Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-10-02

1iefore we 60 further" said Gen,
rrednolSe, approaching Freeman, as
he was Tightening his girths, 81 must
tel you what is the object OF this .ex-
petition"
1T is not necessary, general" re-
plied the young man, Strengthening
funself and looking the other In the
lace Yfor from this point our paths lie
apart."
Why SOP" demanded the general, in
surprise.
what's thatP" exclaimed Meschines,
coming up, and adjusting his speeta-
cles
"rm not at liberty, at present, TO
EXPLAIN" Freeman answered. IAN
can say is that don't feel justified in
asst ting you in your affair, and l am
not able TO confide my own 10 you.
wish you 10 put the least uncharitable
construction you can ON my conduct.
Tomorrow, if we all live, may say
1lorei now, the most can tell you is
that ! am not entirely free agent.
Meaptime-- Hasta mego.
Agninst this unexpected resolve the
General cordially protested and the
pro sssor scoffed and contendedi but
Freenan stayed firm. He had with
him provisions enough TO last him
three days, and q supply of water;
and Ia small case he carried a. COM
pact assortment OF instruments for
seientific observation, Take your de-
partpre in whatever direction you
Ike. said he, and viii take mine
OF a1 angle Of not less than fifteen de
gree from it. II am not back in
thrr days, you may conclude some
thing has happened
vas certainly very hot Freeman
had oeen accustomed 10 torrid suns in
che lathmus; but this was sun indef-
nitely multiplied by reflections from
The dusty surface undcrfoot. Nor was
is the fine, ethereal fire of the Sahara:
tha atmosphere was dead and heavy;
tor ne rider was already below the
love- OF the Pacific, whose cool blue
waves rolled and rippled many leagues
% tlio westward, as, aeons ago, they
had oiled and rippled here. There was
not q breath of air. Freeman could
bear his heart beat, and the veins in
his temples and wrists throbbed. The
sweat rose on the surface of his body,
but without cooling it. The pony
which he hestrode, bony and sinewy
beast of the toughest description, trod
1nlyards doggedly, but with little ami
riation. Freeman had no desire to
push him. We're the little animal to
ogerdo itself, nothing in the future
colld be more certain than that his
master would never see the Trednoke
ranch again. II seemed unusually hot,
even for that region.
There was little in the way of out
ward incident to relieve the monotony
Of ne journey. Now and then a
short, thick rattlesnal5e, with horns
OF rs ugly head, wriggled out of his
puth Now and then his horses hoof
nimost trod upon hideous, fat lizard,
9ls9 horned. Here and there the un-
coutA projections of cactus pushed
upward out of the dust; some of these
the mustang nibblod at, for the sake
OF heir juice. Freeman wondered
whore the juice came from. The floor
Of Tie desert seemed for the most part
Level though there was gradual dip
tovards the east and northeast, and
OCCASIONALLY mounds and ridges of wind
swept dust, sometimes upwards of fifty
feet height, broke the uniformity.
Tn soil was largely composed of
powdered feldspar; hut there were also
trneis OF gravel Single Of yellow loan,
rad IF alkaline dust. In some places
1N1
Rprouting up in a sort Of ghastly vege-
taiion, as II death itself had acquired
sinister life. Elsewhere, the ground
quolgsd and yielded under foot, and it
become necessary to make detours to
avoid these arid boys. Once or twice.
too Freeman turned aside lest he
shold trample upon some dry bones
thu proTuded in his path, bones that
were their own monument, and told
the,r own story of struggle, agony, ex-
hausiion, and despair.
None OF these things had any do
pressing effect on Freemsn's spirit.
His heart was singing with joy. To u
mind logically disposed there was
nutllng but trouble in sight whether
be- succeedNd or failed in his present
aision. In the former case he would
fnd himself in a hostile position as re-
garded the man he most desired TO CON
clhntei in thu latter, he would remain
ihe rlere rolling stone that he was be-
fore. and love hself would forbid him
W ask the woman he loved TO share
his uncertain existence But Freeman
was not logical; he was happy and he
could nor help it. lie had kissed
Miriam, and She loved him.
His course lay a few degrees north of
exist Far Hcross the plain, dancing and
turning somersaults in the fantastic at
ni1sphere, were the SUBMITS of a range
ofabrupt hills, the borders of valley
Or 50 yiue which he wished to explore
ORIGINALLY, as he rode. his shadow
loaeihened before him. II was his OH.
companions and yet he felt no sense OF I
loneliness Miriam was In his heart,
ana Kept it fresh and bold. Even hun
ger ad thirst he scarcely felt Who
esq estimate the therapeutic and hy- |
gisnie effects Of lover
The mustang could not share his
riders source Of content, but he may |
have been conscious, through animal |
b. AZ Iasft -. .