XVIII
REALITY AGAINST DREAMS
LADD, Lash, Thorne, Mercedes, they were all held tight in Belding'sarms. Then he ran to Blanco Diablo. For once the great horse wasgentle, quiet, glad. He remembered this kindest of masters and reachedfor him with warm, wet muzzle.
Dick Gale was standing bowed over Nell's slight form, almost hidden inhis arms. Belding hugged them both. He was like a boy. He saw BenChase and his son slip away under the trees, but the circumstancesmeant nothing to him then.
"Dick! Dick!" he roared. "Is it you?... Say, who do you think'shere--here, in Forlorn River?"
Gale gripped Belding with a hand as rough and hard as a file and asstrong as a vise. But he did not speak a word. Belding thought Gale'seyes would haunt him forever.
It was then three more persons came upon the scene--Elsie Gale, runningswiftly, her father assisting Mrs. Gale, who appeared about to faint.
"Belding! Who on earth's that?" cried Dick Hoarsely.
"Quien sabe, my son," replied Belding; and now his voice seemed alittle shaky. "Nell, come here. Give him a chance."
Belding slipped his arm round Nell, and whispered in her ear. "This 'llbe great!"
Elsie Gale's face was white and agitated, a face expressing extreme joy.
"Oh, brother! Mama saw you--Papa saw you, and never knew you! But Iknew you when you jumped quick--that way--off your horse. And now Idon't know you. You wild man! You giant! You splendid barbarian!...Mama, Papa, hurry! It is Dick! Look at him. Just look at him! Oh-h,thank God!"
Belding turned away and drew Nell with him. In another second she andMercedes were clasped in each other's arms. Then followed a time ofjoyful greetings all round.
The Yaqui stood leaning against a tree watching the welcoming home ofthe lost. No one seemed to think of him, until Belding, ever mindfulof the needs of horses, put a hand on Blanco Diablo and called to Yaquito bring the others. They led the string of whites down to the barn,freed them of wet and dusty saddles and packs, and turned them loose inthe alfalfa, now breast-high. Diablo found his old spirit; Blanco Soltossed his head and whistled his satisfaction; White Woman pranced toand fro; and presently they all settled down to quiet grazing. Howgood it was for Belding to see those white shapes against the richbackground of green! His eyes glistened. It was a sight he had neverexpected to see again. He lingered there many moments when he wantedto hurry back to his rangers.
At last he tore himself away from watching Blanco Diablo and returnedto the house. It was only to find that he might have spared himselfthe hurry. Jim and Ladd were lying on the beds that had not held themfor so many months. Their slumber seemed as deep and quiet as death.Curiously Belding gazed down upon them. They had removed only boots andchaps. Their clothes were in tatters. Jim appeared little more thanskin and bones, a long shape, dark and hard as iron. Ladd's appearanceshocked Belding. The ranger looked an old man, blasted, shriveled,starved. Yet his gaunt face, though terrible in its records oftortures, had something fine and noble, even beautiful to Belding, inits strength, its victory.
Thorne and Mercedes had disappeared. The low murmur of voices camefrom Mrs. Gale's room, and Belding concluded that Dick was still withhis family. No doubt he, also, would soon seek rest and sleep.Belding went through the patio and called in at Nell's door. She wasthere sitting by her window. The flush of happiness had not left herface, but she looked stunned, and a shadow of fear lay dark in hereyes. Belding had intended to talk. He wanted some one to listen tohim. The expression in Nell's eyes, however, silenced him. He hadforgotten. Nell read his thought in his face, and then she lost allher color and dropped her head. Belding entered, stood beside her witha hand on hers. He tried desperately hard to think of the right thingto say, and realized so long as he tried that he could not speak at all.
"Nell--Dick's back safe and sound," he said, slowly. "That's the mainthing. I wish you could have seen his eyes when he held you in hisarms out there.... Of course, Dick's coming knocks out your trip Eastand changes plans generally. We haven't had the happiest time lately.But now it'll be different. Dick's as true as a Yaqui. He'll chasethat Chase fellow, don't mistake me.... Then mother will be home soon.She'll straighten out this--this mystery. And Nell--however it turnsout--I know Dick Gale will feel just the same as I feel. Brace up now,girl."
