"
"Are there any letters for me?" asked Gale.
"Letters! Say, my boy, it'd take something pretty important to
get me or any man here back Casita way. If the town is safe these
days the road isn't. It's a month now since any one went to
Casita."
Gale had received several letters from his sister Elsie, the last of
which he had not answered. There had not been much opportunity
for writing on his infrequent returns to Forlorn River; and,
besides, Elsie had written that her father had stormed over what
he considered Dick's falling into wild and evil ways.
"Time flies," said Dick. "George Thorne will be free before long,
and he'll be coming out. I wonder if he'll stay here or try to take
Mercedes away?"
"Well, he'll stay right here in Forlorn River, if I have any say,"
replied Belding. "I'd like to know how he'd ever get that Spanish
girl out of the country now, with all the trails overrun by rebels
and raiders. It'd be hard to disguise her. Say, Dick, maybe we can
get Thorne to stay here. You know, since you've discovered the
possibility of a big water supply, I've had dreams of a future for
Forlorn River....If only this war was over! Dick, that's what it
is--war--scattered war along the northern border of Mexico from gulf
to gulf. What if it isn't our war? We're on the fringe. No, we
can't develop Forlorn River until there's peace."
The discovery that Belding alluded to was one that might very
well lead to the making of a wonderful and agricultural district
of Altar Valley.
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