if　she　was　cold；　and　she　answered　that　she　was；　speaking　especially　of　her　feet；　which　were　growing　numb。　Then　she　asked　to　be　helped　down　to　walk　awhile。　　At　first　she　was　cold　and　lame；　and　accepted　the　helping　hand　Dick　proffered。　　After　a　little；　however；　she　recovered　and　went　on　without　assistance。　Dick　could　scarcely　believe　his　eyes；　as　from　time　to　time　he　stole　a　sidelong　glance　at　this　silent　girl；　who　walked　with　lithe　and　rapid　stride。　　She　was　wrapped　in　his　long　coat；　yet　it　did　not　hide　her　slender　grace。　　He　could　not　see　her　face；　which　was　concealed　by　the　black　mantle。
  A　low…spoken　word　from　Ladd　recalled　Gale　to　the　question　of　surroundings　and　of　possible　dangers。　　Ladd　had　halted　a　few　yards　ahead。　　They　had　reached　the　summit　of　what　was　evidently　a　high　ridge　which　sloped　with　much　greater　steepness　on　the　far　side。　It　was　only　after　a　few　more　forward　steps；　however；　that　Dick　could　see　down　the　slope。　　Then　full　in　view　flashed　a　bright　campfire　around　which　clustered　a　group　of　dark　figures。　　They　were　encamped　in　a　wide　arroyo；　where　horses　could　be　seen　grazing　in　black　patches　of　grass　between　clusters　of　trees。　　A　second　look　at　the　campers　told　Gale　they　were　Mexicans。　　At　this　moment　Lash　came　forward　to　join　Ladd；　and　the　two　spend　a　long；　uninterrupted　moment　studying　the　arroyo。　　A　hoarse　laugh；　faint　yet　distinct；　floated　up　on　the　cool　wind。
  〃Well；　Laddy；　what're　you　makin'　of　that　outfit？〃　inquired　Lash；　speaking　softly。
  〃Same　as　any　of　them　raider　outfits；〃　replied　Ladd。　　〃They're　across　the　line　for　beef。　　But　they'll　run　off　any　good　stock。　　As　hoss　thieves　these　rebels　have　got　'em　all　beat。　　That　outfit　is　waitin'　till　it's　late。　　There's　a　ranch　up　the　arroyo。〃
  Gale　heard　the　first　speaker　curse　under　his　breath。
  〃Shore；　I　feel　the　same；〃　said　Ladd。　　〃But　we've　got　a　girl　an'　the　young　man　to　look　after；　not　to　mention　our　pack　outfit。　An'　we're　huntin'　for　a　job；　not　a　fight；　old　hoss。　　Keep　on　your　chaps！〃
  〃Nothin'　to　it　but　head　south　for　the　Rio　Forlorn。〃
  〃You're　talkin'　sense　now；　Jim。　　I　wish　we'd　headed　that　way　long　ago。　　But　it　ain't　strange　I'd　want　to　travel　away　from　the　border；　thinkin'　of　the　girl。　　Jim；　we　can't　go　round　this　Greaser　outfit　an'　strike　the　road　again。　　Too　rough。　　So　we'll　have　to　give　up　gettin'　to　San　Felipe。〃
  〃Perhaps　it's　just　as　well；　Laddy。　　Rio　Forlorn　is　on　the　border　line；　but　it's　country　where　these　rebels　ain't　been　yet。〃
  〃Wait　till　they　learn　of　the　oasis　an'　Beldin's　hosses！〃　exclaimed　Laddy。　　〃I'm　not　anticipatin'　peace　anywhere　along　the　border；　Jim。　　but　we　can't　go　ahead；　we　can't　go　back。〃
  〃What'll　we　do；　Laddy〃　　It's　a　hike　to　Beldin's　ranch。　　An'　if　we　get　there　in　daylight　some　Greaser　will　see　the　girl　before　Beldin'　can　hide　her。　　It'll　get　talked　about。　　The　news'll　travel　to　Casita　like　sage　balls　before　the　wind。〃
  〃Shore　we　won't　ride　into　Rio　Forlorn　in　the　daytime。　　Let's　slip　the　packs；　Jim。　　We　can　hid　them　off　in　the　cactus　an'　come　back　after　them。　　With　the　young　man　ridin'　we〃
