .
Dick, voq and Jam stay here while
T.nddv and I look around."
Hick returned to the sitting-room.
The women were nervous and not
to he deceived. Ro Pick merely said
Yaqul had sighted lights off in the
desert, and they probably were
campfires. Holding did not soon re
turn, and when he did he was alone,
and. saying he wanted to consult with
the men, lit* sent Mrs. Heldlng and the
girls to their rooms.
“Laddy’s gone over to scout around
and try to find out who the outfit be
longs to and how many are In It," said
Holding. "I don’t look for an attack
I
on "Forlorn River. Tin afraid 1tV-”
Beldlng hesitated and looked with
grim concern at the cavalryman.
“What?” queried Thorne.
“I’m afraid it’s Rojas."
Thorne turned pale hut did not lose
Ills nerve.
“I thought of that ut once. But
Rojas will never get his hands on my
wife. If I can’t kill him, I’ll kill her!
. . . Beldlng, this is tough on you—
this risk we put upon your family.
I regret—”
-Cut that kind of talk," replied Bol
ding, bluntly. "Well, if it is Rojas
lie’s acting d—n queer for a raider.
That’s what worries me. We can’t do
anything but wait. With Laddy und
Yaqui out there we won’t be sur
prised.”
The women of the house might have
gotten some sleep that night, but it
was certain the men did not get any.
Morning broke cold and gray, the M*fh
of February. Ladd came in hungry
and cold, and said the Mexicans were
not breaking camp. He reported a
good-sized forts- of rebels, and was
taciturn us to his idea of forthcoming
events.
About an hour after sunrise Yaqui
ran in with the information that part
of the rebels were crossing the river.
“That can’t mean a light yet," de
clared Beldlng. ‘Tint get in the house,
hoys, and make ready anyway. I’ll
meet him."
"Bolding, you're an officer of the
United States. Mexicans are much
Impressed by show of authority. I’ve
scon that often in camp," said Thorne.
“Oh, I know the white-livered
Greasers better than any of you, don’t
mistake me,” replied Beldlng. He was
pale with rage, but kept command
over himself.
The rangers, with Y’aqul and
Thorne, stationed themselves at the
several windows of the sitting room.
Rifles and smaller arras und boxes of
shells littered the tables and window
seats. No small force of besiegers
could overcome a resistance such as
Beldlng and his men were capable of
making.
The horsemen halted at the corrals.
They were orderly and showed no evi
dence of hostility. They were, how
ever, fully armed. Beldlng stalked
out to meet them. Apparently a leader
wanted to parley with him, but Bel
dlng would hear nothing. He shook
his head, waved his arms, stamped to
and fro, and his loud, angry voice
could be heard clear tmek at the house.
Whereupon the detachment of rebels
retired to the bank of the river, be
yond the white i»ost that murked the
boundary line, and there they once
more drew rein. Beldlng remained by
the corrals watching them, evidently
still In threatening mood. Presently
a single rider left the troop and trot
ted his horae back down the road.
When He Reached the Corral# He Wa«
Seen to Halt and PasB Something
to Beldlng.
When lie reached the corral he wus
seen to halt and pass something to
Iteldlng. Then he galloped away (o
join his comrades.
Beldlng looked at whatever It was
he held in his hand, shook his burly
head, anti started swiftly for the
house. 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
translate the garbled scrawl.
"Shore Mercedes can read It,’’ said
Ladd.
Thorne 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
Thorne, as he led her to the table.
Mercedes gave the writing one swift
glance, then fainted in Thorne's
arms, lie carried her to a couch, and
with Nell and Mrs. Beldlng began to
work over her.
Belding looked at his rangers.
“Baddy, it's Kolas nU right. IIow
many men lias lie out there?"
“Mebbe twenty. Not more.”
“We can lick twice that many
Greasers."
“Shore.”
Jim Lash removed his pipe long
enough to speak. “Ltd's stave thft
Greaser off till dark. Then Laddy an’
me an’ Thorne will take Mercedes an’
hit the trail for Yuma.”
“Camino del Diablo! That awful
trail with a woman! Jim, do you for
get how many hundreds of men ha\e
perished on the Devil’s road? ^
“I reckon I ain’t forgettin’ nothin’,
replied Jim. "The waterholes are full
now. There’s grass, an' we can do the
job in six days.” t M
“It’s three hundred miles to Yuma.
“Boldin', Jim’s idea hits me as
pretty reasonable," interposed Ladd.
“Lord knows that’s about the. only
chance we’ve got except fightin.
“But suppose we do stave Rojas off,
and you get safely away with Mer
cedes. Isn’t Rojas going to tlnd it
out quick? Then what'll he try to do
to us who’re left here?”
"I reckon he’d lind out by daylight,
replied Jim. “But, Tom, he ain’t
a-goin’ to start a scrap then. Y'ou see.
Tin flggerin’ on the crazy Greaser
wantin’ the girl. But lie’s too smart
to tight you for nothin’. Rojas may ’
be nutty about women, but lie’s afraid j
of the U. S. Take my word for it, i
he’d discover the trail in the luornin |
an’ light out on it. I reckon with ten
hours’ start we could travel comfort
able.”
Bel ding paced up and down the
room. Jim and I.add whispered to
gether. Gale walked to the window
and looked out at the distant group
of bandits, and then turned his gaze
to rest'Upon Mercedes. She was con
scious now, and her eyes seemed all |
the larger and blacker for the white
ness of her face. No one but Gale
saw the Yaqui Ln the background look
ing down upon the Spanish girl. All
of Yaqui’s looks were strange; but
this was singularly so. Gale won
derod If the Indian were affected by
her loveliness, her helplessness, or her
terror.
Presently Beldlng called his rang
ers to him, and then Thorne.
