The morning times., 1897-01-25


were jest dead and buried, and that's all
there is Of it, was Anderson's grizzly
philosophical reply.
So. as the long afternoon wore drcarily
on, the two men lay under their improvised
shelter and suffered in silence, their lips
too parched and swollen to talk, their eyes
bloodsIiot, their checks puffed and black
ened as tile blood thickened and grew
sluggish i'll their veins. They turned their
faces apart, as though each dreaded to
witness the suffering OF the other, and
pressed their swollen lips against their
teeth to keep back tell-taie groans.
Wien the sun went down. blood-red, in
the west, the wind sank to rest, like the
spent wrath of an angry giant The airy
blankets of visible, palptatnE heat, which
had been pressing down upon the earth,
seemed lifted all at once and flung abroad
into space. For a brief interval the dark
ness of night swept over the mountains,
pierced in the ilmitable vault overhead by
thousands Of brilliant points OF fire. Then
the moon came up, swimming in sea OF
slvery radiance Anderson and Grimes
by supreme effort. aroused themselves
from the Iethargy which had overtaken
them in the closing hours OF the day, and
prepared to leave the spot where so much
suffering had been compressed into so
brief time.
They had adjustedthe pack on Mobiles, the
smaller of the two burros, and were pre-
pairing to ''cinch" the load on Jerusalem, u
big and brawny specimen OF her patient
race, and their principal dependence as
pack animal Anderson stood with his
foot against her side, pulling on the rope
that held the pack in place, when properly
adjusted. But there was no ans weriDg pull
from the other side, where Grimes was
standing. Anderson was angered.
why the devil don't you puli?'' he
thundcred. Then, in gentler tones, why,
boy, what in the name of Simon Peters
ghost is ailin you? Have you got the st.
VitUs dance?'
Grimes was reeling in aimless circles,
frothing at the mouth, and making mar
ticulate cries OF pain. Then he fen to the
ground, and his legs and arms threshed the
ground with spasmodic contortions. Then
came nausea, worse than any seasickness.
And moment later Grimes sat up and
pulled himself together
"Godi' he said. That's terrible. Lit
tie the worst L ever had. Who would have
thought a man could live through such "a
pain as that?'
Il tell you what" Anderson replied.
you've eaten something that don't agree
with you-it's almost like poison. You're
locoed. We've got to camp here gain and
make SCmc coffee to settle your stomach -
Fortunately, a little alcohol stove and
the necessary fuel were in the outfit. 1t
took only few minutes to prepare the
.r.l.s
the last water that they had Both drank
freely. Grimes declared that he was better.
The process of loading the packs was com
pleted, and they broke camp, heading for IL
curved notch in the mountains, the head
of canyon, beyond which were Indian
Toms and safety.
After mile or Two of travel, almost in
silence, Grimes called ii halt IN have
to rest he said I'm sick again
hate to say so, but / can't go on"
I'm pretty bad myself" Anderson re-
piled, when they had stopped. Queer,
isn't it," Then, suddenly, he felt the
same symptoms which had so tortured
his friend, although in a lesser degree.
SpasmodiC, uncomfortable contractions of
the muscles, a wFetched nausea and burn
ing, intolerablc thirst, which seemed to
dry up every atom Of vitality and TO cleavc
TO the very centers OF existence But
Anderson was strong, and he fought like
a Ion against his unseen foe. When he
recovered little from the paroXysms Of
pain, he found Grimes PROSTATE, moaning
pitifully, and apparently unable to move.
ut was in the water" said Anderson.
We've been poisoned. Those devilish
coyote-bounty hunters have put strychnine
in the springs Five Collars for coyotes
scalp and man or two thrown in. Hell,
what a country this isr'
Its that fiend, Indian Tom" whis-
pered Grimes. Hes poisoned the water
at Coyote Hole, and he'll be looking for
our burros tomorrow. If ! can live long
eEough to stick a Knife into him, I'll be
satisfied and the remnants of the tor
tured mans voice wandered off into in
coherent curses.
Anderson rallied all his powers to meet
the situation. Il can walk he said,
land you can ride. Old Jerusalem is
strong. I'll tie you or top Of the pack,
and Wen get out of here yet Brace
upr'
For Gods sake, Anderson. shoot me, y
Grimes replied. Il can't stand this torture
any longer. We've been good friends. you
and me. Take your revolver and blow my
brains out, If you>have any love for me, do
what ! say, won't you? Shoot me, man,
shoot me-
Now, see here" said Anderson. "none
of that. You stop that kind OF talk. or I'll
bat youover the jaw. Stop kickin' now and
keep quiet. Here you CO." Then, exert
ing all of his waning strength. Anderson
"a
salem's load, and propped him between two
rolls of blankets. HI tied him securely in
place, and started the burros ahead. walk
ing beside Jerusalem and listening to that
heart-rending demand of agonized human
nature. "Shoot me, shoot me, shoot me"
until he was himself frantic with the
mingled passions of anger, pity and fear
Thus they traversed the sloping rim of
Death Valley and the comparatively level
ground above it, and came to the long.
winding canon which opens upon the con-
fines of the valley, and at its upper ex-
tremity, forms pass in the Fu-
neral range, beyond which lie those con-
dnuations of the desert W here at this time.
Indian Toms wickiup and the adjacent
springs were the most important signs of
life. AT intervals when Jerusalem. stag
gering beneath her double load. stopped to
rest. Anderson was compelled to listen to
the dclirious rawlings of his friend, who con-
stantly begged for surcease from pain by
death as for some priceless favor.
The situation was intolerabIy oppressive
to Anderson. The physical pain which he
endured, although terrible, was nothing
in comparison with his mental torments as
| lie listened to his friend. There were mo-