  The　whispering　was　interrupted　by　a　loud　ringing　neigh　that　whistled　up　from　the　arroyo。　　One　of　the　horses　had　scented　the　travelers　on　the　ridge　top。　　The　indifference　of　the　Mexicans　changed　to　attention。
  Ladd　and　Lash　turned　back　and　led　the　horses　into　the　first　opening　on　the　south　side　of　the　road。　　There　was　nothing　more　said　at　the　moment；　and　manifestly　the　cowboys　were　in　a　hurry。　　Gale　had　to　run　in　the　open　places　to　keep　up。　　When　they　did　stop　it　was　welcome　to　Gale；　for　he　had　begun　to　fall　behind。
  The　packs　were　slipped；　securely　tied　and　hidden　in　a　mesquite　clump。　　Ladd　strapped　a　blanket　around　one　of　the　horses。　　His　next　move　was　to　take　off　his　chaps。
  〃Gale；　you're　wearin'　boots；　an'　by　liftin'　your　feet　you　can　beat　the　cactus；〃　he　whispered。　　〃But　thetheMiss　Castaneda；　she'll　be　torn　all　to　pieces　unless　she　puts　these　on。　　Please　tell　heran'　hurry。〃
  Dick　took　the　caps；　and；　going　up　to　Mercedes；　he　explained　the　situation。　　She　laughed；　evidently　at　his　embarrassed　earnestness；　and　slipped　out　of　the　saddle。
  〃Senor；　chapparejos　and　I　are　not　strangers；〃　she　said。
  Deftly　and　promptly　she　equipped　herself；　and　then　Gale　helped　her　into　the　saddle；　called　to　her　horse；　and　started　off。　　Lash　directed　Gale　to　mount　the　other　saddled　horse　and　go　next。
  Dick　had　not　ridden　a　hundred　yards　behind　the　trotting　leaders　before　he　had　sundry　painful　encounters　with　reaching　cactus　arms。　The　horse　missed　these　by　a　narrow　margin。　　Dick's　knees　appeared　to　be　in　line；　and　it　be　came　necessary　for　him　to　lift　them　high　and　let　his　boots　take　the　onslaught　of　the　spikes。　　He　was　at　home　in　the　saddle；　and　the　accomplishment　was　about　the　only　one　he　possessed　that　had　been　of　any　advantage　during　his　sojourn　in　the　West。
  Ladd　pursued　a　zigzag　course　southward　across　the　desert；　trotting　down　the　aisles；　cantering　in　wide；　bare　patches；　walking　through　the　clumps　of　cacti。　　The　desert　seemed　all　of　a　sameness　to　Dicka　wilderness　of　rocks　and　jagged　growths　hemmed　in　by　lowering　ranges；　always　looking　close；　yet　never　growing　any　nearer。　The　moon　slanted　back　toward　the　west；　losing　its　white　radiance；　and　the　gloom　of　the　earlier　evening　began　to　creep　into　the　washes　and　to　darken　under　the　mesas。　　By　and　by　Ladd　entered　an　arroyo；　and　here　the　travelers　turned　and　twisted　with　the　meanderings　of　a　dry　stream　bed。　　At　the　head　of　a　canyon　they　had　to　take　once　more　to　the　rougher　ground。　　Always　it　led　down；　always　it　grew　rougher；　more　rolling；　with　wider　bare　spaces；　always　the　black　ranges　loomed　close。
  Gale　became　chilled　to　the　bone；　and　his　clothes　were　damp　and　cold。　His　knees　smarted　from　the　wounds　of　the　poisoned　thorns；　and　his　right　hand　was　either　swollen　stiff　or　too　numb　to　move。　　Moreover；　he　was　tiring。　　The　excitement；　the　long　walk；　the　miles　on　miles　of　jolting　trotthese　had　wearied　him。　　Mercedes　must　be　made　of　steel；　he　thought；　to　stand　all　that　she　had　been　subjected　to　and　yet；　when　the　stars　were　paling　and　dawn　perhaps　not　far　away；　stay　in　the　saddle。
