The Hennessey Clipper (Hennessey, Okla.), Vol. 33, No. 24, Ed. 1 Wednesday, November 16, 1921 Page: 3 of 6
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THUK8DAY, NOV, 1«, 1W8
IS HEHNB88BY OLIPPMl
DESERT GOLD
sin* «*«>i11 lived to imu'u* her guards and
escaped almost Immediately befoi
i'h\ !iami befell hoi
v\v
* -ft ZANE GBEY
H„,hor ..F Riders of tlie Purple <*(
Wildfire. Etc. , \
Illustrations by
Irwin Hyers
irmiiiif. Hut l hi hi nit* fi'f • >
totlipr iiiiw. Anil I'm |>nii'-^
i-nttle <>r He h mliifi'. «>i >1" i"< •'
Ktm.t Ilk.. jHlnlim I I frlwiiw. H-Jtis n-nrly lore ilmvn tl..
' ..Ah#' I gin .vouM apt tlmt ! town In hi. offort* to And h«. 1«« "
|ll8, one " j -> «' .li«^..ls. .l --It I:.... I nix .-l.-.l •>
WHUgillC Ills ll.'il.l "Well. .ills' ! l or-eluiek. MlIKe tr:"" to .1
J."*, U Shy. ..I.I Imo. U..T*,.i, -SI... I.n.l ffl.-n.l- I-""-. I.o mm..
ili.InK In M- xl.,.. Tlnnlt.-.l I Slie knew lto.1..* whs tn.Hn.,.-
States In ttei.eri.l iloesn t r.'.e li
Hut aeross. il.Ht III..* there ,
: n,| cni.iKlon No one not |. ..1
' 1 th.i.i^lit. I ji.klseil lier J.
I lie d|s)!..lse of i. nun l.efore si..- le' t
ilit* wnliinu-rooiii. Ami 1 " t i. liny i"
• ul.le l.er lt.it lie fetrlidl l.ef to litis
! oils.-. I I.H.I iiroinlse.l to eonie In
lie eveiilni! I" lull.
witI. her.
"I fi.un.1 her, pick, un.l when I snw
er I ".'"I Slink, Miiirinu. nivlni; iii.i•
| i.ver her. She is the u.osl Ii.-.ilit ifill
! , iiinlerfiil tflrl 1 ever snw H>" ..Him
COPYRIGHT HARff*
(Continued from last issue.)
Then Cameron huilt >u> stone niaiiu
inoiils to mark his jsol.l strike. That
.Ion.-, lie tarrie.l heaide the niieoii
•elout Warren. Moments passed—
grew Int.. hours. Cameron still hn.1
strength lert to make an effort to
out of the desert. But that same 1"
vcrutahle soinethlug which had or-
dered Ills strange. Inviilunlary iiroini>.'
to Warren held htm beside his fallen
comrade. As the long hours wore on
he felt creep over him the comfort-
ing sense that he need not forever
tight sleep. Absolute silence claimed
the desert. It was mute. 'J lien that
inscrutable something breathed to
him, telling him when he was alone.
He need not have looked at the dark,
still face beside him.
Another lace haunted Cameron's a
woman's face. It was there in the
white moonlit shadows; It drifted in
the darkness beyond; It softened,
changed to that of a young girl, sweet,
with the same dark, haunting eyes of
her mother. Cameron prayed to thai
nameless thing within him, the spliit
of something deep and mystical as
life. He prayed for mercy to a wom-
an—for happiness to her child. Both
mother and daughter were close t"
him then. Time and distance were
annihilated. lie had faith—lie saw
Into the future. The fateful threads
of the past, so Inextricably woven
with his error, wound out tlielr tragic
length here In this forlorn desert.
