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lling： 〃Laddy！ Laddy！〃
〃Shore I an't plugged。 It's a damn choya burr。 The bullet knocked it in my face。 Pull it out！〃
The oval； long…spiked cone was firmly imbedded in Ladd's cheek。 Blood streamed down his face and neck。 Carefully； yet with no thought of pain to himself； Gale Tried to pull the cactus joint away。 It was as firm as if it had been nailed there。 That was the damnable feature of the barbed thorns： once set； they held on as that strange plant held to its desert life。 Ladd began to writhe； and sweat mingled with the blood on his face。 He cursed and raved； and his movements made it almost impossible for Gale to do anything。
〃Put your knife…blade under an' tear it out！〃 shouted Ladd； hoarsely。
Thus ordered； Gale slipped a long blade in between the imbedded thorns； and with a powerful jerk literally tore the choya out of Ladd's quivering flesh。 Then； where the ranger's face was not red and raw； it certainly was white。
A volley of shots from a different angle was followed by the quick ring of steel bullets striking the lava all around Gale。 His first idea； as he heard the projectiles sing and hum and whine away into the air； was that they were coming from above him。 He looked up to see a number of low； white and dark knobs upon the high point of lava。 They had not been there before。 Then he saw little； pale； leaping tongues of fire。 As he dodged down he distinctly heard a bullet strike Ladd。 At the same instant he seemed to hear Thorne cry out and fall； and Lash's boots scrape rapidly away。 Ladd fell backward still holding the 。405。 Gale dragged him into the shelter of his own positoin； and dreading to look at him； took up the heavy weapon。 It was with a kind of savage strength that he gripped the rifle； and it was with a cold and deadly intent that he aimed and fired。 The first Greaser huddled low； let his carbine go clattering down； and then crawled behind the rim。 The second and third jerked back。 The fourth seemed to flop up over the crest of lava。 A dark arm reached for him； clutched his leg； tried to drag him up。 It was in vain。 Wildly grasping at the air the bandit fell； slid down a steep shelf； rolled over the rim； to go hurtling down out of sight。
Fingering the hot rifle with close…pressed hands； Gale watched the sky line along the high point of lava。 It remained unbroken。 As his passion left him he feared to look back at his companions； and the cold chill returned to his breast。
〃ShoreI'm damn gladthem Greasers ain't usin' soft…nose bullets；〃 drawled a calm voice。
Swift as lightning Gale whirled。
〃Laddy！ I thought you were done for；〃 cried Gale； with a break in his voice。
〃I ain't a…mindin' the bullet much。 But that choya joint took my nerve； an' you can gamble on it。 Dick； this hole's pretty high up； ain't it？〃
The ranger's blouse was open at the neck； and on his right shoulder under the collar bone was a small hole just beginning to bleed。
〃Sure it's high； Laddy；〃 replied Gale； gladly。 〃Went clear through； clean as a whistle！〃
He tore a handkerchief into two parts； made wads； and pressing them close over the wounds he bound them there with Ladd's scarf。
〃Shore it's funny how a bullet can floor a man an' then not do any damage；〃 said Ladd。 〃I felt a zip of wind an' somethin' like a pat on my chest an' down I went。 Well； so much for the small caliber with their steel bullets。 Supposin' I'd connected with a 。405！〃
〃Laddy； II'm afraid Thorne's done for；〃 whispered Gale。 〃He's lying over there in that crack。 I can see part of him。 He doesn't move。〃
〃I was wonderin' if I'd have to tell you that。 Dick； he went down hard hit； fallin'； you know； limp an' soggy。 It was a moral cinch one of us would get it in this fight； but God！ I'm sorry Thorne had to be the man。〃
〃Laddy； maybe he's not dead；〃 replied Gale。 He called aloud to his friend。 There was no answer。
Ladd got up； and； after peering keenly at the height of lava； he strode swiftly across the space。 It was only a dozen steps to the crack in the lava whereThorne had fallen head first。 Ladd bent over； went to his knees； so that Gale saw only his head。 Then he appeared rising with arms round the cavalryman。 He dragged him across the hole to the sheltered corner that alone afforded protection。 He had scarcely reached it when a carbine cracked and a bullet struck the flinty lava； striking sparks； then singing away into the air。
Thorne was either dead or unconscious； and Gale； with a contracting throat and numb heart； decided for the former。 Not so Ladd； who probed the bloody gash on Thorne's temple； and then felt his breast。
