The Virginia enterprise., 1898-02-25
DESERT DREAM,

A DESERT DREAM.
Of the four who had steamed past the
Needless and away under the low back of
the Dorsetshire coast six months before,
only two were left. OF these two Lee
Carson WAS the worse case.
The fever mist was drawn like IL silken
cobweb low across the swamp, hiding the
black eye-shape1 pools and the variegated
putrescence OF rotting vegetation. The
heavy air rang with the shrll pinioning of
wild fowl changing their haunts, and the
ceaseleSs "troat-troat"- of the bullfrogs in
the quagmires round.
The TWO men were making a fire on a
dark green ridge somewhat raised above
the chilling level Of the marsh.
''The mist is rising" said Lee-Carson;
"oh, for Il siNth-story attic!'
I'D better 90 and shoot something be-
fore it gets any higher said the other
man.
What was it you knocked over down
there!' nodding back at the swamp.
"Only a lOng-beaked atrocity, species
unknown. "A brace of duck or Il widgeon
would suit lis hetter.''
Give me flesh and not fowl-the ooze-
bred, mud-breasted progeny of this for
saEen swamp! Give me corned beef or
German sausage, for I'm sick Of feath-
erS.'
Three more days should do il" re-
marked Grammel cheerfully, with a
broad optimistic glance westward, where,
however. there was no reaSSllring break
i'll the dead se:l-like level of the hori-
zon, above which broodcd sullen sun
set:
Then go on and leave me here with
food and ammunition. You can, come
back for me afterwards
IN get supper first said Grummel;
keep the fire in
When his companion was gone. Lee
Carson lay down beside the smouldering
blaze, and his eyes wandered slowly over
the unending vista :of seething mist.
Presently he began to talk aloud.
"Grammel could reach the highlands if
| were out of the way. I'm dying any
how, and it seems a pity
"A "A day less or more, at sea or ashore,
We die-does it matter when?"
NO. it doesn't matter. It's relief.
Grammel won't leave me, so I'll leave
him.
Het drew Il shotgun towards him.
he snapped it to and laid it on his knee
'"Ill not write a note to you, Grammcl.
because You would worry yourself, being
fool. No. III come to 4 nicely ar
ranged natural end. It's waste to let
two men die when death only puts in a
claim for one. Grammel will get through
this, and lecture before the Geographical
society about the swamps and the for
ests and our scientific researches, and
then he'll write book with the help of
female literary cousin, and marry her
afterwards, and then therell be little
Grammels, and I'm be forgotten"
Then he made his arrangements with
the gun. 1t had Il 32-inch barrel, and
Lee-Carson's hand was unsteady, for he
was very weak. Therefore, when the
charge sputtered into the mud and rush
behind his shoulder, he sank down i'll
sensible
When Grammel returned he found the
fire b!ackening, and his comrade with
his feet tangled in tuft Of grass, and
the. gun lying across his chest. Gram
mel examined him hastily.
$50 that was your little game, was it?
As if l shouldn't have known!'' he ex-.
claimed. ITS all so like the young ass,
too" he added gently;
Within an hour the night had closed
III. and Lee-CarsOn. wrapped up in
blanket and a couple of empty provision
sacks. sat blinking over the. fire made
UP of dried reeds and the mouldering
lcuuitlulS VI IL lOIeS(, anu SllINeEcu, HIS
head humming with the twenty grains
of quinine which was to be his garrison
against the now almost due attack of
swamp fever.
Grammel, from the other side Of the
fire, watched him narrowly through the
smoke, and wondered how soon it would
be safe to make him comfortable with
part of his own clothing.
II wish you wouldn't sit there and
stare like a night-owl, Grammcl,' Lee:
Carson was saying fretfully. II like be-
ing alone when I've 20 of this mongrel
malaria. If you would push on to the
higher ground you mi ght save us both"
''I'll start when the moon rises," re-
piled Grammel with ready untruthful-
"That's all right" said the sick man
dr0wsily; 'pile up those reeds at my el-
bow, and I'll keep the fire going. III
do.'
Grammel rose at once and began to ar
range the heap of reeds to humor his COM
panion & fancy
Lee Carson leaned against them and
dozed, and Grammel, Selling the oppor-
tunity, added his own blanket to the 9TH
er's coverings.
Lee-Carson opened his eyes with an ef-
fort. -. -'..
"Oncc too often, friend Grammel!' he
said. -:
= Grammel glanced confusedly lat the of
Tending blanket.
I'm not sleepy" he replied; 'bcsides,
III be starting presently
= "Take it off, was the peremptoly re-
joinder.
''Let me max up the fire first" said
Grammel temporizing; but he was saved
further argument, for the fever was gain
ing upon the sick man. .. -.
"What's that?' exclaimed Lee Carson
nervously, struggling to sit up. ."They
are coming! That's the trampling of
the hoofsv' -.
Dare say they are," said Grammel,
with vague wish that there was a hoof
try to rest nOw.'
Lee-Carson made no reply, but sank
he lay. moaning and muttering in an un:
easy, hal alf-consciousnesss - :: =.
Thus the night wore on. y.
Then, because the desOlitiOn was 80
intense, Grammel began to grunbls: his
voice; rang like minor undertone through
the resonant booming of.the bitterns and
the harsh chorus of the frogs in the pools
and fens around them. =
"Half this tobacco's ,soaked," he said.
shifting contemptuousIy at the hollow of
his hand, sand the rest tastes like
smoked .porridge steam; but I suppose it's
better than breathing in this fetid fog il
its its native ,,1,. nastiness. Vh Pah; it's chilly,
of aeS tnnk Was singing af braGeepp s.GGeped ne
or two at first, then his voice rang out
clearly. 2 - Il, T,..' ..'' :. - s..
Thus as the spreading ocean =@@
Z. C0Dquers sandy coast, If ~ &
Each tldsi has borne US further slss +.
20 man . .ioaelie1 post 5s#sss 3: