Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-04-24

appeared Dr1gnt-faced boy Quilt IN the
mold of an Indian. as spry OF foot as
panther and as stout sapling oak.
The light, as 1t fell on his face, when the
| man had opened the door, revealed a mark
ed resemblance between the two, as in
| deed there should have been, for the pair
were brothrs.
"well. Leo lad" said the elder, 81 began
to think you were out for the night in the
Big Flat climber
ITO ten the truth. 1 nearly was" the
boy replied, as he drew his chair to the
table. "Edidn't know how late it was and
the darkness eaught me just as l left the
How'd you find your way! You couldn't
go by thdfstars on such night as thisr'
mo: that's why came SO near to being
lost. for, Of course. couldn't see anything
when ONCE l got in the trees. But there
IS always wind comes up through the
Dead Bear Gorge that one can smell
rather q, cold sort of a smell"
You didn't walk along the edge Of the
gorge" exclaimed the brother.
"Oh. no, LIN not so foolish. just got my
bearings every time smeit that colder air;
end further down 1 could smell the tam
aracks-there' s, only one bunch OF them-in
The wind from the west Then struck the
creek. and next our ditch, and then was
ell right" 1. , T.
you'll dc" - remarked the man. regarding
him with affectionate eyes. Then. after
silence, Well, what's the newsr.
Bad. Frank" said Leo. THE lawyer
man so powerful He says the company
has got an injunction against our turning
the water Gown in the ditch and intends
to crush us. down and out. And while the
lawyer hasn't q doubt of our right to the
water. we could no more fight old Hardicut
successfully in court without mint OF
money, than We could stab the man In the
moon with an umbrella
"J3ut he doesn't need a. the water: he's
never used the Summit creek!' protested
the brother.
II know But 1t seems II he let us go on
we'd acquire title. in time. and then he
could never get back the claim"
"oh." groaned Frank. Ito think Of it!
All our work on the ditch! All the fields
tires trying to make home and a spot of
green by the side of this desert. and our
ditch as dry a bone at the end Of the
very first season! It's maddening.
without the water" Leo replied, 1.-THE
place isn't fit to live in. The lawyer said
we'd picked out piece Of ground about as
desperate as any on earth"
were never towards! And the water would
| have made a ranch OF 1t to be proud of, and
| a station for the travelling teams that
as the desert Is fat But, lad, the Jig is
up" -
| well, we're not the fellows who can't
strike out again, anyway" said Leo, con-
solingly.
Right you are: shaker said Frank; and
| the brothers joined hands. A week had
passed. From a sky that was wild with
scurrying clouds blew a piercing gale that
utterly transformed the valley; for the
gusts swirled down on the desert and raised
a dense and awful dust as thick as fog
| a binding snow storm. and nearly as chok-
| irg as the fumes of sulphur. Huge masses
| of the floating alkaN swept over plain and
mountain. enveloping all in a shroud that
smarted In the eyes of man, parched the
| throat and defied the sight.
| AS this blizzard Of dust was at its height
| a man came madiy driving up the road in
| a buggy; behind which a saddle horse was
| being led by the bride. Leo and Frank
| came forth as he stopped before the door.
Gentlemen. gentlemen" wildly cried the
nan, in evident distress, Il implore your
| add beg of you to help a wretched par
ent-my son is lost on the desert-he Is i'll,
out of his mind. He escaped us at our
lunch-only for moment but that was
| enough. He Is gone-we have searched and
called but the dust has made us blind and
| rearly dumb-it Is awful-is there
Where wefs you when your son was
lost?" demanded Frank interrupting.
"on the other side. at Three Pines Pass
% oa sRs2s on roa shs ssia Lev
"Yes-oh, yeg-but hurry. gentlemen--for
| the sake Of a father-I beg of you"
Who +. y witAh you" Frank abruptly In
my fossmap = hastily answered the man.
rubbing MS uMst-reddened eyes. He told
| me that yome1one was living IN this hor-
risi e,l plasssvmf name is Hardicut-we were
A gust q Wild cut short his speech and
wrapped him about in a cloud of aIkali
dust d! thaf ,,or, moment shut him complete
"HardiSat" freathed Leo to his brother
"and we We got,to help himv'
Yes and at the risk of life," Frank re-
Piled They looked. each In the face Of the
other afa were glad to find each other
right anf human when their enemy came
to the door Of their cabin for aid.
ut wouldn't do for both to 20" Leo re-
Joined, In a hurried whisper, ..and I know
the desert best. Goodbye, old man. n we
| don't happen toto see each other again.
'Oh, little Leo. ladr' said Frank as IL
his brother had been child again, and
| their hands came together for a feryent
silent clasp.
Leo stepped swiftly, to the buggy. un-
fastened the horse end vaulted astride the
seddie. you'd better stay here. Mr.. Har-
dtcut." said he. .or you can wait In the Fig
at the Sulphur Spring. Don't no back to
the pass again--the wind Is going to he
worse-no time to be lost" Then he wheel
ed his horse. Goodbye. Frank" he CALI
ed, and Franks reply went out On the wind
like wall.
A mad and headlong ride was I.eo,s.
along the r0Ad BY the edge Of the dessrt.