Cameron then look a little tin box
from Ids pocket, and. opening it, re-
moved a folded certificate. He had
ke| i .. pell, and now he wrote some-
thing upon the paper, and in lieu "I
Ink he wrote with blood. The moon
afforded hill, enough light to see; and
having replaced the paper, he laid the
little box upon a shelf of rock. It
W.oukl remain there unaffected b>
dust, moisture, heat, time. How l<>n«
had those painted Images ho.." there
clear and sharp oil the dry stone
walls'/ Years would pass. Cameron
geemeil to see then., too; and likewise
deslin.x leading a child down lot" this
forlorn waste, where she would tiilil
love and fortune, a nil the grave of I' •
fat her.
Cameron covered the dark, Mili tn.c
of Ills comrade I'rom the light of the
waning moon.
Tlinl action was the severing of Ids
hold on realities. They fell' a way
from him In final separation. Vaguely,
dreamily lie seemed t" behold his
soul. Night merged into gray day;
urnI night came again, weird and dark
Then it|> out of the vast void of the
AM D bsothem
--non, I'm almost broke," he solilo-
quized. t bought fully "The governor |
sul.l 1 wouldn't make any money, lie's
right SO far And he said I'd be j
coming home beaten. There he s (
wrong. I've got a hunch that soiuc
tiling 'II happen to me In this Greaser I
town."
He went out Into the wide, white-
washed. high-ceiled corridor, and
from that Into hi. Immense
which, but for pool tables, bar and |
benches, would have been like a
courtyard. Bare legged, sandal-fooled
Mexicans In white rubbed shoulders j
with Mexicans mantled In black and
red. There were black-bearded,
coarse-vlsaged Americans, some gnu.
tiling round the little tables, others
drinking. There were khaki clad cav-
alrymen strutting In ann out.
At one end of the room, somewhat
i.part from the general melee, was a
group of six men round a little table,
four of w dm were seated, the other
two standing. These last two drew
a second glance front Gale. The
sharp-featured bronzed faces and
piercing eyes, the tall, slender, k.oselj
Join ti' bodies, the quiet, easy, recft-
less air that seemed to lie a part of
the men these things would plainly
have s'atnped them as cowboys with-
out the buckled sombreros the col-
ored scarfs the high-topped, high-
heeled I IS will, great silver rowele.l
spurs.
lie satisfied his hunger in a restau
rant adjoining, and as lie stepped
lijH'l, into tli<* salmon a man wearing
h in 1111 ti r> ' i'lt' .iosi lt*il 111111. Apolo-
z\v* from both were Instant. C.ale wan
moving on \ I..11 the other stopped
short as i' startled, and. leaning for-
ward. e\' I.ill.i.'d :
"pick Gale? If "ds isn't great!
p.,n't you know lue?"
•'I've beard votir voice somewhere."
replied Gale "Maybe I'll recognize
you If you came out from under that
bonnet."
ir answer the man, suddenly muni-
■ |nti tiioialit of himself, hurriedly
w Gale Into the restaurant, where
thrust back his lint to disclose a
handsome, sunburned face.
"(i.-nlxc Tin.rue ' So help me—'"
'js.s.^sb. You needn't .veil," Inlet*
rupted the. other, as he met Gale's
outstretched band Then- was a close,
hard, .straining grip. "I must not be
recognized here. There are reasons.
\|dain in a minute. Sa\. but II s
ra z \
revolutionists, ill-paid soldi, uuer
villa leaders, raiders, robbers law-
I audits galore, starving peon, 'o-
thousand, airls and women .error
Mexico Is like some of her vooes
tea.ly to erupt tire and hel Pon t
make the awful mistake of ,|i.g the
i e|,el forces ir
: et shot In nil.bush, or die hirst,
tome Greaser would knife .vm the
lack for your belt buckle no.its
There are it good many Menus
nil the rebels eastward tow .Valla
l'rleta and Juarez. Orozco pernl
lug In Chihuahua, and I gi.ee has
: nme Idea of warfare. But lis So-
1 ora. a mountainous desert, home
of the slave and the Yaqui lie.e -
linorganlzed revolt everyv heWe'r.
