The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1894-05-23


mentlike skin was drawn tightly over
the projecting bones; his long, brown
hair and beard were all fecked and
dashed with white; his eyes were
sunken in his head, and burned with
an unnatural luster, while the hand
which grasped his rifle was hardly
more heshy than that Of a skeleton.
AS he stood, he leaned upon his weapon
for support, and yet his tall figure and
the massive framework Of his bones
suggested wiry and vigorous consti-
tuition. His gaunt face, however, and
his clothes, which hung SO baggily over
his shriyeled limbs, proclaimed what
it was that gave him that senile and
decrepit appearance. The man was
dying-dying, from hunger and from
thirst. iysi iisst sI3 "a NtA 8sS|
He had toiled painfully down the
ravine and on to this little elevation,
in the vain hope OF seeing some signs
of water Now the great salt plain
stretched before his eyes, and the dis
tant belt Of savage mountains, without
q sign anywhere of plant or tree which
might indicate the presence of moist
ure. In all that broad landscape
there was no CLEAN of hope. North
and east and west he looked with wild
questioning eyes, and then he realized
that his wanderings had come to an
end, and that there, on that barren
crag, he was about to die. why not
here, as well as In feather bed, twenty
years hence" he muttered, as he seated
himself in the shelter of bowlder.
Before sitting down, he had de-
posted upon the ground his useless
rife, and also large bundle tied up
in gray shawl, which he had carried
slung over his right shoulder. 1t ap-
peared to be somewhat too heavy for
his strength, for, in lowering 1t, II
came down on the ground with some
little violence. Instantly there broke
from the gray parcel little moaning
cry, and from it there protruded a
small, scared face, with very bright
brown eyes, and two little speckled
dimpled fists.
you've hurt mep' said q childish
voice, reproachfully.
"Have thought" the man answered,
penitently; T didn't go for to do it"
As he spoke he unwrapped the gray
shawl and extricated a pretty little girl
of about five years of age, whose
dainty shoes and smart pink frock,
with its little linen apron, all bespoke
n mothers care. The child was pale
and wan, but her healthy arms and
legs showed that she had suffered less
than her companion.
"How is It now?" he answered, anx-
iously, for she was still rubbing the
towsy golden curls which covered the
back of her head.
kiss IL and make II WELL" she said,
with perfect gravity, showing the in
jured part up to him. That's what
mother used to do. Where's mother?''
Mothers gone. i guess you'll see
her before long"
"Gone, eh!" said the little girl.
:'Funny, she didn't say good-by; she
most always did II she was just goin'
over to auntie's fer ten, and now she's
been away for three days. Say, it's
awful dry, amt it2 Amt there no
water nor nothing TO eat?"
mo, there amt nothing, dearie
You'll just need to be patient awhile,
and then you'll be all right. Put your
head up agin me like that, and then
you'll feel better. II amt easy TO talk
when your lips is like leather, but 1
guess, I'd best let you know how the
cards lie. What's that you've got7"
pretty thingsl fine thingsr cried
the little girl enthusiastically, holding
up two glittering fragments Of mica.
when we goes back to home I'll give
them TO Brother Bob"
You'll see prettier things than them
soon," said the man, confidently "You
just wait bit was going, to tell
you, though-you remember when we
left the river2"
"0h, yes"
"Well, we rcclsoned we'd strike an
other river soon, dye see? But there
was somethin' wrong; compasses, or
map, or somethin', and it didn't turn
up. Water ran out. Just except lit
tie drop for the likes Of you and
and"
"And you couldn't wash yourself" In
terrupted his companion gravely, star
ing up at his grimy visagc.
mo, nor drink. And Mr.. Bender, he
was the first TO go, and then Indian
Pete, and then Mrs. McGregor, and
then Johnny Homes, and then, dearie,
} your mother"
'Then mothers deader, too," cried
the little girl, dropping her face in her
pinafore and sobbing bitterly.
Eyes, they all went except you and
me. Then thought there was some
} chance of water in this direction, so
! heaved you over my shoulder and we
J tramped II together. Il don't seem
as though we've improved matters.
There's an almighty small chance for
} US nowr
do you mean that we are going 70
die, too2" asked the child, checking
: her sobs, and raising her tear-stained
faoe.
'T guess that's about the size Of It"
"Why didn't you say 30 before7" she
said, laughing gleefully. You gavo
: me such fright Why. Of course, now
| as long as we die wen be with mother
! again"
, Eyes, you will, dearie."
"And you, too. I'll tell her how aw-
, full good you've been. I'll bet she
! meets us at the door of Heaven with q
big pitcher Of water, and a lotof buck
, wheat cakes, hot, and toasted on both