Belding left the patio and traced thoughtful steps back toward thecorrals. He realized the need of his wife. If she had been at home hewould not have come so close to killing two men. Nell would never havefallen so low in spirit. Whatever the real truth of the tragedy of hiswife's life, it would not make the slightest difference to him. Whathurt him was the pain mother and daughter had suffered, were sufferingstill. Somehow he must put an end to that pain.
He found the Yaqui curled up in a corner of the barn in as deep a sleepas that of the rangers. Looking down at him, Belding felt again therush of curious thrilling eagerness to learn all that had happenedsince the dark night when Yaqui had led the white horses away into thedesert. Belding curbed his impatience and set to work upon tasks hehad long neglected. Presently he was interrupted by Mr. Gale, who cameout, beside himself with happiness and excitement. He flung a hundredquestions at Belding and never gave him time to answer one, even ifthat had been possible. Finally, when Mr. Gale lost his breath,Belding got a word in. "See here, Mr. Gale, you know as much as Iknow. Dick's back. They're all back--a hard lot, starved, burned, tornto pieces, worked out to the limit I never saw in desert travelers, butthey're alive--alive and well, man! Just wait. Just gamble I won'tsleep or eat till I hear that story. But they've got to sleep and eat."
Belding gathered with growing amusement that besides the joy,excitement, anxiety, impatience expressed by Mr. Gale there wassomething else which Belding took for pride. It pleased him. Lookingback, he remembered some of the things Dick had confessed his fatherthought of him. Belding's sympathy had always been with the boy. Buthe had learned to like the old man, to find him kind and wise, and tothink that perhaps college and business had not brought out the best inRichard Gale. The West had done that, however, as it had for many awild youngster; and Belding resolved to have a little fun at theexpense of Mr. Gale. So he began by making a few remarks that appearedto rob Dick's father of both speech and breath.
"And don't mistake me," concluded Belding, "just keep out of earshotwhen Laddy tells us the story of that desert trip, unless you'rehankering to have your hair turn pure white and stand curled on end andfreeze that way."
About the middle of the forenoon on the following day the rangershobbled out of the kitchen to the porch.
"I'm a sick man, I tell you," Ladd was complaining, "an' I gotta befed. Soup! Beef tea! That ain't so much as wind to me. I want abouta barrel of bread an' butter, an' a whole platter of mashed potatoeswith gravy an' green stuff--all kinds of green stuff--an' a whole bigapple pie. Give me everythin' an' anythin' to eat but meat. Shore Inever, never want to taste meat again, an' sight of a piece of sheepmeat would jest about finish me.... Jim, you used to be a human bein'that stood up for Charlie Ladd."
"Laddy, I'm lined up beside you with both guns," replied Jim,plaintively. "Hungry? Say, the smell of breakfast in that kitchenmade my mouth water so I near choked to death. I reckon we're gettin'most onhuman treatment."
"But I'm a sick man," protested Ladd, "an' I'm agoin' to fall over in aminute if somebody doesn't feed me. Nell, you used to be fond of me."
"Oh, Laddy, I am yet," replied Nell.
"Shore I don't believe it. Any girl with a tender heart just couldn'tlet a man starve under her eyes... Look at Dick, there. I'll bet he'shad something to eat, mebbe potatoes an' gravy, an' pie an'--"
"Laddy, Dick has had no more than I gave you--indeed, not nearly somuch."
"Shore he's had a lot of kisses then, for he hasn't hollered onct aboutthis treatment."
"Perhaps he has," said Nell, with a blush; "and if you think that--theywould help you to be reasonable
I might--I'll--"
"Well, powerful fond as I am of you, just now kisses 'll have to runsecond to bread an' butter."
"Oh, Laddy, what a gallant speech!" laughed Nell. "I'm sorry, but I'veDad's orders."