patrolling the boundary,. Hit We j i
making " grand bluff I conlll yor
of a dozen Instances wliei ilr.v
should have pursued raldem the j
; other sjilc of the line. Bin won't |
! do It The officers arc a sfi> t"l I
I lies., days V nil see, <.f cm wlia ,
i slgnlficiince would attach tilted j
States cavalry going Into Mi n let I
| ritory There would slnipl - hel1 '■
My "own eolouel is the sore■ ■ 111 m |
the Job We're all sore In e sii j
thing on :. powder t'tagnzinc; c.in't j
' keep the rebels and raiders I cin«. j
Ing the line. Yet " i don I M> I
commission expires soon dls |
charged in three months I. can i
bet I'm L'lad for more re. ili.in ;
I've inentioned "
Thorn.- was evidently la fa uti ;
iler strong, siippri-ssert irmeii'
His face showed pale tind.v tan.
und Ids eyes gleamed with iji. tire, j
He had seated himself ..t h ■ near
I This talk I bail with her was at til.
| railroad station, where all was liiisih
.lark side of the nonie. and TTi'aTI the
| place I must slip out with her If
She hid anion;., there's any chance at all to get away "
They peered out of the open win-
dow. In a moment, however, Gale
made out a slow-pacing dark form on
the path. Farther down there was
another. No particular keenness was
required to see ill these forms a sen*
ttliel-llke stealthlness.
Gripping Gale's arm. Thome pulled
back from the window.
"You saw tlit'in," he whispered, "it's
Just as I feared Itojas has the place
surrounded. I should have taken Mer
cedes away But I had no tltue—no
linn, e ! I'm bound ! . There s
^ Mercedes Castaneda and s' be
.,ngs I of .lie old wealthy Span
sh families. Sin has lived uliroad
nil in Havana, she spcal.- I iciuli
s well as I aitillsh
i nisi lie brief.
"Pick, think, tlilnl;
ilso ii was love a'
dan is to marry her
liter to the Inteiloi
Itorder It niny to.
■vatcheil. So ant I
Sh.
I.nt I
v'ot word to bis ft lends lien
• lay his gang of utthroai rebels ai
rived, and lodav It" caii.e When
learned that. I took my chance an
left . amp: I bullied up a priest. 11
promised lo ••.....' Ilel'e I' s litllt* lie
• lue. But I in alrahl l.e II In1 si.i|i|.i
Yon see. we're mei 'lie line
■Ate ..." Ill Mexican I' -'i' 11 > ti '
iver the situation Mercedes now! My ti—d!
nick, tlilnk think—think If there's a
| way to gel her out of this trap!"
Gale turned as bis friend went down
I ilie room. In the dim light at the head
of the stairs stood tlie slim, muffled
lignre of a woman. When she saw
i hill-lie she llew noiselessly down the
stairway to lilui lie caught her In
Ids arms. Then she spoke softly, bro-
kenly. it. a low, swift voice. It was a
I mingling of incoherent Spanish and
I Fnglisli: Put to Gale it was mellow,
I deep, unutterably tender, a voice full
i of Joy, I'ear, passion, hope and love
j I'poii Gale It had an unaccountable
! effect. He found himself thrilling.
| wondering.
Thome led the girl to the center ef
: the room, under the light where Gale
I stood.
Will. Me.
first sight,
anil gel he
awtiv Hoi
lie i
l.oja-
My
far
Iroin tin'
i s\ she'"
must Itav.
re: \ ester
senorita," lie Ral.l, "1 am hup|>y to
be your servant. I can conceive of no
greater pleasure lhan giving the ser\
Ice you require."
"And what Is that?" Inquired
Thome hurriedly.
