e gloom。 The sound of his dull footfalls gradually died away。
For a moment the desert silence oppressed Gale。 He was unaccustomed to such strange stillness。 There was a low stir of sand； a rustle of stiff leaves in the wind。 How white the stars burned！ Then a coyote barked； to be bayed by a dog。 Gale realized that he was between the edge of an unknown desert and the edge of a hostile town。 He had to choose the desert； because； though he had no doubt that in Casita there were many Americans who might befriend him； he could not chance the risks of seeking them at night。
He felt a slight touch on his arm； felt it move down； felt Mercedes slip a trembling cold little hand into his。 Dick looked at her。 She seemed a white…faced girl now； with staring； frightened black eyes that flashed up at him。 If the loneliness； the silence； the desert； the unknown dangers of the night affected him； what must they be to this hunted； driven girl？ Gale's heart swelled。 He was alone with her。 He had no weapon； no money； no food； no drink； no covering； nothing except his two hands。 He had absolutely no knowledge of the desert； of the direction or whereabouts of the boundary line between the republics； he did not know where to find the railroad； or any road or trail； or whether or not there were towns near or far。 It was a critical； desperate situation。 He thought first of the girl； and groaned in spirit； prayed that it would be given him to save her。 When he remembered himself it was with the stunning consciousness that he could conceive of no situation which he would have exchanged for this onewhere fortune had set him a perilous task of loyalty to a friend； to a helpless girl。
〃Senor； senor！〃 suddenly whispered Mercedes； clinging to him。 〃Listen！ I hear horses coming！〃
Chapter III
A Flight Into The Desert
Uneasy and startled； Gale listened and； hearing nothing； wondered if Mercedes's fears had not worked upon her imagination。 He felt a trembling seize her； and he held her hands tightly。
〃You were mistaken； I guess；〃 he whispered。
〃No； no； senor。〃
Dick turned his ear to the soft wind。 Presently he heard； or imagined he heard； low beats。 Like the first faint； far…off beats of a drumming grouse； they recalled to him the Illinois forests of his boyhood。 In a moment he was certain the sounds were the padlike steps of hoofs in yielding sand。 The regular tramp was not that of grazing horses。
On the instant； made cautious and stealthy by alarm； Gale drew Mercedes deeper into the gloom of the shrubbery。 Sharp pricks from thorns warned him that he was pressing into a cactus growth； and he protected Mercedes as best he could。 She was shaking as one with a sever chill。 She breathed with little hurried pants and leaned upon him almost in collapse。 Gale ground his teeth in helpless rage at the girl's fate。 If she had not been beautiful she might still have been free and happy in her home。 What a strange world to live inhow unfair was fate！
The sounds of hoofbeats grew louder。 Gale made out a dark moving mass against a background of dull gray。 There was a line of horses。 He could not discern whether or not all the horses carried riders。 The murmur of a voice struck his earthen a low laugh。 It made him tingle； for it sounded American。 Eagerly he listened。 There was an interval when only the hoofbeats could be heard。
〃It shore was； Laddy； it shore was；〃 came a voice out of the darkness。 〃Rough house！ Laddy； since wire fences drove us out of Texas we ain't seen the like of that。 An' we never had such a call。〃
〃Call？ It was a burnin' roast；〃 replied another voice。 〃I felt low down。 He vamoosed some sudden； an' I hope he an' his friends shook the dust of Casita。 That's a rotten town Jim。〃
Gale jumped up in joy。 What luck！ The speakers were none other than the two cowboys whom he had accosted in the Mexican hotel。
〃Hold on ； fellows；〃 he called out； and strode into the road。
The horses snorted and stamped。 Then followed swift rustling soundsa clinking of spurs； then silence。 The figures loomed clearer in the gloom。。 Gale saw five or six horses； two with riders； and one other； at least； carrying a pack。 When Gale got within fifteen feet of the group the foremost horseman said：
〃I reckon that's close enough； stranger。〃
Something in the cowboy's hand glinted darkly bright in the starlight。
〃You'd recognize me； if it wasn't so dark；〃 replied Gale； halting。 〃I spoke to you a little while agoin the saloon back there。〃
〃Come over an' let's see you；〃 said the cowboy curtly。
Gale advanced till he was close to the horse。 The cowboy leaned over the saddle and peered into Gale's face。 Then； without a word； he sheathed the gun and held out his hand。 Gale met a grip of steel that warmed his blood。 The other cowboy got off his nervous； spirited horse and threw the bridle。 He； too； peered closely into Gale's face。
〃My name's Ladd；〃 he said。 〃Reckon I'm 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 had despaired of ever knowing。