"Laddy," interrupted Belding, "you've got to be broke in gradually toeating. Now you know that. You'd be the severest kind of a boss ifyou had some starved beggars on your hands."
"But I'm sick--I'm dyin'," howled Ladd.
"You were never sick in your life, and if all the bullet holes I see inyou couldn't kill you, why, you never will die."
"Can I smoke?" queried Ladd, with sudden animation. "My Gawd, I usedto smoke. Shore I've forgot. Nell, if you want to be reinstated in mygallery of angels, just find me a pipe an' tobacco."
"I've hung onto my pipe," said Jim, thoughtfully. "I reckon I had itempty in my mouth for seven years or so, wasn't it, Laddy? A longtime! I can see the red lava an' the red haze, an' the red twilightcreepin' up. It was hot an' some lonely. Then the wind, and alwaysthat awful silence! An' always Yaqui watchin' the west, an' Laddy withhis checkers, an' Mercedes burnin' up, wastin' away to nothin' buteyes! It's all there--I'll never get rid--"
"Chop that kind of talk," interrupted Belding, bluntly. "Tell us whereYaqui took you--what happened to Rojas--why you seemed lost for solong."
"I reckon Laddy can tell all that best; but when it comes to Rojas'sfinish I'll tell what I seen, an' so'll Dick an' Thorne. Laddy missedRojas's finish. Bar none, that was the--"
"I'm a sick man, but I can talk," put in Ladd, "an' shore I don't wantthe whole story exaggerated none by Jim."
Ladd filled the pipe Nell brought, puffed ecstatically at it, andsettled himself upon the bench for a long talk. Nell glancedappealingly at Dick, who tried to slip away. Mercedes did go, and wasfollowed by Thorne. Mr. Gale brought chairs, and in subdued excitementcalled his wife and daughter. Belding leaned forward, rendered all themore eager by Dick's reluctance to stay, the memory of the quick tragicchange in the expression of Mercedes's beautiful eyes, by the strangegloomy cast stealing over Ladd's face.
The ranger talked for two hours--talked till his voice weakened to ahusky whisper. At the conclusion of his story there was an impressivesilence. Then Elsie Gale stood up, and with her hand on Dick'sshoulder, her eyes bright and warm as sunlight, she showed the rangerswhat a woman thought of them and of the Yaqui. Nell clung to Dick,weeping silently. Mrs. Gale was overcome, and Mr. Gale, very white andquiet, helped her up to her room.
"The Indian! the Indian!" burst out Belding, his voice deep androlling. "What did I tell you? Didn't I say he'd be a godsend?Remember what I said about Yaqui and some gory Aztec knifework? So hecut Rojas loose from that awful crater wall, foot by foot, finger byfinger, slow and terrible? And Rojas didn't hang long on the choyathorns? Thank the Lord for that!... Laddy, no story of Camino delDiablo can hold a candle to yours. The flight and the fight were jobsfor men. But living through this long hot summer and comingout--that's a miracle. Only the Yaqui could have done it. The Yaqui!The Yaqui!"
"Shore. Charlie Ladd looks up at an Indian these days. But Beldin',as for the comin' out, don't forget the hosses. Without grand old Solan' Diablo, who I don't hate no more, an' the other Blancos, we'd neverhave got here. Yaqui an' the hosses, that's my story!"
Early in the afternoon of the next day Belding encountered Dick at thewater barrel.
"Belding, this is river water, and muddy at that," said Dick. "Lordknows I'm not kicking. But I've dreamed some of our cool runningspring, and I want a drink from it."
"Never again, son. The spring's gone, faded, sunk, dry as dust."
"Dry!" Gale slowly straightened. "We've had rains. The river's full.The spring ought to be overflowing. What's wrong? Why is it dry?"
"Dick, seeing you're interested, I may as well tell you that a bigcharge of nitroglycerin choked my spring."
