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〃Hello； Dick！ Good news and bad！〃 he said； putting the letter in Dick's hand。 〃Had no trouble finding your friend Thorne。 Looked like he'd been drunk for a week！ Say； he nearly threw a fit。 I never saw a fellow so wild with joy。 He made sure you and Mercedes were lost in the desert。 He wrote two letters which I brought。 Don't mistake me； boy； it was some fun with Mercedes just now。 I teased her； wouldn't give her the letter。 You ought to have seen her eyes。 If ever you see a black…and…white desert hawk swoop down upon a quail； then you'll know how Mercedes pounced upon her letter。。。Well； Casita is one hell of a place these days。 I tried to get your baggage； and I think I made a mistake。 We're going to see travel toward Forlorn River。 The federal garrison got reinforcements from somewhere； and is holding out。 There's been fighting for three days。 The rebels have a string of flat railroad cars； all iron； and they ran this up within range of the barricades。 They've got some machine guns； and they're going to lick the federals sure。 There are dead soldiers in the ditches； Mexican non…combatants lying dead in the streetsand buzzards everywhere！ It's reported that Campo； the rebel leader； is on the way up from Sinaloa； and Huerta； a federal general； is coming to relieve the garrison。 I don't take much stock in reports。 But there's hell in Casita； all right。〃
〃Do you think we'll have trouble out here？〃 asked Dick； excitedly。
〃Sure。 Some kind of trouble sooner or later；〃 replied Belding； gloomily。 〃Why； you can stand on my ranch and step over into Mexico。 Laddy says we'll lose horses and other stock in night raids。 Jim Lash doesn't look for any worse。 But Jim isn't as well acquainted with Greasers as I am。 Anyway； my boy； as soon as you can hold a bridle and a gun you'll be on the job； don't mistake me。〃
〃With Laddy and Jim？〃 asked Dick； trying to be cool。
〃Sure。 With them and me； and by yourself。〃
Dick drew a deep breath； and even after Belding had departed he forgot for a moment about the letter in his hand。 Then he unfolded the paper and read：
Dear Dick；You've more than saved my life。 To the end of my days you'll be the one man to whom I owe everything。 Words fail to express my feelings。
This must be a brief note。 Belding is waiting； and I used up most of the time writing to Mercedes。 I like Belding。 He was not unknown to me； though I never met or saw him before。 You'll be interested to learn that he's the unadulterated article； the real Western goods。 I've heard of some of his stunts； and they made my hair curl。 Dick； your luck is staggering。 The way Belding spoke of you was great。 But you deserve it； old man。
I'm leaving Mercedes in your charge； subject； of course； to advice from Belding。 Take care of her； Dick； for my life is wrapped up in her。 By all means keep her from being seen by Mexicans。 We are sitting tight herenothing doing。 If some action doesn't come soon； it'll be darned strange。 Things are centering this way。 There's scrapping right along； and people have begun to move。 We're still patrolling the line eastward of Casita。 It'll be impossible to keep any tab on the line west of Casita； for it's too rough。 That cactus desert is awful。 Cowboys or rangers with desert…bred horses might keep raiders and smugglers from crossing。 But if cavalrymen could stand that waterless wilderness； which I doubt much； their horses would drop under them。
If things do quiet down before my commission expires； I'll get leave of absence； run out to Forlorn River； marry my beautiful Spanish princess； and take her to a civilized country； where； I opine； every son of a gun who sees her will lose his head； and drive me mad。 It's my great luck； old pal； that you are a fellow who never seemed to care about pretty girls。 So you won't give me the double cross and run off with Mercedescarry her off； like the villain in the play； I mean。
That reminds me of Rojas。 Oh； Dick； it was glorious！ You didn't do anything to the Dandy Rebel！ Not at all！ You merely caressed himgently moved him to one side。 Dick； harken to these glad words： Rojas is in the hospital。 I was interested to inquire。 He had a smashed finger； a dislocated collar bone； three broken ribs； and a fearful gash on his face。 He'll be in the hospital for a month。 Dick； when I meet that pig…headed dad of yours I'm going to give him the surprise of his life。
Send me a line whenever any one comes in from F。 R。； and inclose Mercedes's letter in yours。 Take care of her； Dick； and may the future hold in store for you some of the sweetness I know now！
