The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-11-21

I peaks, another crash would burst Then the lightning perplexed me more than the darkness. The track which followed was rocky and broken, with abrupt un- guarded descents on one side which were almost precipitous. knew the road, however, and hurried on. l had arrived almost at the end of the worst piece, when there was brief lull in the roar and blaze of the thunder and light ming. This lull was followed by the del uge of rain have mentioned, and with still heavier peals of thunder, but in the brief interval thought heard groau l was startled. Although not supersti- tious, there was something that seemed unearthly in the sound. and my first im- pulse was to hurry from the spot. It was repeated, however, and was too plainly the moan of human being to allow me to leave without trying to find out from whom it proceeded. moved cautiou,l ,ly to the side of the road whence the sound had come-for the ground was especially treacherous there and leaning over the rocks, listened intently. As 1 did SO, with rush and roar little inferior to the thunder itself, the first burst of rain fell and Hash oflightning which bathed everything first in yellow, then in blue, and then in white light, showed every object as clearly as at monday; and l saw, lying iT1 pool m any feet below me, half covered by the water, the figure of a man. He had apparently fallen over
 The town was mile distant. could not hope to reach it and assistance in less than half an hour, and before that time the dry gullies and Assures in the rocks would be flooded, and the pool where the miserable man was lying would be broadened and deepened, so that he would be drowned to a certainty. There was no alternative then. crept care fully down the rugged face of the rocky oank, aud, half guided. half dazzed by the lightning, and almost beaten from my hold of the rocky points by the rain, l reached the water, and was able to find the man. With much d fficulty [ drag ged him from the pool, in;o which half a score of small but angry torrents were al ready rushing, and then saw that he was or had been bleeding from an ugly cut on the scalp. just within the hair. | assumed that he had fallen down the pr pice, and that this injury had stunned him.
 drew my flask from my pocket and poured few drops of whisky between his lips. The man eagerly sucked in the drops, drew long breath and showed signs of revival. put the flask again to his mouth; az iin he eagerly sucked in the minute dose, and then to my amaze ment, ere could withdraw the flask, he thrust out his arm, clutched the vessel tilted 1t almost upright, and took such a draught as would have choked me, and which, on the part of man early dead as ] though: him. was nothing short of marvellous. Wnen he ceased his draught he drew another long breath, and looking at me, as fresh flash lighted up the scene, said: Stranger, l reckon you have saved my life. Was in that pool P
 "Yes," replied "you were insensible I thought heard a groan, and by the lightning l saw you as went along the track"
 And you got down those rocks in such storm as this, stranger2 You are real grit. But won't talk now am Ari. zona Dan, who never forgets friend or an enemy. Bit feel a kind of giddy and cold so helpAne up, stranger"
 We found an eAsier pAtn uttle way on but the. gully in which we stood was so rapidly becoming flooded that we were ankle deep in water, although ve knew our path, and picked the best places. Dan noted this and said: " The water will be six feet deep in that pool before this storm is played out"
 This was the commencement of my in timacy with Arizona Dan, who, as I suo- posed, had fallen over the rocks from missing his way Tn the darkness or from ap excess of whisky, to which he was ad. dicted. He recovered quickly ftom his injuries, but not from his immersion in the pool How long he had lain there he did not himself know, but it was long enough to give chill to his system, from which he never thoroughly recovered.
 He insisted on my telling him who was, and where to find me, before we parted; and he came to my claim the next day. thought he would have for gotten all about me but l was mistaken Tn so supposing. With the strapping on his brew and two or three ugly bruises on his face, he looked more truculent aud dangerous than ever He took me off to the National E gle saloon, our chief place of lefreshment; and here he pre- sen'ed me to the assembled company, whom he addressed as the boys" say ing thn this was his best and hrmes, friend, Thomas Lester, who had r,sked his own life to save the spe eaker's and that if any man who heard him wished to do him. Arzona DAn, good turn, and show himself his friend, he must be friend to Thomas Lester. ca the other hand, if any man wanted f sht, with or without notice he could h ave if h, s,y ing wrong word of Thomas Lester, or looking at him in an insulting manner To show he was in earnest, he would stand the refreshment all rouod and if there was any man there who would not drink, let him come forward. Every man drank, and believe every man shook me by the hand.
 was rather embarrassed by this pub lie laudation of my merits, yet the annoy. ance was not without some counteroal- I a Nss