" That of incapacitating Senor Iloja-
fnr . tonight, and perhaps several
nights to come," replied Hale. "I'll
make a row iu that saloon I'll start
something I'll rush Itojas and his
crowd I'll
"I.ord no; you mustn't. Pick
you'll he knifed;" cried Thome
"I'll take a chance Maybe I can
surprise that slow Greaser bunch and
get away before they know what s
happened Y"" he ready
watching at the window. When the
row starts those fellows out there In
the plaza will run into the saloon
Then you slip out. go straight through
the plaza down the street li's a dark
street, I remember. I'll catch up with
you before you get far."
Thome gasped, hut did not say a
1 word. Mercedes leaned against hint
; her white hands now at her breast,
her great eyes watching Gale is lie
went out.
In the corridor Gale stopped long
| enough to pull on a pair of heavy-
gloves, to muss Ids hair, and disai
| range his collar Then lie stepped
j Into the restaurant, went through, and
halted In the door leading Into the
j saloon No one appeared to notice
I hint. Gale's roving glance soon tixert
Mercedes Pick Gale, an old friend j upon the man he took to lie Itojas
me of tin
into the sir.
he would -I
kept consult
'I ■
Gale as Ti.i
doorllke
:-il. and
*1,iirpi
ailing
while
h "i ply
lltliplil I! I
::' 111 I ml
! n hi
nifed
house t.
sei/ed
"Good
ti i ii
re
elnellllier yoll
Me-
l-oil
htllfcl.
-I r: t.te
F
fe«t
•Ire
lie
His aei ;„ns wi-
the' table, lie |
: in) leaned ovi
lode's I';., e.
"I'm away
leave." lie said
"Isn't that
asked Phi.
"Serious V I
el'cil, it means
upon
I laugh
loihci
itig t
• •r me. .if
ruin. Then
111
line ti
from the silence and illitii
Itableness, trooped his phantoms of
peace. Majestically they formed
around him. marshaling un.l muster
lug In ceremonious state, and moved
to lay upon him tlielr passionless
serenity.
CHAPTER I
• Ir
you : Five years. Pick, live
years since I sin. you run down I'lil-
\ el-sit y field and spri-iiil-caMc the
whole Wisconsin football team."
"pon'i recollect Unit.', replied Pick.
laughing. ire. I'll hot you I'm
gladder
Into
struck i ^'
' (in
Old Friends.
lib-hard Gale reflected that Ills so- .
Journ in the West had been what ids
disgusted father hail predicted
Idling here and dreaming there, with
no objective point or purpose
It was reflection such as tills only
more seiiotis and perhaps somewhat !
desperate, that had brought Gale down
to the border. For sonic time the
newspapers bail been printing news
..f i lie Mexican revolution, guerrilla
warfare, I'nlted States cavalry pa
trolling the International line, Aincrl
can cowboys lighting with the rebels,
sinl wild stories of bold raiders and
bandits. Heralding these rumors Gale
whs skeptical. But as opport unity.
Hint Hil Veil til re. loo. had apparently
given him a wide berth in Montana
Wyoming. Colorado. In
southwest for tin Arizona border,
where lie hoped to see some slilTltlg
life.
It was after dark one evening In
early October when Itlchard arrived
In Caslta. There was a Jostling. Jab
herlng, sonibreroeil crowd of Mexicans
around the railroad station lie felt
as If he were In a foreign country.
After a while he saw several men oT
Ids nationality, one of whom lie en
gnged to carry Ills luggage to ii hotel.
Of the many people encountered by
Gale moat were Mexicans. Ills guide
explained that the smaller half of
Cssltii lay In Arizona, the oilier half
111 Mexico, hml of several thousand
Inhabitants the majority belonged on
the N.JU*hci'u side "f the street, which
was the boundary line. lie also
said hill rebels had entered the town
that day, causing a good ileal of ex
eltenieut.
