Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1892-06-17

FOUNTAINS III crystal goblets. 1he young
man was the first to awake. The sun
was beginning TO shoot his fiery needles
Over the mountain. Robbins lifted his
hand to rub his eyes.
"R-r-z-z-zr
Then tongue of fame darted toward
him and struck him on the palm Of the
hand.
MY God" he groaned, "it's rattle
make, and he's bitten mer
His voice seemed to awaken a hundred
echoes, and 10 these responded a hun
dred rattles.
Selby sat mp in his blanket and stared
at him stupidly. AS he made the move
ment rattlesnake struck him in the
face and another at his side would have
dono the same had he not thrown him
self ont Of reach of his deadly fangs.
The rattles resounded ON every side.
The two men ran back to a stretch of
sand beyond tho rocks and gazed at each
other wildly.
Hold still, demanded Mart "Let me
look at your bite"
He grasped the boys hand.
Thank God, it's not in the vein"
He seized his knife and quickly hol-
lowed out n piece OF the flesh.
There, hold your hand down and let
the blood run free, while tie this cord
around your arm"
He twisted the stout cord until IL cut
into the arm
Nov, the whisky" he gasped.
NO" said Robbins, "let me cut the
poison out Of your wound"
Mart held still moment while this
was done.
"Noy;, the whisky-quickp cried Rob
bins.
But Selby did not look for the bringing
forth Of the flask with any light of hope
in his eyes.
at is yours" he said quietly. There
is only enough for one, and barely that"
"Thcn it is yours, Mart"
"No-yours."
"But you are the worse bitten. Your
face il already beginning to swell.
Drink it,"
There was anguish In the tone, as there
was heroism in the words; but 1t was
heroism of the weakly sort. He held out
the bottle mt arms length, while he
turned his face away.
"No, by God! It's yours, boyp' came
in firiner and more commanding tone
from Mart Selby. "You have O mother
and sweetheart back in the states.
And II have nobody. There was somt
one once, but there amt nobody now
nobody at ALL"
In the face Of this fearful temptation
Robbins felt himself weakening. He
grew less strong Of resolution with each
tick of the watch in his pocket, heard
80 plainly in tho desert stiffness. What
coward he felt himself; but-how
sweet was life!
Was there not help to be had from
somo other source? He could not take
this. Tho drinking Of that liquid was
the drinking Of Selby's life, and that life
meant much to him now. Here was the
whole man!
His eye swept the hopeless plain. He
looked for the "dust" Of n traveller, but
nc saw none. The heat Of the day was
growing. Ho thought no felt the poison
pulsing through his veins.
"No-uo," he said, sinking down upon
the sand. And there was q pitiable
weakness in his tone.
Selby took the bottle from his hand
As he did 80 shade OF fear arose to
Robbins face. Selby saw IT and smiled.
Tho swollen face made the smile gro
tcsquc; bat none tho less it was the smile
of n god lie came forward and knelt
beside the crouching form Of Robbins,
who, lying on his face, with his eyes
shut, begged him not to think of him,
but Of himself. Blu. the tone was grow
ing weaker.
The other said no word, but lifting his
friends head he uncorked the bottle and
held it to his lips. A look Of remon-
STRANGE came TO Robbins face, and he
raised his hand to push away the bottle
just then he glanced upward. A buzz
zard was circling about in the clear,
blue air. He shivered, and as the neck
Of the bottle was forced between his
teeth and Selby was holding back his
head, how could he help swallowing
The look Of remonstrance faded slowly
away as the liquor gurgled from the
bottle. Soon it was all drained. The
boys head sank to the ground and
heavy sleep laid hold upon him.
When he awoke there lay by his side
the body of n man with pistol bullet
In his head.-Frank b. MillaId in Argo-
naut.
Among the Egyptians the bed often