The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1898-04-08

u1l0n. 5'if ts
Fl was stunned-my leg IS broken.
said he. .rli lie here until rot be-
fore they will fnd me. Oh. God. wa
terI~
The cloud drew nearer. grew larger
and pnt out the stars. A It slid down
from the mountain and advanced across
the plain. rumbling thunder gave prom
ise Of imminent rain. Pairtully the
man stripped on his coat and spread Il
beside him to catch the water. His
hat had fallen and lay several feet be-
yond his reach.
Quickly the cloud spread overhead.
Following jarring roll Of thunder q
few big drops fell-one on the face Of
the thirsty man. And that was all. a
brisk west wind wiped the sky clean
in moment. while the man vet waited
expectaut. The stars shone out bright
and cold. The man shivcrcd and cursed
and drew the coat about him.
Toward morning he slept and
dreamed he heard the foremnn's CHEEKY
snmmons: "Rol, ont. fellows hut
when he sat mn suddenly twinge in
his leg brought him back to facts
thirst. daylight. hclplessncss. He had
been awakened by the chntteripg Of
the little marmot into whose hole the
horse had stumbled. now come forth
to view the damage done his home.
The man drew his pistol and fred twice
at the prairie dog.
missed at 90 feet" he muttered. ly-
a.. .l-s,.... a1.at. ..T III NJ
All night he had 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. It was still several feet beyond
him.
ave got to get out of this, was his
thought; "and It's going to hurt. I'd.
better begin by going after my hat"
And he went. II required time and for
titude TO crawl ten feet on hands and
knees. dragging the broken leg. but
It was done at last. He reached the
hat and lay down TO take account Of
himself and his chances.
"Ten feet in an hour is 24o in day.
1 would get to the ranch in about six
months at that rate If could keep 1t
up day and night. I've got to stay right
here until the buzxards get me. II I
had water wouldn't care II the devil
got me. II I ever get water I've got to
get it to-day. BY tomorrow I'll be
too stiff and too silly. Iknow"-sitting
up md looking around--there's no wa
A.. -. .t.t. uot Ran +boen ;yr3k a hoop
of stock in sight. Over toward the
mountain there are water holes every
spring. but they have been dry since
June. Tint cloud last night cniptied
out somewhere before it got TO me.
and those holes may be full Of water
now and only three miles away. I
could crawl three miles If knew there
was drink Mt the finish-bnt they may
be dry. Then I'll be three miles further
from the creek and three miles further
Off the trail when the boys come out
to look me up. suppose they will look
me up-in about q week-whcn Mack
comes over to see why the horses have.
not been sent. I'm getting silly al
ready. My head throbs SO, and my leg.
too. I'll can get started once IN know
enough to keep a-going. but how ode
eide I'll leave it to chance.
He placed his broad hat on the end OF
his quirt held upright. balanced It care
fully, and gave it twirl.
Snow, II that side with the bullet
hole stops toward the south, I'll crawl
toward home. and II it turns TO the
mountains. / will hunt the water holes.
Hold onl" stopping the revolving hat
and closing his eyes. he said. in very
low voice: "oh. Lord. l don't know as
one COW puncher is much object to you.
YOU got SO many. but never did much
dirt. only TO Billy. and he was somean
himself, 1t served him right. II you.
will help me out of this scrape and make
the hat stop at the right place. Tllnever
forget it. Amen"
Very earnestly then he balanced the
hat and set It turning. After several
revolutions it came to stop with the
hole toward the mountains.
.The water holes. 1t is. Their" said he.
and. carefully noting the direction in
dicated: That's rather more to the left
than / would choose. but If you say SO,
it goes"
Without delay. but without haste. he
made his preparations for great effort:
Before deciding on course. he had
whimpered little; the shock and pain
had unnerved him. There was now no
more Of that. He had n purpose, and
meant to execute it. With bandnges
made from portions of his clothing, he
bound up the leg 10 give it some sup
port. He set his teeth down hard in
a strip of leather cut from his shoe.
then fixing his eyes upon landmark
in the distance, which should remnin In
view as he moved over the plain. he
pulled his freight"
It would fatigue you TO follow this
mans trail as foot by foot and hour
after hour he painfully progressed to-
ward the water holes-tortured with
thirst. beset by doubt whether he
should not find them dry. Upon the
desert man. for lack of water. may
perish in few hours. In the cattle
country they can and do live and suffer
for days without 1t. THIS man did.
He was only common 40-dollnrs-a-
month man. If he did not get through
another would take his saddle and his
bunk. To the company it mattered
not ut all whether the name on the pay
roll wns John Doe or Richard Doe. BE