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quite。 Three men were in sight； all close to the burning sticks。 They were Mexicans and of the coarse type of raiders； rebels； bandits that Gale expected to see。 One stood up； his back to the fire； another sat with shoulders enveloped in a blanket； and the third lounged in the sand； his feet almost in the blaze。 They had cast off belts and weapons。 A glint of steel caught Gale's eye。 Three short； shiny carbines leaned against a rock。 A little to the left； within the circle of light； stood a square house made of adobe bricks。 Several untrimmed poles upheld a roof of brush； which was partly fallen in。 This house was a Papago Indian habitation； and a month before had been occupied by a family that had been murdered or driven off by a roving band of outlaws。 A rude corral showed dimly in the edge of firelight； and from a black mass within came the snort and stamp and whinney of horses。
Gale took in the scene in one quick glance； then sank down at the foot of the mesquite。 He had naturally expected to see more men。
but the situation was by no means new。 This was one； or part of one； of the raider bands harrying the border。 They were stealing horses； or driving a herd already stolen。 These bands were more numerous than the waterholes of northern Sonora； they never camped long at one place； like Arabs； they roamed over the desert all the way from Nogales to Casita。 If Gale had gone peaceably up to this campfire there were a hundred chances that the raiders would kill and rob him to one chance that they might not。 If they recognized him as a ranger comrade of Ladd and Lash； if they got a glimpse of Blanco Sol； then Gale would have no chance。
These Mexicans had evidently been at the well some time。 Their horses being in the corral meant that grazing had been done by day。 Gale revolved questions in mind。 Had this trio of outlaws run across Ladd？ It was not likely； for in that event they might not have been so comfortable and care…free in camp。 Were they waiting for more members of their gang？ That was very probable。 With Gale； however； the most important consideration was how to get his horse to water。 Sol must have a drink if it cost a fight。 There was stern reason for Gale to hurry eastward along the trail。 He thought it best to go back to where he had left his horse and not make any decisive move until daylight。
With the same noiseless care he had exercised in the advance； Gale retreated until it was safe for him to rise and walk on down the arroyo。 He found Blanco Sol contentedly grazing。 A heavy dew was falling； and； as the grass was abundant； the horse did not show the usual restlessness and distress after a dry and exhausting day。 Gale carried his saddle blankets and bags into the lee of a little greasewood…covered mound； from around which the wind had cut the soil； and here； in a wash； he risked building a small fire。 By this time the wind was piercingly cold。 Gale's hands were numb and he moved them to and fro in the little blaze。 Then he made coffee in a cup cooked some slices of bacon on the end of a stick； and took a couple of hard biscuits from a saddlebag。 Of these his meal consisted。 After that he removed the halter from Blanco Sol； intending to leave him free to graze for a while。
Then Gale returned to his little fire； replenished it with short sticks of dead greasewood and mesquite； and； wrapping his blanket round his shoulders he sat down to warm himself and to wait till it was time to bring in the horse and tie him up。
The fire was inadequate and Gale was cold and wet with dew。 Hunger and thirst were with him。 His bones ached； and there was a dull； deep…seated pain throbbing in his unhealed wound。 For days unshaven； his beard seemed like a million pricking needles in his blistered skin。 He was so tired that once having settled himself； he did not move hand or foot。 The night was dark； dismal； cloudy； windy； growing colder。 A moan of wind in the mesquite was occasionally pierced by the high…keyed yelp of a coyote。 There were lulls in which the silence seemed to be a thing of stifling。 encroaching substancea thing that enveloped； buried the desert。
Judged by the great average of ideals and conventional standards of life； Dick Gale was a starved； lonely； suffering； miserable wretch。 But in his case the judgment would have hit only externals； would have missed the vital inner truth。 For Gale was happy with a kind of strange； wild glory in the privations； the pains； the perils； and the silence and solitude to be endured on this desert land。 In the past he had not been of any use to himself or others； and he had never know what it meant to be hungry； cold； tired； lonely。 He had never worked for anything。 The needs of the day had been provided； and to…morrow and the future looked the same。 Danger； peril； toilthese had been words read in books and papers。