"Nitroglycerin?" echoed Gale. Then he gave a quick start. "My mind'sbeen on home, Nell, my family. But all the same I felt something waswrong here with the ranch, with you, with Nell... Belding, that ditchthere is dry. The roses are dead. The little green in that grass hascome with the rains. What's happened? The ranch's run down. Now Ilook around I see a change."
"Some change, yes," replied Belding, bitterly. "Listen, son."
Briefly, but not the less forcibly for that, Belding related his storyof the operations of the Chases.
Astonishment appeared to be Gale's first feeling. "Our water gone, ourclaims gone, our plans forestalled! Why, Belding, it's unbelievable.Forlorn River with promoters, business, railroad, bank, and what not!"
Suddenly he became fiery and suspicious. "These Chases--did they doall this on the level?"
"Barefaced robbery! Worse than a Greaser holdup," replied Belding,grimly.
"You say the law upheld them?"
"Sure. Why, Ben Chase has a pull as strong as Diablo's on a downgrade. Dick, we're jobbed, outfigured, beat, tricked, and we can't doa thing."
"Oh, I'm sorry, Belding, most of all for Laddy," said Gale, feelingly."He's all in. He'll never ride again. He wanted to settle down hereon the farm he thought he owned, grow grass and raise horses, and takeit easy. Oh, but it's tough! Say, he doesn't know it yet. He wasjust telling me he'd like to go out and look the farm over. Who'sgoing to tell him? What's he going to do when he finds out about thisdeal?"
"Son, that's made me think some," replied Belding, with keen eyes fastupon the young man. "And I was kind of wondering how you'd take it."
"I? Well, I'll call on the Chases. Look here, Belding, I'd better dosome forestalling myself. If Laddy gets started now there'll be bloodspilled. He's not just right in his mind yet. He talks in his sleepsometimes about how Yaqui finished Rojas. If it's left to him--he'llkill these men. But if I take it up--"
"You're talking sense, Dick. Only here, I'm not so sure of you. Andthere's more to tell. Son, you've Nell to think of and your mother."
Belding's ranger gave him a long and searching glance.
"You can be sure of me," he said.
"All right, then; listen," began Belding. With deep voice that hadmany a beak and tremor he told Gale how Nell had been hounded byRadford Chase, how her mother had been driven by Ben Chase--the wholesad story.
"So that's the trouble! Poor little girl!" murmured Gale, brokenly. "Ifelt something was wrong. Nell wasn't natural, like her old self. Andwhen I begged her to marry me soon, while Dad was here, she couldn'ttalk. She could only cry."
"It was hard on Nell," said Belding, simply. "But it 'll be better nowyou're back. Dick, I know the girl. She'll refuse to marry you andyou'll have a hard job to break her down, as hard as the one you justrode in off of. I think I know you, too, or I wouldn't be saying--"
"Belding, what 're you hinting at?" demanded Gale. "Do you dareinsinuate that--that--if the thing were true it'd make any differenceto me?"
"Aw, come now, Dick; I couldn't mean that. I'm only awkward at sayingthings. And I'm cut pretty deep--"
"For God's sake, you don't believe what Chase said?" queried Gale, inpassionate haste. "It's a lie. I swear it's a lie. I know it's alie. And I've got to tell Nell this minute. Come on in with me. Iwant you, Belding. Oh, why didn't you tell me sooner?"
Belding felt himself dragged by an iron arm into the sitting-room outinto the patio, and across that to where Nell sat in her door. Atsight of them she gave a little cry, drooped for an instant, thenraised a pale, still face, with eyes beginning to darken.
"Dearest, I know now why you are not wearing my mother's ring," saidGale, steadily and low-voiced.
"Dick, I am not worthy," she replied, and held out a trembling handwith the ring lying in the palm.
Swift as light Gale caught her hand and slipped the ring back upon thethird finger.
"Nell! Look at me. It is your engagement ring.... Listen. I don'tbelieve this--this thing that's been torturing you. I know it's a lie.I am absolutely sure your mo
ther will prove it a lie. She must havesuffered once--perhaps there was a sad error--but the thing you fear isnot true. But, hear me, dearest; even if it was true it wouldn't makethe slightest difference to me. I'd promise you on my honor I'd neverthink of it again. I'd love you all the more because you'd suffered.I want you all the more to be my wife--to let me make you forget--to--"
She rose swiftly with the passionate abandon of a woman stirred to herdepths, and she kissed him.