Gale wi.s Hlniosl St the end of Ids
Una in la 1 resources, which fact occa
■loiieil him to turn awiiy from a pre-
tentious hotel and ask Ills cul.le lor
a chi'ii|i. r lodging house When this
was fuillil. a sight of the loungers In
the office, all.1 also ii desire for
fort, persuaded Gale to cluing* his
traveling clutlien fur rough out Ing
M£b _ .
see you tlinn you are to
seems so long. You went
rniy. didn't you?"
"I dill I'm here now with the
Ninth cavalry. But never mind nie.
W'iiat're you doing way down here'.''
"(in the square. George I don't
know any more why'fin here than—
than yen know."
"Well. Hillt beats lite !*' ejaculated
Thorne. silting back In Ids chair,
amaze .Hill concern III his expression, i
"W Inn the devil's wrong? Your old
man's tint too mtu-li money for you
ever til I"' Up against it. Pick, yoti \
couldn't have gone to Hie bail?'
A tide of emotion Sill-sell over Gale,
lliiw goi.il it was lo meet a friend—
someone lo whom to talk ! lie bad
never apprcehileil his loneliness until
that moment.
"George bow I ever drilled down
here I don't know. I. didn't exactly
quarrel with the governor. But
,| II it. I Iii.i hurt ine shamed me, ,
and I dug ...it fnr the Wert, ti was I
I tills way. vt'ler leaving college I tried
I to please bill, by tackling one thing
• number I lint he set nie to do
Hie square. I had no head for
1 business I liuule a mess of every
thing. The governor got sore. When
T quit when I toid bill, stiaiglit out
that I was going west ti. fare for my
I self. why. it wouldn't have been so
I lough If lie hadn't laughed ill me II.
said I couldn't earn a dollar -that I'd
j starve out west, and couldn't get hack
: home unless I sent to hlin for money
! He said he didn't believe I could
j fight could really make a light for
any thing under the sun hh lie--lie
j shot It Into me all right."
I Pick dropped bis bead upon Ills
11H n • I s, somewhat ashamed of the
smarting dimness in Ids eyes
"Fightcried Thorne. holly.
"WilliI's tilling him? I Hilll't I hex cull
you I1IIT Gnle ill college? Pick you
were one of the best men Singg ever
(lev eloped."
"The governor didn't count foot
ball," said Pick. "He didn't mean that
kind of II light. Wneii I left home I
don't think I bad an Idea what was
wrong of ill.1. But, George I think
I kno\\ now I was.i rich man's soli
spoiled, dependent. absolutely Igllo
rant of the value of money I haven't
yet discovered any eariilit'J capacity in
inc. I seem to lie unable lo do any
tUUig with uij Uaiids. Xiai'i Uis
soil of thing happen less than a
stone's throw from the United Slates
line?" asked Gale, incredulously.
"Ii can happen, and don't you forget
it. You don't seem to realize the
| power these guerrilla leaders, these
u're 1 rebel captains, and particularly these
t'em ! bandits, exercise over the mass of
''e.i j Mexicans. I've seen Itojas. lies a
urb. handsome, bold, sneering devil, vainer
lhan any peacock, lie decks himself
i in gold lace and silver trappings. In
I, all the finery be can steal, lie spends
gold like he spills III I. But he Is
i chiefly famous for abducting women.
The peon girls consider it an honor
in ; i- h :ii4i.ui it t„ |„, ridden off with. Itojas has
r i" look <( into shown a penchant for girls of the l.et-
\ ' ter class."
Iimii I'Minfitlioiit Tln>nir wipt'il tin* perspiration fmm
his pah? face ami lieni a ilark gaze
a 1'iivf (>l|t ,,f 111«* window before lie resinned
his talk.
ti-ti'MV- 'VoiisMler what the Ion of M«*r- j
rebels really is. UoJoh -an turn all the ,
lililden uinlerjironnil InJlnenees in Ills
•mhIs. I'nle-s I lliwart lilm l «* H u«*t
.Meneilt s ;is easil> as lie jjiii lltflii a
• iv;irHle. lint I'll kill liini or some
Ii in ^aiiK or lier l ef« re I let liini I
L(*t lier. . . . This i.s the sililallon, j
! old friend. I've little time to spurt*.
