"
"About your stock?"
"I've got only a few head of cattle at the oasis now, I'm worrying
some, mostly about my horses. The U. S. is doing some worrying,
too, don't mistake me. The rebels have worked west and north as
far as Casita. There are no cavalrymen along the line beyond
Casita, and there can't be. It's practically waterless desert. But
these rebels are desert men. They could cross the line beyond the
Rio Forlorn and smuggle arms into Mexico. Of course, my job is to
keep tab on Chinese and Japs trying to get into the U.S. from
Magdalena Bay. But I'm supposed to patrol the border line. I'm
going to hire some rangers. Now, I'm not so afraid of being shot
up, though out in this lonely place there's danger of it; what I'm
afraid of most is losing that bunch of horses. If any rebels come
this far, or if they ever hear of my horses, they're going to raid
me. You know what those guerrilla Mexicans will do for horses.
They're crazy on horse flesh. They know fine horses. They breed
the finest in the world. So I don't sleep nights any more."
"Reckon me an' Jim might as well tie up with your for a spell,
Beldin'. We've been ridin' up an' down Arizona tryin' to keep out
of sight of wire fences."
"Laddy, it's open enough around Forlorn River to satisfy even an
old-time cowpuncher like you," laughed Belding. "I'd take your
staying on as some favor, don't mistake me. Perhaps I can persuade
the young man Gale to take a job with me.
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