  So　Dick　Gale　rode　on；　drowsier　for　each　mile；　and　more　and　more　giving　the　horse　a　choice　of　ground。　　Sometimes　a　prod　from　a　murderous　spine　roused　Dick。　　A　grayness　had　blotted　out　the　waning　moon　in　the　west　and　the　clear；　dark；　starry　sky　overhead。　　Once　when　Gale；　thinking　to　fight　his　weariness；　raised　his　head；　he　saw　that　one　of　the　horses　in　the　lead　was　riderless。　　Ladd　was　carrying　Mercedes。　　Dick　marveled　that　her　collapse　had　not　come　sooner。　Another　time；　rousing　himself　again；　he　imagined　they　were　now　on　a　good　hard　road。
  It　seemed　that　hours　passed；　though　he　knew　only　little　time　had　elapsed；　when　once　more　he　threw　off　the　spell　of　weariness。　　He　heard　a　dog　bark。　　Tall　trees　lined　the　open　lane　down　which　he　was　riding。　　Presently　in　the　gray　gloom　he　saw　low；　square　houses　with　flat　roofs。　　Ladd　turned　off　to　the　left　down　another　lane；　gloomy　between　trees。　　Every　few　rods　there　was　one　of　the　squat　houses。　　This　lane　opened　into　wider；　lighter　space。　　The　cold　air　bore　a　sweet　perfumewhether　of　flowers　or　fruit　Dick　could　not　tell。　　Ladd　rode　on　for　perhaps　a　quarter　of　a　mile；　though　it　seemed　interminably　long　to　Dick。　　A　grove　of　trees　loomed　dark　in　the　gray　morning。　　Ladd　entered　it　and　was　lost　in　the　shade。　　Dick　rode　on　among　trees。　　Presently　he　heard　voices；　and　soon　another　house；　low　and　flat　like　the　others；　but　so　long　he　could　not　see　the　farther　end；　stood　up　blacker　than　the　trees。　　As　he　dismounted；　cramped　and　sore；　he　could　scarcely　stand。　　Lash　came　alongside。　He　spoke；　and　some　one　with　a　big；　hearty　voice　replied　to　him。　Then　it　seemed　to　Dick　that　he　was　led　into　blackness　like　pitch；　where；　presently；　he　felt　blankets　thrown　on　him　and　then　his　drowsy　faculties　faded。
  IV
  Forlorn　River
  When　Dick　opened　his　eyes　a　flood　of　golden　sunshine　streamed　in　at　the　open　window　under　which　he　lay。　　His　first　thought　was　one　of　blank　wonder　as　to　where　in　the　world　he　happened　to　be。　　The　room　was　large；　square；　adobe…walled。　　It　was　littered　with　saddles；　harness；　blankets。　　Upon　the　floor　was　a　bed　spread　out　upon　a　tarpaulin。　　Probably　this　was　where　some　one　had　slept。　　The　sight　of　huge　dusty　spurs；　a　gun　belt　with　sheath　and　gun；　and　a　pair　of　leather　chaps　bristling　with　broken　cactus　thorns　recalled　to　Dick　the　cowboys；　the　ride；　Mercedes；　and　the　whole　strange　adventure　that　had　brought　him　there。
  He　did　not　recollect　having　removed　his　boots；　indeed；　upon　second　thought；　he　knew　he　had　not　done　so。　　But　there　they　stood　upon　the　floor。　　Ladd　and　Lash　must　have　taken　them　off　when　he　was　so　exhausted　and　sleepy　that　he　could　not　tell　what　was　happening。　He　felt　a　dead　weight　of　complete　lassitude；　and　he　did　not　want　to　move。　　A　sudden　pain　in　his　hand　caused　him　to　hold　it　up。　　It　was　black　and　blue；　swollen　to　almost　twice　its　normal　size；　and　stiff　as　a　board。　　The　knuckles　were　skinned　and　crusted　with　dry　blood。　Dick　soliloquized　that　it　was　the　worst…looking　hand　he　had　seen　since　football　days；　and　that　it　would　inconvenience　him　for　some　time。
  A　warm；　dry；　fragrant　breeze　came　through　the　window。　　Dick　caught　again　the　sweet　smell