〃GaleDick Gale is my name；〃 he began； swiftly。 〃I dropped into Casita to…night hardly knowing where I was。 A boy took me to that hotel。 There I met an old friend whom I had not seen for years。 He belongs to the cavalry stationed here。 He had befriended a Spanish girlfallen in love with her。 Rojas had killed this girl's fathertried to abduct her。。。。You know what took place at the hotel。 Gentlemen； if it's ever possible； I'll show you how I appreciate what you did for me there。 I got away； found my friend with the girl。 We hurried out here beyond the edge of town。 Then Thorne had to make a break for camp。 We heard bugle calls； shots； and he was away without leave。 That left the girl with me。 I don't know what to do。 Thorne swears Casita is no place for Mercedes at night。〃
〃The girl ain't no peon； no common Greaser？〃 interrupted Ladd。
〃No。 Her name is Castaneda。 She belongs to an old Spanish family； once rich and influential。〃
〃Reckoned as much；〃 replied the cowboy。 〃There's more than Rojas's wantin' to kidnap a pretty girl。 Shore he does that every day or so。 Must be somethin' political or feelin' against class。 Well； Casita ain't no place for your friend's girl at night or day； or any time。 Shore； there's Americans who'd take her in an' fight for her； if necessary。 But it ain't wise to risk that。 Lash； what do you say？〃
〃It's been gettin' hotter round this Greaser corral for some weeks；〃 replied the other cowboy。 〃If that two…bit of a garrison surrenders； there's no tellin' what'll happen。 Orozco is headin' west from Agua Prieta with his guerrillas。 Campo is burnin' bridges an' tearin' up the railroad south of Nogales。 Then there's all these bandits callin' themselves revolutionists just for an excuse to steal； burn； kill； an' ride off with women。 It's plain facts； Laddy； an' bein' across the U。S。 line a few inches or so don't make no hell of a difference。 My advice is； don't let Miss Castaneda ever set foot in Casita again。〃
〃Looks like you've shore spoke sense；〃 said Ladd。 〃I reckon； Gale； you an' the girl ought to come with us。 Casita shore would be a little warm for us to…morrow。 We didn't kill anybody； but I shot a Greaser's arm off； an' Lash strained friendly relations by destroyin' property。 We know people who'll take care of the senorita till your friend can come for her。〃
Dick warmly spoke his gratefulness； and； inexpressibly relieved and happy for Mercedes； he went toward the clump of cactus where he had left her。 She stood erect； waiting； and； dark as it was； he could tell she had lost the terror that had so shaken her。
〃Senor Gale； you are my good angel；〃 she said； tremulously。
〃I've been lucky to fall in with these men； and I'm glad with all my heart；〃 he replied。 〃Come。〃
He led her into the road up to the cowboys； who now stood bareheaded in the starlight。 The seemed shy； and Lash was silent while Ladd made embarrassed； unintelligible reply to Mercedes's's thanks。
There were five horsestwo saddled； two packed； and the remaining one carried only a blanket。 Ladd shortened the stirrups on his mount； and helped Mercedes up into the saddle。 From the way she settled herself and took the few restive prances of the mettlesome horse Gale judged that she could ride。 Lash urged Gale to take his horse。 But his Gale refused to do。
〃I'll walk；〃 he said。 〃I'm used to walking。 I know cowboys are not。〃
They tried again to persuade him； without avail。 Then Ladd started off； riding bareback。 Mercedes fell in behind； with Gale walking beside her。 The two pack animals came next； and Lash brought up the rear。
Once started with protection assured for the girl and a real objective point in view； Gale relaxed from the tense strain he had been laboring under。 How glad he would have been to acquaint Thorne with their good fortune！ Later； of course； there would be some way to get word to the cavalryman。 But till then what torments his friend would suffer！
It seemed to Dick that a very long time had elapsed since he 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。 Strange as the facts were； he had no doubts。 He realized that before that night he had never known the deeps of wrath undisturbed in him； he had never conceived even a passing idea that it was possible for him to try to kill a man。 His right hand was swollen stiff； so sore that he could scarcely close it。 His knuckles were bruised and bleeding； and ached with a sharp pain。 Considering the thickness of his heavy glove； Gale was of the opinion that so to bruise his hand he must have struck Rojas a powerful blow。 He remembered that for him to give or take a blow had been nothing。 This blow to Rojas； however； had been a different matter。 The hot wrath which had been his motive was not puzzling； but the effect on him after he had cooled off； a subtle difference； something puzzled and eluded him。 The more it baffled him the more he pondered。 All those wandering months of his had been filled with dissatisfaction； ye