I fare anvsi for desertion. Itojas Is j
in town. L think 1 was followed to i
this hotel. The priesi has betrayed!
| ine or has been ^topped. Mercedes Is j
| here alone, wait lay, absolutely de ,
j pt'iident upon nie to save her from
| from . . . She's the sweetest, love j
lieM girl! . . In a feu momenta—
smiiier or later there'll be hell here!
I>lek. are \oil w lib meV"
| l>iek ("Sale drew a long, deep breath. I
A rtddness. a lethargy, and IndllTer j
enee that had weighed upon him for,
, months had passed « uI of his being.
' (in the Instant he could not speak.
hut his hand closed powerfully upon
| his friend's. Thome's face changed
wonderfully, the distress, the fear, the'
appeal all vanishing In a smile of
passionate gratefulness.
Then Hick's ga'/.e attracted by some
slight sound, shot ove* his friend's
shoulder to see a face at the window
a handsome, bold, sneering face,
with glittering dark eyes that flashed
in sinister Intentness.
Dick stiffened in his seat. Thorn*,
with sudden clenching of hands,
wheeled toward the window.
"Itojas!" he whisperen.
I he best friend I ever had "
She swept the mantilla hack over
her head, disclosing a lovely face,
strange and striking to dale In Its
pride and tire, its Intensity
"Senor t!«le—ah! 1 cannot speak
my happiness. His friend!"
"Yes. Mercedes; my friend and
yours," said Thorne, speaking rapidly.
"Well have need of him. Dear,
there's had news and no time to break
It gently. The priest did not come.
He must have been detained \nd
listen—he brave, dear Mercedes—
Is hera!M
She uttered an Inarticulate erv. the
I poignant terror « f which shook dales
I nerve, and swayed as It >lie would
faint. Thorne caught her and In
I husky voice Importuned her to hear
up.
I M\ ilarliiiL'! l or dod's sake don t
j faint don't to pieces! Wed be
' lost! We've got a chance. We'll
| think or something. He strong!
I Fight!"
It was plain to dale that Thorne
was distracted. lie scarcely knew
what he was saying Pale and shak-
ing. lie clasped Mercedes to htm.
She cried out in Spanish, beseech
ing him; and as lie shook his head,
she changed to Kngllsh :
"Senor, inv lover. 1 will he strong—
I will light —1 will obey. Hut swear
ih w ! /i
i i • /m
...
'Serious? For Me. If I'm overed
It Means Ruin—
in town. Any nm;,.. in we it have
troul lc. I oiiuiii to be rea r duty
wit bin call. 11 I m di ircd It
means arrest. Tlur ineMlela.v
the failure of m> plans—r
Thome bent over closiith liis
• lark eyes soarchingly bri:
"What wtiuld you sa\.j dale,
it I told you 111:11 \ou're t ie man
I'd rather have * onie alonau an\
other at this crisis oC,iu,\
The enrnesi ga/.c. the <:onate
voice w ith its deep trenioi > hick
upright, ibillling and cam ns« ons
of strange unfamiliar lni|slt>
"Thorne. I sli« uhl siif I ula-! !«•
be the fellow," replied hi
CHAPTEK h
Mercedes Castaneda.
The dark face vanished IMck dale
heard footsteps and the tinkle of
spurs, lie strode to the window, and
was In time to see a Mexican swag
i ger into the front door of the saloon.
| There were men passing in the street.
also several Mexicans lounging
' against the hitching rail at the curb.
"I Mil you see 111111V Where did he
goV" whispered Thorne. as he Joined
i dale. "Those Oreasers out there with
hands baked for tiometit. I the cartridge belts crossed over their
ami they -at down aualni heads . breasts they are rebel*. I'm afraid
« lose over the table. ' Itojas has the house spotted."