In the present he used his hands； his senses； and his wits。 He had a duty to a man who relied on his services。 He was a comrade； a friend； a valuable ally to riding； fighting rangers。 He had spend endless days； weeks that seemed years； alone with a horse； trailing over； climbing over； hunting over a desert that was harsh and hostile by nature； and perilous by the invasion of savage men。 That horse had become human to Gale。 And with him Gale had learned to know the simple needs of existence。 Like dead scales the superficialities； the falsities； the habits that had once meant all of life dropped off； useless things in this stern waste of rock and sand。
Gale's happiness； as far as it concerned the toil and strife； was perhaps a grim and stoical one。 But love abided with him； and it had engendered and fostered other undeveloped traitsromance and a feeling for beauty； and a keen observation of nature。 He felt pain； but he was never miserable。 He felt the solitude； but he was never lonely。
As he rode across the desert； even though keen eyes searched for the moving black dots； the rising puffs of white dust that were warnings； he saw Nell's face in every cloud。 The clean…cut mesas took on the shape of her straight profile； with its strong chin and lips； its fine nose and forehead。 There was always a glint of gold or touch of red or graceful line or gleam of blue to remind him of her。 Then at night her face shone warm and glowing； flushing and paling； in the campfire。
To…night； as usual； with a keen ear to the wind； Gale listened as one on guard； yet he watched the changing phantom of a sweet face in the embers； and as he watched he thought。 The desert developed and multiplied thought。 A thousand sweet faces glowed in the pink and white ashes of his campfire； the faces of other sweethearts or wives that had gleamed for other men。 Gale was happy in his thought of Nell； for Nell； for something； when he was alone this way in the wilderness； told him she was near him； she thought of him； she loved him。 But there were many men alone on that vast southwestern plateau； and when they saw dream faces； surely for some it was a fleeting flash； a gleam soon gone； like the hope and the name and the happiness that had been and was now no more。 Often Gale thought of those hundreds of desert travelers； prospectors； wanderers who had ventured down the Camino del Diablo； never to be heard of again。 Belding had told him of that most terrible of all desert trailsa trail of shifting sands。 Lash had traversed it； and brought back stories of buried waterholes； of bones bleaching white in the sun； of gold mines as lost as were the prospectors who had sought them； of the merciless Yaqui and his hatred for the Mexican。 Gale thought of this trail and the men who had camped along it。 For many there had been one night； one campfire that had been the last。 This idea seemed to creep in out of the darkness； the loneliness； the silence； and to find a place in Gale's mind； so that it had strange fascination for him。 He knew now as he had never dreamed before how men drifted into the desert； leaving behind graves； wrecked homes； ruined lives； lost wives and sweethearts。 And for every wanderer every campfire had a phantom face。 Gale measured the agony of these men at their last campfire by the joy and promise he traced in the ruddy heart of his own。
By and by Gale remembered what he was waiting for； and； getting up； he took the halter and went out to find Blanco Sol。 It was pitch…dark now； and Gale could not see a rod ahead。 He felt his way； and presently as he rounded a mesquite he saw Sol's white shape outlined against the blackness。 The horse jumped and wheeled； ready to run。 It was doubtful if any one unknown to Sol could ever have caught him。 Gale's low call reassured him； and he went on grazing。 Gale haltered him in the likeliest patch of grass and returned to his camp。 There he lifted his saddle into a protected spot under a low wall of the mound； and； laying one blanket on the sand； he covered himself with the other and stretched himself for the night。
Here he was out of reach of the wind； but he heard its melancholy moan in the mesquite。 There was no other sound。 The coyotes had ceased their hungry cries。 Gale dropped to sleep； and slept soundly during the first half of the night； and after that he seemed always