"Oh, Dick, you're good--so good! You'll never know--just what thosewords mean to me. They've saved me--I think."
"Then, dearest, it's all right?" Dick questioned, eagerly. "You willkeep your promise? You will marry me?"
The glow, the light faded out of her face, and now the blue eyes werealmost black. She drooped and shook her head.
"Nell!" exclaimed Gale, sharply catching his breath.
"Don't ask me, Dick. I--I won't marry you."
"Why?"
"You know. It's true that I--"
"It's a lie," interrupted Gale, fiercely. "But even if it'strue--why--why won't you marry me? Between you and me love is thething. Love, and nothing else! Don't you love me any more?"
They had forgotten Belding, who stepped back into the shade.
"I love you with my whole heart and soul. I'd die for you," whisperedNell, with clenching hands. "But I won't disgrace you."
"Dear, you have worried over this trouble till you're morbid. It hasgrown out of all proportion. I tell you that I'll not only be thehappiest man on earth, but the luckiest, if you marry me."
"Dick, you give not one thought to your family. Would they receive meas your wife?"
"They surely would," replied Gale, steadily.
"No! oh no!"
"You're wrong, Nell. I'm glad you said that. You give me a chance toprove something. I'll go this minute and tell them all. I'll be backhere in less than--"
"Dick, you will not tell her--your mother?" cried Nell, with her eyesstreaming. "You will not? Oh, I can't bear it! She's so proud! AndDick, I love her. Don't tell her! Please, please don't! She'll begoing soon. She needn't ever know--about me. I want her always tothink well of me. Dick, I beg of you. Oh, the fear of her knowing hasbeen the worst of all! Please don't go!"
"Nell, I'm sorry. I hate to hurt you. But you're wrong. You can'tsee things clearly. This is your happiness I'm fighting for. And it'smy life.... Wait here, dear. I won't be long."
Gale ran across the patio and disappeared. Nell sank to the doorstep,and as she met the question in Belding's eyes she shook her headmournfully. They waited without speaking. It seemed a long whilebefore Gale returned. Belding thrilled at sight of him. There wasmore boy about him than Belding had ever seen. Dick was comingswiftly, flushed, glowing, eager, erect, almost smiling.
"I told them. I swore it was a lie, but I wanted them to decide as ifit were true. I didn't have to waste a minute on Elsie. She lovesyou, Nell. The Governor is crazy about you. I didn't have to waste twominutes on him. Mother used up the time. She wanted to know all therewas to tell. She is proud, yes; but, Nell, I wish you could have seenhow she took the--the story about you. Why, she never thought of me atall, until she had cried over you. Nell, she loves you, too. They alllove you. Oh, it's so good to tell you. I think mother realizes thepart you have had in the--what shall I call it?--the regeneration ofRichard Gale. Doesn't that sound fine? Darling, mother not onlyconsents, she wants you to be my wife. Do you hear that? Andlisten--she had me in a corner and, of course, being my mother, she puton the screws. She made me promise that we'd live in the East half theyear. That means Chicago, Cape May, New York--you see, I'm not exactlythe lost son any more. Why, Nell, dear, you'll have to learn who DickGale really is. But I always want to be the ranger you helped mebecome, and ride Blanco Sol, and see a little of the desert. Don't letthe idea of big cities frighten you. We'll always love the open placesbest. Now, Nell, say you'll forget this trouble. I know it'll comeall right. Say you'll marry me soon.... Why, dearest, you're crying....Nell!"
"My--heart--is broken," sobbed Nell, "for--I--I--can't marry you."
The boyish brightness faded out of Gale's face. Here, Belding saw, wasthe stern reality arrayed against his dreams.
"That devil Radford Chase--he'll tell my secret," panted Nell. "Heswore if you ever came back and married me he'd follow us all over theworld to tell it."