"Listen." bc-an Thornfi low. 'if we could onlj be sure."
mw Hi w hisper, "a few d.u wee. "I'm sure, Dick. Let's cross the
ago it seems like a year v- a- « f hall : I want to see how It looks from
assistance to rein lleei g the other side the house."
Mexico into tin si I dale followed Thorne out of the n *
all women, ami om ' in ' , laurant into the high-celled corridor
id. i which evidently divided the hotel.
• • opening Into the street and running
hack to a patio. A few dliu, yellow
ic i lamps flickered. Thorne entered a
> a huge chamber which was even more
t\- poorly lighted than the hall It con
rf- at j mined a table littered with papers
sonic
from
were
dressed as a nun
Quit
I saw her face. It wast
beatlt Iful L'irl 1 obsrrvtie
aloof from the others 1
disguise, and. when t | pi'n
forded. spok« to her. oft'et1.
Ices S'.t replied to my |V. ■«
Spanish in tlueiit I'Iii til I sf 111
tied In terror from hei
place dow n In Sin.«!>•.. 1 " "
aet i\ e i here Iler fnOu
Hired and held for lanstm ben" the
ransom was paid the •' killei!
him. The leader of thcs.els w;.v
bandit named Itojas < s saw
bad
onie
few high-backed chairs, a couple of
couches, and was evidently a parlor.
.Mercedes has been meeting nie
here," said Thorne. "At this hour she
itnnes every moment or so to the head
of the stairs there, and If 1 am here
she comes down. Mostly there are
people In this room a little later. We
tU daughter. uiuUu oft wia\ Uui . ^ %u( iuu yliua. Ii fftcM noiil.
"But Swear by My Virgin, If Need Be
to Save Me From Rojas—You Will
Kill Me!"
by my Virgin. If need be to save me
from Itojas you will kill me!"
"Mercedes! Yes. I'll swear," he re-
plied. hoarsely. i know I'd rather
have you dead than Hut don't give
up. Itojas can't be sure of you. or
he wouldn't wait. He's In there, lie's
got Ids men there all around us Hut
he hesitates. A beast like Itojas
doesn't stand idle for nothing. I t i!
you we've a chance Dick. here, will I
think of something Weil slip away. I
Then he'll lake you somewhere Only
— speak to IiIiii—show hlin you won't '
weaken Mercedes, tlds is more than j
love and happiness for us. It's life or !
death."
She became quiet, and slowly recov-,
ered control of herself. She wheeled
to face dale with proud dark eyes,
tragic sweetness of appeal, an exqui-
site grace.
"Senor. you are an American. You
know the Spanish blood the
bandit's luite and cruelty I
die before Itojas' hand touches
me If lie takes me alive, then the
hour, the little day that my life lasts
afterward will be torture--torture of
If I live two days his brutal men
If I live three, the dogs
amp . . . Senor, have you
whom you love'? Help Senor
Thorne to save nie. lie Is a soldier,
lie Is bound, lie must not betray hit
honor, his duty, for me. . Now,
let me waste no more precious time.
I am ready I will be brave."
She came close to dale, holding out
her white hands, a woman all tire and
soul and passion. To dale she was
wonderful Ills heart leaped As he
bei>t over her hands and kissed them
he seemed to feel himself rtnawsd
cannot
peon
wish t«
hell
will have inc.
of his
a sister
The Mexican's face was turned aside
He was In earnest, excited colloquy
with a dozen ur more comrades, most
of whom were sitting round a table
They were listening, talking, drinkln
The fact that they wore cartridge belts!
crossed over tlielr breasts satisfied!
dale that these were the rebels, llej
became conscious of an Inward
that threatened to overrun his cool j
ness Other emotions harried bis self-
control. It seemed as it sight of the
man liberated or created a devil in
(Sale. And at the bottom of bis feel-
ings there seemed to be a wonder at
Mtnself. a «trange satisfaction for the
.something that had muiic to him.
