Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1897-03-06

nine In the springs. Five dollars for a
coyotes scalp and man or two thrown
In. Hell. what country this isv'
ITS that fiend, Indian Tom," wills.
pered Grimes. lies poisoned the
water at Coyote Hole, and he'll be look.
Ing fer our burros tomorrow. II can
live long enough to stick a knife into
him. Ill be satisfied" and the rem.
nants Of the tortured mans voice wan.
dered on Into incoherent curses.
Anderson rallied all his powers to
meet the Situation. II can walk" he
said. "and You can ride. Old Jcrusa.
lem is strong. I'll tie you on top Of the
pack, and well get out Of here yet.
Brace upv
"f'or Gods sake, Anderson, shoot
me-" Grimes replied. II can't stand
this torture any longer. We've been
good friends, you and me. Take your
revolver and blow my brains out. II
you have any love for me, do what
say, won't you? Shoot me. man. shoot
me-"
"Now, see here" sud Anderson,
'none Of that. You stop that kind OF
talk. or IN bat you over the jaw. Stop
kickin' now, and keep quiet. Here you
go." Then. excrting all Of his waning
strength, Anderson lifted his coinI)an.
lon to the top Of Jcrusalem's load, an,:
propped him between two rolls IF bln n.
k.ts. He tied him securely In place.
and started the burros ahead. walking
beside Jerusalem and listening to the
lrnrt.rending demand Of agOnixed hu-
man nature, ''ShoOt me, shoot me,
shoot me-" until he was himself fran.
tic with the mingled passions OF an.
ger. pity. and fear.
Thus they traverscd the sloping rim
Of Death Valley and the compara lively
level ground above II. and came 10 the
long. winding canyon which opens up.
on the confines Of the valley and. mt its
upper extremity, forms n pass In the
Funeral range. beyond which lie those
combinations Of the desert where, Mt
this time, Indian Toms wickiup and
the adjacent springs were the moss i'm.
portant signs Of life. At Intervals
when Jerusalem. staggering beneath
her double lord, stopped to rest, An.
dcisop was compelled to listen to the
dclirlous rawlings Of hlc friend, who
constantly begged for susceas, from
pain by death as for some priceless
favor.
The situation was intolerably on.
pressive to Anderson. The physical
pain which he endured. although terri.
bic. was nothing In comparison
with his mental torrents as he listen.
ed to Ills friend. There were moments
when he despaired Of the Issue, and
argued with himself TINT neither could
survive the tOilsOmc journey; that both
must die; and that II were better to
end all mt once.
Centering his mind upon this cues.
ton, and weighing II pro and con, An.
derson directed Mobiles and Jerusalem
alo1g the narro"', precipitOus sides Of
the canyon, now on the right. now on
the left. here shutting In sand. there
stumbling over rocky ground where
some brief winter torrent had washed
the thin soil from the mountain.
The breeze which was drawn down.
ward through ths canyon was cool and
exhllnratlng to a degree that wns sur.
prising. wher one remembered how
the desert expa" scs over which II had
been borne had 80 recently been broil.
ed beneath fiery sun and swept by a
flaming tornado. The moonlight. too.
was very beautiful. and the stars. dim.
med by the light Of the moon, vet dis.
tlnct. shOne with that perpetual calm
suggestive Of eternity. Gradually a
sense Of euthanasia. a longing for
death. came over AndersOn's spirit. II
would be SO easy to breathe away from
that broken tenement ana to become
a sentient yet indestructible portion of
tho mighty universe which upheld
those brilliant points of light through
an inGnity of space.
In this frnme Of mind Anderson no
longer replied to the pleadings and
groanings Of Grimes until they had nj.
most completed the ascent Of the can.
yon. ana the burros paused, from sheer
inability Of move further, upon the
highest point where the sides of the
gorge dropped abruptly away into un.
known depths. shrouded In darkness,
where there was no fantastic play OF
the moonlight. Here Grimes called
softly for water. asking In the tone OF
= spoiled child who believes that n,
mother denies it, request from caprice,
There was something In The tone, and
In the repeated. insistent demand that
cut Anderson to the heart. Il was real. |
" such q little thing. yet 10 impossi. |
bic. "Water. water. won't you givo
mo water? Only q drop. one little
drop. and I'll be satisfied"
Come" said Anderson. gently, "can't
you be yourself for Jest q minute? |
Don't you know that ] can't give you
water? Try to reason. Jest q little."
"Water!" was the impcrious reply
"water. or kill me. In mercy"
Anderson drew his revolver from ito
holster for the frst time. The moon.
light glanced from the polished steel |
40 he held the handle toward Grimes.
He intended to test him.
Here Ia the revolver" he said. ~rake
II and use It,"
II can't" was the reply. my arms
are paralyzed. can't lift my elbows.
Don't You see that I'm only q wreck |
OF man-nOthIng left of me except n
voice and brain that's all on hre? /
Anderson, Pm myself now. ! know |
what I'm saying. and ! call on you, as \
you are my friend, to do your duty"
Anderson hesltated for q moment.
He wavered to and fro and tOyed with