New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-10
A PREPOSTEROUS FACT.
From The Argonaut.


where's Nedward?" some one asked the fore
man one August night when the boys were gain
cred around the supper table AFTER haIu ua'
in the branding pens. H..
Sent him over to the river with the horses ioi
Mack" replied the foreman: he won't DE Dach
for four days
ION. a picnic" said the first speaker.
Not quite: It's a long stretch without water
Beats branding calves" insisted the other
Eyes. IL you're built that way.
Ten miles or so from the ranch the circling
huzzards looked down upon PROSTATE man;
When the sun set cool breeze si'rang up ana
the man stirred and groaned. lie lay upon an
elevated mesa far from any house or tree 'r
intercourse. Here and there n stunted soap
weed showed above the level NJ the plain
mile To- the eastward band Of horses were
quietly grazing. and a keen eye might nav de-
tectcd that one Was saddlcd. Tho crisp bHual"-
grass about the man Was crushed down ana
broken N. Twenty feet away dog hole showed
a fresh hoofmark. and in the earth beside thr
man was a broad mark made by the cantlc ~
the saddle as the horse rolled over.
II was nearly dark. and the stars w'r" shin-
Ing when the man finally opened his eyes ih'e'-
ligenuy go.
Boys. give me a drink" h. said Water.
water" he repeated.
Low in the north htfu llehtninCs played about
pillar Of cloud. II the cloud drifted this way
he might get water: If not. he would - dry
Certainly no mans hand would minister {" Inn
that night Soon he realized the situation.
Il was stunncd-my leg is broken" said he.
"I'll lie here until rot before they will ind me
Oh, God. water
The cloud drew nearer, grew larger. and put
out the stars As IT slid down from the noun
tain and advanced across the plain rumblinS
thunder gave promise 81 imminent rain. Pain
fully the man stripped ~ his coat and spread IL
beside him to catch the water. His hat had ran
en- and lay several feet beyond his reach.
Quickly the cloud spread overhead Follow
ing Earring roll Of thunder. a few biz drops feli
one on the face OF the thirsty man. And thai
WAS all. \ brisk west wind wiped The SLY clean
In "A moment while the man yet waited eKp.c-
tant. The stars shone out fright md cold The
man shivcrcd and cursed. and drew the coat
about him.
Toward morning he slept. and dreamed ne
heard the foreman's CHEEKY summons N"I
out fcllows'" but when he sat up suddenly
twiugc In his leg brought him back Z" facts
thirst. daylight. hclplcssncss lie hal been a"aH-
encd 10y the chattering - the lttie rnarrnot into
whose hole the horse had stumbled now com"
forth 10 view the damage don" his home The
man drew his pistol and fred twice at the
prairc-dog.
down again I'll never tell that
All night he hal lain upon his back Now
very slowly and with both hands clasping the
injured leg which was broken below the knee.
he turned upon his face and reached out toward
the hat 1t was stu several feet beyond him
"rve got to get ont ~ this was his thought .
and it's going to hurt like hell Ia better begin
by going after my hat" And he went. II re-
CURED time and fprtitudr 10 crawl tn feet On
hands and knee. dragling The broken TX. hui
it was done at last lie reached the hat and
lay down TO take account OF himself and his
chances.
zen feet in an hour is 2iO In a day would
qe 10 the ranch In about six months az thai rat"
IL | could keep II up dty and night ~" got -
STAY risht here until the buzzards get me. II
had water wouldn't care II Ia" down rot me. II
over got water rye rot to get il to-day By to
morrow I'll bc too stiff and too silly | know
sitting up and looking around-"thcre's no water
on this fiat. for there isn't a h""f ~ STOCK IN
sight over toward the mountain 'n'r" ar
water-holcs every spring. but they have been DIS
since June by God" he sail aloud. that cloud
last night cmptiod out s'mcwhrre before II got
IA me and those holes may be full ~ water now
and only three miles away. | could crawl thrc"
miles II | knew there was Il drink N the finish
but They may be dry. Then I'll bc thrcr miles
further from tn creek. and three miles further
or the trail when the boys come out 10 look me-
up. ! suppose they viii look me up-!n about