Belding saw Gale grow deathly white and suddenly stand stock-still.
"Chase threatened you, then?" asked Dick; and the forced naturalness ofhis voice struck Belding.
"Threatened me? He made my life a nightmare," replied Nell, in a rushof speech. "At first I wondered how he was worrying mother sick. Butshe wouldn't tell me. Then when she went away he began to hint things.I hated him all the more. But when he told me--I was frightened,shamed. Still I did not weaken. He was pretty decent when he wassober. But when he was half drunk he was the devil. He laughed at meand my pride. I didn't dare shut the door in his face. After a whilehe found out that your mother loved me and that I loved her. Then hebegan to threaten me. If I didn't give in to him he'd see she learnedthe truth. That made me weaken. It nearly killed me. I simply couldnot bear the thought of Mrs. Gale knowing. But I couldn't marry him.Besides, he got so half the time, when he was drunk, he didn't want orask me to be his wife. I was about ready to give up and go mad whenyou--you came home."
She ended in a whisper, looking up wistfully and sadly at him. Beldingwas a raging fire within, cold without. He watched Gale, and believedhe could foretell that young man's future conduct. Gale gathered Nellup into his arms and held her to his breast for a long moment.
"Dear Nell, I'm sure the worst of your trouble is over," he saidgently. "I will not give you up. Now, won't you lie down, try to restand calm yourself. Don't grieve any more. This thing isn't so bad asyou make it. Trust me. I'll shut Mr. Radford Chase's mouth."
As he released her she glanced quickly up at him, then lifted appealinghands.
"Dick, you won't hunt for him--go after him?"
Gale laughed, and the laugh made Belding jump.
"Dick, I beg of you. Please don't make trouble. The Chases have beenhard enough on us. They are rich, powerful. Dick, say you will notmake matters worse. Please promise me you'll not go to him."
"You ask me that?" he demanded.
"Yes. Oh yes!"
"But you know it's useless. What kind of a man do you want me to be?"
"It's only that I'm afraid. Oh, Dick, he'd shoot you in the back."
"No, Nell, a man of his kind wouldn't have nerve enough even for that."
"You'll go?" she cried wildly.
Gale smiled, and the smile made Belding cold.
"Dick, I cannot keep you back?"
"No," he said.
Then the woman in her burst through instinctive fear, and with her eyesblazing black in her white face she lifted parted quivering lips andkissed him.
Gale left the patio, and Belding followed closely at his heels. Theywent through the sitting-room. Outside upon the porch sat the rangers,Mr. Gale, and Thorne. Dick went into his room without speaking.
"Shore somethin's comin' off," said Ladd, sharply; and he sat up withkeen eyes narrowing.
Belding spoke a few words; and, remembering an impression he had wishedto make upon Mr. Gale, he made them strong. But now it was with grimhumor that he spoke.
"Better stop that boy," he concluded, looking at Mr. Gale. "He'll dosome mischief. He's wilder'n hell."
"Stop him? Why, assuredly," replied Mr. Gale, rising with nervoushaste.
Just then Dick came out of his door. Belding eyed him keenly. Theonly change he could see was that Dick had put on a hat and a pair ofheavy gloves.
"Richard, where are you going?" asked his father.
"I'm going over here to see a man."
"No. It is my wish that you remain. I forbid you to go," said Mr.Gale, with a hand on his son's shou
lder.
Dick put Mr. Gale aside gently, respectfully, yet forcibly. The oldman gasped.
"Dad, I haven't gotten over my bad habit of disobeying you. I'm sorry.Don't interfere with me now. And don't follow me. You might seesomething unpleasant."
"But my son! What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to beat a dog."
Mr. Gale looked helplessly from this strangely calm and cold son to therestless Belding. Then Dick strode off the porch.
"Hold on!" Ladd's voice would have stopped almost any man. "Dick, youwasn't agoin' without me?"
"Yes, I was. But I'm thoughtless just now, Laddy."
