Bloom of Cactus

teadied his rifle across the sadd

d. "Keep him covered. Shoot

hind the pony of his leader. He thrust

Pete. The boy thinks a good deal of me. H

way you-what d'you say?-got the drop on Cochise. My

a sheath knife from t

lly carry my rev

on s

in your pocket? Yet yo

heir laps? Sheathing mine was what gave me the chance to bluff h

the pulley of the crane. The rope ladder soon lowered from the other opening. Both saddles were

rway, nervously peering down

n. I convinced him that Slade took away every drop. He then threatened to seize you for his woman

us come up. But now we're here, I think w

owed him Elsie labouring at the windlass. He hastened to take the crank out of her plump little hands. His one-armed winding soon hoisted the sad

Jack?" she whispered. "Once

ly his anger against Cochise hardened into enmity as he looked into the girl

m during the wait for Slade. In this the older girl joined with cordial heartiness. Elsie displayed a high stack of women's magazine

nd green trees and vast stretches of water. Aside from the magazines and what had be

er-sister and very much more intelligent. She had childhood memories of Ohio. Much to hi

began to straighten and his drink-bleared eyes cleared. By evening he was talking as o

n. After supper, at his suggestion, Elsie brought out an old dog-eared set of Shakespeare. In the flaring light of a homemade

ore sickness had pulled him down and drink degraded him. At times Farley's whiskey-shattered mind tended to wander. But Lennon good-humou

hey were both peering at a magazine illustration, with their heads

; her smiling lips tightened. Her voi

time, B

ience. But she lingered to eye Lennon wistfully

ack?" she coaxed. "Don't-don't brother

ster, hesitated, caught Elsie's golden head between his hands and be

out a firm ha

for-Dad. It's two years since he

was mine," r

of the inner doorways that led into a short passage. Carmena swung around after her fos

d added a touch of gratitude to his tender, compassionate, delightful thoughts of Elsie. H

han to help her escape from the savage Cochise? She was a waif, of unknown parentage. Mentally she was little mor

table tearful-eyed and drooping. Carmena's eyes were somber and her expression was hard. In

m Lennon saw a thin column of smoke down the valley tow

the last bunch of cattle

d-blo

to see it-especially w

pressed tenderness and compassion. He looked around, trying to think of some

rest of this cliff house? Or

tantly br

ones have tumbled in. Dad won't mind if

a, clearly as relieved as the ot

er stories. In the lower rooms at the near end were stored quantities of corn on the cob, dried fruit, and vegetabl

Some had been broken in through their side walls or were open above and littered with the débr

oward the far end of the great community house. To the rear of the fro

time, poor things. They'll not hurt anybody. They'd protect you, Blossom, if Cochise should get up the cliff and you hid in that corner

ad," quavered Elsie. "He didn't

inted with a look that Lennon thought to be fier

be back,"

ome upon what to him was a very interesting heap of their no less ancient possessions. Most of the beautiful old pottery had been smashed, but a

convenient for holding Lennon's collection. But she gave him no chance to ask for it. She stared in at him and Elsi

ep. Come,"

ter-sister's manner. She shrank back behind him when, after passing through two corn-stacked rooms near the far end of the cliff house,

dle to Lennon and took

, you can't be going to-to-- You

na thrust the key