The herald., 1895-09-08

ct opened my eyes and found that he
had been picketed too far.
For some minutes | gazed, Watching
him coil and project himself with sudden
jerks like the hands of stop watch,
moving intermittently in his circle.
Again he passed me. Again | closed my
eyes. But lie did not reach me. He
could not reach me. l would live. In
my Joy at my first discovery had forgot
ten my own thongs, and how / was t.
loosen them. To unite them was I'M
POSSIBLE. Then I tried chatting them
through against the ground, but only cut
my wrists in the attempt. for they were
had been cunning. Already my tongue
was growing thick with thirst, and the
rays of the hot morning sun, now high
in the heavens. beat down upon me.
Then the terror of my situation struck
in, until even pItied the snake, helpless
as myself, ard wished that he could
strike and end it. He, too, was evil
IDENTIFY suffering with thirst. and his inn
potent strokes were growing feebler.
THE red disk of the desert sun hung
rayless in the saffron western slly and my
wrists were burned by the blazing heat.
1t seemed to me 1t would never set. Once
1 turned my body so far that 1 gazed
over the cool green forest that spread be-
low the bluffs and sfancied that1 heard
the murmur of waters that / could not
see, but knew coursed from under the
rim. When | turned back to look at my
companion captive | found that he had
grown weary of the useless struggle and
folds Of his thong. gazed toward the
San Francisco range and saw the dark
clouds rising beyond. spread over the
snow-clad peaks. Then came the sound
of wind hurrying rain clouds over the
foothills, where the storm soon broke.
Then rain yelled all the valley and my
heart took hope | wondered If the rain
would reach the rim. I had not long to
wait before the big drops, falling one by
one, spashed about me in the dust.
Then Il food came down and L swallowed
water as the drops fell in my mouth.
Soon the water was flowing in a sheet be-
meath me, and turning my face | drank
grit and mud. My cords we're somewhat
loosened by the rain and no longer cut
my wrists. When the rain ceased my ex-
ecntioner the snake. seemed also revived
and renewed his struggles for liberty.
striking always as before. His thong,
now softened and distended by the rain,
would easily permit him to reach me. l
had already decided that death from his
poison was preferable to the lingering
death from thirst l must die there on the
desert.
"But even when the mind is made up
to death there is still in all flesh an
animal clinging to life. l shrank back
as far as my bonds would permit. l was
within his reach. l closed my eyes as the
snake coiled again, and felt sharp blow
on my cheek, as from the prick of a
needle attack. 1t was over now and |
would soon be free. | waited calmly for
the effect OF the poison hours passed
but no swelling came.
"Then | remembered having once been
told that after a rattlesnake had struck
several times his bite is harmless, for the
poison becomes exhausted.
80 it was to be a lingering death at
last. 1 turned my head again ana looked
over the cool rim coward the Matzatzats
on the Verde. where my comrades about
now were lettering on the stoop of the
barracks, waiting for the roll call at re-
treat. The sun was sinking into the dust
haze and l expected never to see it
again. The night fell and l slu bered,
but awakened to feel light hand on my
shoulder, a hand that offered me food.
See cho- vas bending over me. She
had fullo we'd and found me on the bluff.
Then she removed the cords and bound
up my swollen wrists. In the morning
| asked her to go with me into my post,
but she refused, saying:
'Togoa, the rattlesnake spared you be-
cause I love you. The rain god is ap-
peased. But the medicine man is right.
You are a devil and if yield to my love
it will curse my tribe. / will return &c
my people OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Times,