"Shore you was. Wait a minute, Dick. I'm a sick man, but at thatnobody can pull any stunts round here without me."
He hobbled along the porch and went into his room. Jim Lash knockedthe ashes out of his pipe, and, humming his dance tune, he followedLadd. In a moment the rangers appeared, and both were packing guns.
Not a little of Belding's grim excitement came from observation of Mr.Gale. At sight of the rangers with their guns the old man turned whiteand began to tremble.
"Better stay behind," whispered Belding. "Dick's going to beat thattwo-legged dog, and the rangers get excited when they're packing guns."
"I will not stay behind," replied Mr. Gale, stoutly. "I'll see thisaffair through. Belding, I've guessed it. Richard is going to fightthe Chases, those robbers who have ruined you."
"Well, I can't guarantee any fight on their side," returned Belding,dryly. "But maybe there'll be Greasers with a gun or two."
Belding stalked off to catch up with Dick, and Mr. Gale came trudgingbehind with Thorne.
"Where will we find these Chases?" asked Dick of Belding.
"They've got a place down the road adjoining the inn. They call ittheir club. At this hour Radford will be there sure. I don't knowabout the old man. But his office is now just across the way."
They passed several houses, turned a corner into the main street, andstopped at a wide, low adobe structure. A number of saddled horsesstood haltered to posts. Mexicans lolled around the wide doorway.
"There's Ben Chase now over on the corner," said Belding to Dick. "See,the tall man with the white hair, and leather band on his hat. He seesus. He knows there's something up. He's got men with him. They'llcome over. We're after the young buck, and sure he'll be in here."
They entered. The place was a hall, and needed only a bar to make it asaloon. There were two rickety pool tables. Evidently Chase hadfitted up this amusement room for his laborers as well as for the useof his engineers and assistants, for the crowd contained both Mexicansand Americans. A large table near a window was surrounded by a noisy,smoking, drinking circle of card-players.
"Point out this Radford Chase to me," said Gale.
"There! The big fellow with the red face. His eyes stick out alittle. See! He's dropped his cards and his face isn't red any more."
Dick strode across the room.
Belding grasped Mr. Gale and whispered hoarsely: "Don't miss anything.It'll be great. Watch Dick and watch Laddy! If there's any gun play,dodge behind me."
Belding smiled with a grim pleasure as he saw Mr. Gales' face turnwhite.
Dick halted beside the table. His heavy boot shot up, and with a crashthe table split, and glasses, cards, chips flew everywhere. As theyrattled down and the chairs of the dumfounded players began to slideDick called out: "My name is Gale. I'm looking for Mr. Radford Chase."
A tall, heavy-shouldered fellow rose, boldly enough, even swaggeringly,and glowered at Gale.
"I'm Radford Chase," he said. His voice betrayed the boldness of hisaction.
It was over in a few moments. The tables and chairs were tumbled intoa heap; one of the pool tables had been shoved aside; a lamp layshattered, with oil running dark upon the floor. Ladd leaned against apost with a smoking gun in his hand. A Mexican crouched close to thewall moaning over a broken arm. In the far corner upheld by comradesanother wounded Mexican cried out in pain. These two had attempted todraw weapons upon Gale, and Ladd had crippled them.
In the center of the room lay Radford Chase, a limp, torn, hulking,bloody figure. He was not seriously injured. But he was helpless, amiserable beaten wretch, who knew his condition and felt the eyes uponhim. He sobbed and moaned and howled. But no one offered to help himto his feet.
Backed against the door of the hall stood Ben Chase, for once strippedof all authority and confidence and courage. Gale confronted him, andnow Gale's mien was in striking contrast to the coolness with which hehad entered the place. Though sweat dripped from his face, it was aswhite as chalk. Like dark flames his eyes seemed to leap and dance andburn. His lean jaw hung down and quivered with passion. He shook ahuge gloved fist in Chase's face.
"Your gray hairs save you this time. But keep out of my way! And whenthat son of yours comes to, tell him every time I meet him I'll addsome more to what he got to-day!"