“Listen to this,” he said, earnestly.
“I’ll go out and have a talk with Ro
jas. TU try to reason, with him; tell
him to think a long time before he
sheds blood on Uncle Sam’s soli. That
he’s now after an American’s wife!
I’ll not commit myself, nor will I re
fuse outright to consider his demands,
nor will I show the least fear of him.
I'll play for time. If my bluff goes
through . . . well and good. . . .
After dark the four of you, Laddy, Jim,
Dick and Thorne, will take Mercfcdes
and my best white horses, and, with
Yaqui as guide, circle round through
Altar valley to the trail, and head for
Yuma. I want yon to take the Indian,
because in a case of this kind he’ll
be a godsend. If you get beaded or
lost or have to circle off the trail,
think what it’d mean to have a Yaqui
with you. He knows Sonora as no
Greaser knows It. He could hide you,
flDd water and graBS, when you would
absolutely believe tt Impossible. The
Indian Is loyal. He has his debt to
pay, and he’ll pay It, don’t mistake me.
When you’re gone I’Ll hide Nell bo
Rojas won’t see her if he searches the
place. Then I think I could sit down
and wait without any particular
worry."
The rangers approved of Holding’s
plan, and Thorne went to the side of
his wife.
“Mercedes, we’ve planned to outwit
Itojas. Will you tell us what lie
wrote?”
“ltojus swore—by hls saluts and his
Virgin—that If I wasn’t given—to him
—In twenty-four hours—he would set
tire to the villnge—kill the men—car
ry off the women-r-hang the children
on cactus thorns!”
A moment’s silence followed her
last halting whisper.
I hen the Yuqui uttered a singular
cry. ('.ale hud heard this once before,
uud now lie remenibej-ed It was at the
Pupago well.
“Look at the Indian,” whispered
Holding, hoarsely. "D—n If I don’t
believe he understood every word Mer
cedes said. And, gentlemen, don’t mis
take me. If lie ever gets near Senor
Itojas there’ll he some gory Aztec
knife work.”
Yayul had moved close to Mercedes,
and stood beside her as she leaned
against her husband. She seemed Im
pelled to meet the Iudiun’s gaze, and
evidently It was so powerful or hyp
notic that It wrought Irresistibly upon
her. Hut she must have seen or di
vined what was beyond the others,
for she offered him her trembling
hand. Yuqui took it and laid it
against hls body In a strange motion,
and bowed hls head. Then he stepped
hack into the shadow of the room.
Beldlng went outdoors while the
rangers took up their former position
at the west window. Each had his
own somber thoughts, Gale Imagined,
and knew hls own were dark enough.
He saw Belding halt at the corrals
and wave his hand. Then the rebels
mounted and came briskly up the
road, this time to rein in abreast.
Wherever ltojus had kept himself
upon the former advance was not
clear; bui he certainly was prominent
ly In sight now. He made' a gaudy,
almost a dashing figure. Rojas dis
mounted and seemed to be listening.
BeldlDg made gestures, vehemently
bobbed his big head, appeared to tala
with his body as much as with his
tongue. Then Rojas was seen to reply,
and after that it was clear that the
talk became painful and difficult, it
ended finally in what appeared to be
mutual understanding. Rojns mount
ed and rode away with his men,
while Bolding came tramping back to
the house.
As he entered the door his eyes
were shining, his big hands were
clenched, and he was breathing au
dibly.
“You can rope me if I’m not lo
coed !” he hurst out. “I went out to
conciliate a red-handed little mur
derer, and d—n me if I didn’t meet
a—a—well, I’ve no suitable name
handy. I stnrted my bluff and got
along pretty well, hut I forgot to men
tion that Mercedes was Thorne’s wife.
And what do you think? Rojas swore
he loved Mercedes—swore he'd marry
her right here in Forlorn River—
swore he would give up robbing uud
killing people, and take her away
from Mexico. He has gold—jewels.
He swore If hi1 didn’t get her noth
ing mattered. He'd die anyway with
out her. . . . And here's the strange
thing. I belieee him! He was cold
us ice, and all h—1 inside. Never saw
u Greaser iike him. Anyway, without
my asking he said for me to think it
over for a day and then we’d talk
again,"
“Shore we’re born lucky! ejacu
lated Ladd.
‘ I reckon Rojas’ll be smart enough
to string his outfit across the few
trails out of Forlorn River," remarked
Jim.
"That needn’t worry us. All we
want Is dark to come," replied Bel
ding. "Yaqui will slip through. Lf
we thank any lucky stars let It be for
the Indian. You may go to Yuma in
six days and maybe in six weeks. You
may have a big tight. Laddy, tak*
the .405. Dick will pack his Reming
ton. All of you go gunned heavy. But
the main thing is a pack that’ll be
light enough for swift travel, yet one
that’ll keep you from starving on the
desert."
The rest of that day passed swiftly.
The sun set, twilight fell, then night
closed down, fortunately a«night
slightly overcast. Gale saw the white
horses pass his door like silent
ghosts. Even Blanco Diablo made no
sound, and that fact was indeed a
tribute to the Yaqui. Gale went out
to put his saddle on Blanco Sol. The
horse rubbed a soft nose against his
shoulder. Then Gale returned to the
sitting room. There waa nothing more
to do but wait and say good-by. Mer
cedes came clad In leather chaps and
coat, a slim stripling of a cowboy, her
dark eyue flashing. Her beauty could
not be hidden, and now hope and
courage had fired her blood.
(Continued next week.)
!
Ife GEM
THINGS
YOU
DON’T
KNOW
are often told about in
the movies. You see
them at every per
formance.
THINGS YOU
DO KNOW
u
are shown to you by
the movies in a differ
ent light.
25 cents admits you to the
best seat in the house