〃He's alive an' not bad hurt。 That bullet hit him glancin'。 Shore them steel bullets are some lucky for us。 Dick； you needn't look so glum。 I tell you he ain't bad hurt。 I felt his skull with my finger。 There's no hole in it。 Wash him off an' tie Wow！ did you get the wind of that one？ An' mebbe it didn't sing off the lava！。。。 Dick； look after Thorne now while I〃
The completion of his speech was the stirring ring of the 。405； and then he uttered a laugh that was unpleasant。
〃Shore； greaser； there's a man's size bullet for you。 No slim； sharp…pointed； steel…jacket nail！ I'm takin' it on me to believe you're appreciatin' of the 。405； seein' as you don't make no fuss。〃
It was indeed a joy to Gale to find that Thorne had not received a wound necessarily fatal； though it was serious enough。 Gale bathed and bound it； and laid the cavalryman against the slant of the bank； his head high to lessen the probability of bleeding。
As Gale straightened up Ladd muttered low and deep； and swung the heavy rifle around to the left。 Far along the slope a figure moved。 Ladd began to work the lever of the Winchester and to shoot。 At every shot the heavy firearm sprang up； and the recoil made Ladd's shoulder give back。 Gale saw the bullets strike the lava behind； beside； before the fleeing Mexican； sending up dull puffs of dust。 On the sixth shot he plunged down out of sight； either hit or frightened into seeking cover。
〃Dick； mebbe there's one or two left above； but we needn't figure much on it；〃 said Ladd； as； loading the rifle； he jerked his fingers quickly from the hot breech。 〃Listen！ Jim an' Yaqui are hittin' it up lively down below。 I'll sneak down there。 You stay here an' keep about half an eye peeled up yonder； an' keep the rest my way。〃
Ladd crossed the hole； climbed down into the deep crack where Thorne had fallen； and then went stooping along with only his head above the level。 Presently he disappeared。 Gale； having little to fear from the high ridge； directed most of his attention toward the point beyond which Ladd had gone。 The firing had become desultory； and the light carbine shots outnumbered the sharp rifle shots five to one。 Gale made a note of the fact that for some little time he had not heard the unmistakable report of Jim Lash's automatic。 Then ensued a long interval in which the desert silence seemed to recover its grip。 The 。405 ripped it asunderspangspang spang。 Gale fancied he heard yells。 There were a few pattering shots still farther down the trail。 Gale had an uneasy conviction that Rojas and some of his band might go straight to the waterhole。 It would be hard to dislodge even a few men from that retreat。
There seemed a lull in the battle。 Gale ventured to stand high； and screened behind choyas； he swept the three…quarter circle of lava with his glass。 In the distance he saw horses； but no riders。 Below him； down the slope along the crater rim and the trail； the lava was bare of all except tufts of choya。 Gale gathered assurance。 It looked as if the day was favoring his side。 Then Thorne； coming partly to consciousness； engaged Gale's care。 The cavalryman stirred and moaned； called for water； and then for Mercedes。 Gale held him back with a strong hand； and presently he was once more quiet。
For the first time in hours； as it seemed； Gale took note of the physical aspect of his surroundings。 He began to look upon them without keen gaze strained for crouching form； or bobbing head； or spouting carbine。 Either Gale's sense of color and proportion had become deranged during the fight； or the encompassing air and the desert had changed。 Even the sun had changed。 It seemed lowering； oval in shape； magenta in hue； and it had a surface that gleamed like oil on water。 Its red rays shone through red haze。 Distances that had formerly ben clearly outlined were now dim； obscured。 The yawning chasm was not the same。 It circled wider； redder； deeper。 It was a weird； ghastly mouth of hell。 Gale stood fascinated； unable to tell how much he saw was real； how much exaggeration of overwrought emotions。 There was no beauty here； but an unparalleled grandeur； a sublime scene of devastation and desolation which might have had its counterpart upon the burned…out moon。 The mood that gripped Gale now added to its somber portent an unshakable foreboding of calamity。
He wrestled with the spell as if it were a physical foe。 Reason and intelligence had their voices in his mind； but the moment was not one wherein these things could wholly control。 He felt life strong withing his breast； yet there； a step