The Columbus commercial. (Columbus, Miss.) 1893-1922, 1899-04-16
A MANS LIFE.

NAaAs
Saying thus. he looked down at the
two objects between which choice had
to be made "This" was a man, a
brown skinned man Of the upper Asian
steppea He lay prone upon the desert
sand his eyes unseeing eyes, wide
open, motionless save for an occasional
twitching Of the limbs as the fever
shiver shook him; silent except when
his parched lips moved in the inarticu-
late mutter of delirium. The professors
gaze did not finger upon this PiteOus
figure. Il tRaveled to that two
loads of clay tablets, evidently Of ex.
treme antiquity and closely covered
with a strange cuneiform character.
which had just been carefully strapped
by his companion to the backs of two
kneeling camels
'Seeing we are now reduced to two
beasts only" he went on, his eye shift
ing for an instant to the body Of a third
camel, which lay dead some 30 yards
off, "seeing also that we are in a water
less desert. probably "a hours ride from
the nearest well and that this man is a
dead weight on our hands
"You don dream Of abandoning the
poor chapT' Dick Harding broke in.
The professor glanced uneasily over
his smoked spectacles. Harding was a
puzzle to him, a man Of distinguished
scientific attachments. capable Of strong
scientific enthusiasm. yet occasionally
betraying a vein of sentimentality alto
gether out of place in connection with
scientific exploration. Kirkhoffer had
had inconvenient experience of this pc
culiarity more than once during the
year spent with Harding in the remote
Businesses of Tibet.
"You wouldn't leave him here to
der the Englishman persisted.
The professor rubbed his forehead
thoughtfully. Hes bound to die soon
in any case.
81 don't see that at all If we can
keep him alive till we get out Of this
Impossible, my friend. He cannot
walk. and these two camels cannot car
ry him in addition to you and me and
the tablets.
Then leave some Of the tablets be-
hind. Il
The professor fairly gasped for breath.
"Leave-leave behind some of the
tablets3" he stammered. Leave the
records of a civilization to which the
Arcadian is a thing of yesterday-to be
swallowed up by the next sandstorm1
Give my great discovery. the greatest
Of the century, manned and imperfect,
to the worldH Harding, you must be
mad. What's the life Of Khirgiz Tar
tar beside these priceless thingsr
Kirkhoffer shortsighted eyes gleam-
ed angrily behind his glasses his voice
was thick with passion.
whats a Khirgiz Tartarr' he
growled like a wild animal.
Hes man, anyway, Harding re-
torted. Suppose refuse to leave this
fellow y
"Then the professor became all at
once ominously cool-'I shall be forced
to remind You that / am the head Of
this expedition and you my salaried
assistant; also that these animals are
my property. go, and they go with
me. You can join the party or not. as
you please. .
Harding grew pale. "That is the
choice you offer met Then say you
are BLACKBOARD.
"And / say, indifferently, "that
you are a feel Come, will you mount ?"
"Now furiously.
The German shrugged his shoulders
Have it your own way" he said.
And, gathering up the long leading
rein which he had fastened to the head
of one camel, he prepared to seat him
self on the other.
But here Harding sprang upon him
suddenly. mo, You don't, he cried
"You shall leave me one, you brute,
though it were a hundred times your
property
''Stand off the professor cried
Harding,s answer was to close with
him silently. and there ensued a trial
Of strength whereof the issue seemed
for several minutes doubtful The men
were not i'll matched. Kirkhoffer was
I
the taller and heavier, but then he was
also the elder by 30 years, and Hard
ing's naturally 1.-THE habit Of body had
known an English public school and
university training. The result Of the
conflict was still uncertain when the
professor suddenly loosed his hold and
fell back. leaving the prize Of conten-
ton. the led camel. almost in the other :
clutch Harding stopped to seize the
creatures halter and rose again, to find
himself covered by his antagonists re-
volver
''Now, perhaps, the man Of science
observed, ''you win consent to hear
reason. No use, my good friend, as
Harding's hand went briskly to his
breast pocket. 81 drew the charge
while you were asleep this morning in
view Of possible difficulties. You see,
know something Of your strange Eng
lish character. There Is nothing like
being ready for difficulties as they
arise.
Dick Harding, under the covering re-
volver. stood erect and-dumb. To
argue further with man prepared tc
commit murder on behalf Of his tablets
Of baked clay were simple waste Of
breath.
Keeping the muzzle Of his weapon
pointed full at Harding's breast, Pro.
lessor Kirkhoffer mounted his camel,