The state herald., 1892-11-11

its grotesqueness he executed fan
tastic dance.
The man was going mad; stark.
staring mad.
Give me some waterP" no asked
sullenly.
put tine canteen to his lips SUI
flciently long to moisten them and
dragged 1t away.
He made dash for the flask, but !
beat his hands down.
He looked as II he would make Il
rush at me and obtain the canteen. !
know what it would soon be-a fight
and desperate one for the water
''Supposing now" said to myself
Il give the fellow all tho water he
wants he'll take it ut gulp and thon
there'll DO two dead men. With care
and patience we may both pull
through"
Ahead OF us was low range oil
hills. 1t is the outcropping OF tho
divide that separates tho Mojavo and
Colorado deserts.
We'll get some shade there. Riley. "
oaiu' poius'hS w sSo hNih uhu poT-
haps cactus. "
That Is So" he answered, reason
ably. and from there we can soc the
sea-
His mind had not yet left him. Per-
haps after all he was sane.
Let us push on"
snail never forget the walk. Our
bodies wore dry-actually cracking
with heat II We could only have
perspired We would have been moro
comfortable and at least safer.
My tongue was getting swollen. 1t
grew thick down tho gullet NJ first
and it felt us II 1t intended to close
the oriiice. So choked was my throat
that l breathed through the nose.
why carry the water much fur.
Their argued. There wero but a
few drops left. put my hand to the
canteen aud dragged it away.
.Confound him he drank all oil
his and his canteen was larger
said this to myself frequently. l
knew was saving it. as l knew II
was wrong. but still the words kept
on forming and reforming themselves
and / was growing furious. lit was
all his fault-all his fault" Finally
my pent.up wrath broke out In the
fierce exclamation;
1T is all your fault"
'You lie," he answered hoarsely.
His face was white. but his eyes
where were they springing to-
Tho lids seemed to have drawn
themselves over the forehead. and the
great white balls were growing mo-
mentarily bigger and bullying out
from the sockets In hideous way.
The lips were dragged apart and his
teeth glistened like ivory. A little
blood was trickling from tho upper
one. which big black tongue greed
lily Tapped.
'Waterm he shouted. II was moi
tho voice CT human. II 1t had come
from skeleton would not have been
whit more startled. | felt queer
throb in my head and gradual tight.
ening at its base, and thon 1t loosoncd.
lie; us finish the cursed cauteen. u
] said.
lie gave u gasp for joy. l. how.
ever would not let him hold it liz
pu. his hands over mino and drank,
Tho blood seemed TO return 10 hi
face. and n few lines came into it rec
and strcaay. like flesh in rasher o
bacon.
Now 1t is my turn" Tho las
drops were gone. Before us yet wer
many miles We stumbled on an,
reached the rising ground.
Tho sun was directly over .us bu
under n projecting rock ran n strip o
shade
There We throw ourselves. Far I,
the south lay tho gllstcning sea-
white MS tho lips Of lily. and on H.
bosom sailed stately ships tho spirc
OF noble cathedrals lifted themselves
from fairy islands and here and thor,
the dark smoke OF some big steamer
revealed Itself to our startled eyes
Tall palms grew In garden spots an,
so complete was tho mirage that W,
smelled the delicious scent OF beauto
Gus flowers
There We lay. blinking out across
the great sand plains at the cities nnt
verdurous mcads OF imagination en-
joying tho distant sight with IN,
pleasure critical audience expert
cncos from n woil-actod play. sud
denly tho mirage lifted. and tho blnnl
sea met our gnzc. As tho panorama
melted away dependency such n
mover wish to feel again. possessed
mo.
Every tbing had said or done
every thing 1 had not said or done
presented themselves 10 me. The
girls had known and loved In tn,
quiet depths OF my heart passed lik,
shadows before mo Tho loyol,
blonde who had married millionaire.
and In whose house hnd only once
been ut grand function. came and
looked at mo. Her blue eyes which
] so much admired were cold. and The
snocr which she like n true South.
erner wore when anything displcased
her was most pronounced
Hero was I, lying on my sIde
crouching close 10 n rock. dying by
inches Would God lot mo lingoi
longp How could over have dared
TO even think OF her In the pleasant
fantasies OF drenmland. aud .ho ihnr
and now n rciening bellol thought
OF tho palms thu, filed hor drawing
room corners; heard the swell OF III,
voluptuous music; oven iolt the
taste OF the vino irickiing down m,
throat Ali No II was not wlno.--
only tho blood flowing from my en-
lips.
| looked Mt Riley. His oyo- wor,
fastened upon mo In furious glare.
Ito hntl drawn his revolver from hi,
bolt and was pointing II Mt mo threat
eningly.
closed my eyes Indeed fol-
thankful that no would end my ml.
Org
suddenly ! heard him shout II,