He stepped out of the doorway.
doWII ti «■ couple of steps to the lloo,*
of the saloon, and lie staggered :i
little, sit minting drunkenness. He tell
•i the pool tables. Jostled Mexicans
the bar, laughed like a maudlin
fool, and, with bis bat slum lied down
crowded here and there Presently
bis eye caught si*-rht of t! group of
cowboys whom Ie bad hii««re noticed
with such Interest.
They wc|| -till in a < tier some
what Isolated. Willi fertile mind
working, dale lurchtd over h them
If he were to pei any help from these
silent aloof rafters it must be by
striking fire from them In one swilt
stroke Jianting himself squarely be
fore the two tall cowboy- who were
standing, he looked str:;':l t Into
their lean, bronzed facts lie spared
a full moment for that Keen, cool
gaze before lie spoke.
"I'm not drunk. I'm throwing a
bluff and 1 mean to start a rough
house. I'm going to rush that d d
bandit Itojas. It's to save a girl to
give her lover, who is my friend, a
chance to escape with her She's In
the house. Itojas is here to pot her.
When I start a row my friend will try
to slip «int with her. Kvcry door and
window Is watched. I've got to raise
li- I to draw the guards In.
Well, you're my countrymen We're
Iti Mexico. A beautiful girl's honor
and life are at slake. Now. gentle-
men. watch ine !"
one cowboy's eyes narrowed, blink
Ing a little, and his lean Jaw dropped;
the other's hard face rippled with h
fleeting smile.
dale backed away, and bis pulse
leaped when he saw the two cowboys,
as If with one purpose, slowly stride
after hlin. Then dale swerved, stag-
gering along, brushed against the
tables, kicked over the empty chairs.
The hum of the many voices grew
louder, and when Dick lurched
against a table, overturning it and
spilling glasses Into the laps of sev-
eral Mexicans, there arose a shrill cry.
He had succeeded in attracting at
tendon ; almost every face turned Ids
way. one of the insulted men, a
little tawny fellow, leaped to confront
dale, and in a frenzy screamed a vol
ley of Spanish, of which dale distin-
guished "diingo!" I>lck swung Ids
leg and with a swift side kick knocked
the fellow's feet from under him,
whlrtlng liiin down with a thud.
The actlou was performed so sud-
denly. so adroitly, it made the Mexi-
can such a weakling, so like a tumbled
teiipln. that the shrill Jabbering
hushed. dale knew this to be the
significant moment
Continued to last page
(Clipper)
THE TWISTER AND TIIE BOOSTER
When the Creator had made all the
! uood and beauit'nl things, in order that
they might be truly appreciated. He
then made the beasts and reptiles and
<0sonous insect*.
When lie had finished He had left
ver scraps that w\ re too bad to put
ia the .Itattlesnake, the Hyena, the
Hcorploa or the Skunk; so He placed
ill these together, covered it with Su*
f>icion, wrapped it with .Tenlousy t mark
ed it with a yellow streak ami called
it a Twister.
Then, as a compensation for thn
fearful product, He took a sunbeam
ind put it in the heart of m child, tin
love ot a mother, the brain of a man
wrapped these in civic pride, covered
it with brotherly love, gave it a mask
f velvet, and a grasp of steel, and
ailed it a Hooster.
He made it u lover of the fields and
lowers Had manly spoits; a believer
a equality and Justice.
Kver since these two weic created,
mortal man has had the privilege ol
hoo.sing his associates, Modern Hro
hcrhood.
(Clipper)
! Lst th# Clipper print your sals bills.
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The Hennessey Clipper (Hennessey, Okla.), Vol. 33, No. 24, Ed. 1 Wednesday, November 16, 1921, newspaper, November 16, 1921; (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc102210/m1/3/: accessed April 23, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.