Faithfully yours； Thorne。
Dick reread the letter； then folded it and placed it under his pillow。
〃Never cared for pretty girls； huh？〃 he soliloquized。
〃George； I never saw any till I struck Southern Arizona！ Guess I'd better make up for lost time。〃
While he was eating his supper； with appetite rapidly returning to normal； Ladd and Jim cam in； bowing their tall heads to enter the door。 Their friendly advances were singularly welcome to Gale； but he was still backward。 He allowed himself to show that he was glad to see them； and he listened。 Jim Lash had heard from Belding the result of the mauling given to Rojas by Dick。 And Jim talked about what a grand thing that was。 Ladd had a good deal to say about Belding's horses。 It took no keen judge of human nature to see that horses constituted Ladd's ruling passion。
〃I've had wimmen go back on me； but never no hoss！〃 declared Ladd； and manifestly that was a controlling truth with him。
〃Shore it's a cinch Beldin' is agoin' to lose some of them hosses；〃 he said。 〃you can search me if I don't think there'll be more doin' on the border here than along the Rio Grande。 We're just the same as on Greaser soil。 Mebbe we don't stand no such chance of bein' shot up as we would across the line。 but who's goin' to give up his hosses without a fight？ Half the time when Beldin's stock is out of the alfalfa it's grazin' over the line。 He thinks he's careful about them hosses； but he ain't。〃
〃Look a…here； Laddy； you cain't believe all you hear；〃 replied Jim； seriously。 〃I reckon we mightn't have any trouble。〃
〃Back up； Jim。 Shore you're standin' on your bridle。 I ain't goin' much on reports。 Remember that American we met in Casita； the prospector who'd just gotten out of Sonora？ He had some story； he had。 Swore he'd killed seventeen Greasers breakin' through the rebel line round the mine where he an' other Americans were corralled。 The next day when I met him again； he was drunk； an' then he told me he'd shot thirty Greasers。 The chances are he did kill some。 But reports are exaggerated。 There are miners fightin' for life down in Sonora； you can gamble on that。 An' the truth is bad enough。 Take Rojas's harryin' of the Senorita； for instance。 Can you beat that？ Shore； Jim； there's more doin' than the raidin' of a few hosses。 An' Forlorn River is goin' to get hers！〃
Another dawn found Gale so much recovered that he arose and looked after himself； not； however； without considerable difficulty and rather disheartening twinges of pain。
Some time during the morning he heard the girls in the patio and called to ask if he might join them。 He received one response； a mellow； 〃Si； Senor。〃 It was not as much as he wanted； but considering that it was enough； he went out。 He had not as yet visited the patio； and surprise and delight were in store for him。 He found himself lost in a labyrinth of green and rose…bordered walks。 He strolled around； discovering that the patio was a courtyard； open at an end； but he failed to discover the young ladies。 So he called again。 the answer cam from the center of the square。 After stooping to get under shrubs and wading through bushes he entered an open sandy circle； full of magnificent and murderous cactus plants； strange to him。 On the other side； in the shade of a beautiful tree； he found the girls。 Mercedes sitting in a hammock； Nell upon a blanket。
〃What a beautiful tree！〃 he exclaimed。 〃I never saw one like that。 What is it？〃
〃Palo verde；〃 replied Nell。
〃Senor； palo verde means 'green tree；'〃 added Mercedes。
This desert tree； which had struck Dick as so new and strange and beautiful； was not striking on account of size； for it was small； scarcely reaching higher than the roof； but rather because of its exquisite color of green； trunk and branch alike； and owing to the odd fact that it seemed not to possess leaves。 All the tree from ground to tiny flat twigs was a soft polished green。 It bore no thorns。
Right then and there began Dick's education in desert growths； and he felt that even if he had not had such charming teachers he would still have been absorbed。 For the patio was full of desert wonders。 A twisting…trunked tree with full foliage of small gray leaves Nell called a mesquite。 Then Dick remembered the name； and now he saw where the desert got its pale…gray color。 A huge； lofty； fluted column of green was a saguaro； or giant cactus。 Another oddshaped cactus； resembling the legs of an inverted devil…fish； bore the name ocatillo。 Each branch rose high and symmetrical； furnished with sharp blades that seemed to be at once