Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1899-04-28
The Life of a Man

SIT is a question" Prof. Kirlshoffer
said, quietly. between this and
that"
Saying thus, he looked down at the
two objects between which choice had
10 be made. "This" was a man, a
brown-skinned man of the upper Asian
steppes. 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
SILVER shook him; silent, except when
his parched lips moved in the inarticu-
late mutter of delirium. The profess
sor's gaze did not linger upon this pite-
GUS figure. It travelled to ''that"-two
loads OF clay tablets, evidently Of ex
treme antiquity, and closely covered
with strange cuneiform character
which had just been carefully strapped
by his companion to the backs of two
lIneeling camels.
Seeing we are now reduced % two
bensts only" be went on. his eye shift
ing for an instant to the body of a
third camel which lay dead some 20
yards off, "seeing also that we are in
waterless desert, probably "a hours
ride from the nearest well, and that this
man is a dead weight on our hands"
"You don't dream of abandoning the
poor chap" 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 oc-
casionally betraying a vein of senti-
mentality altogether out of place in
connection with scientific exploration.
Kirkhoffer had had inconvenient ex-
perience of this popularity more than
once during the year spent with Hard
ing in the remote businesses of Thibet.
you wouldn't leave him here TO
die?" the Englishman persisted.
The professor rubbed his forehead
thoughtfully. Hes bound 10 die soon
in any case"
81 don't see that at all. II we can
keep him alive till we get out of this"
Impossible, my friend. lie cannot
walk aud these two camels cannot car
~ him in addition to you and me and
the tablets"
Then leave some of the tablets be-
hind"
The professor fairly gasped for
breath.
"Leave-leave behind some of the
tablets?" he stammered. leave the
records of civilization to which the
Areadian is thing of yesterday-to
be swallowed up by the next sand
storm? Give my great discovery, the
greatest of the century, MANNED and
imperfect, 10 the world? Harding, you
must be mad. What's the life Of q
Khirgiz Tartar beside these priceless
things?"
Kirkhoffer's short sighted eyes
CLEANED angrily behind his glasses; his
voice was thick with passion.
Whats a Khirgiz Tartar9" be
CROWDED, like a wild animal.
He's q man, anyway" Harding re
torted- Suppose ] refuse to leave thi.
fellow"
"Then"-the professor became all al
once ominously cool-"I shall be forced
10 remind you that am the head Of
this expedition and yon my salaried as
sistant. Also that these animals ar,
my property. ] go and they go Will
me. You can join the party or not, as
You please"
Harding grew pale. THAT is thu
choice you offer me? Then / say YOU
are BLACKBOARD"
And I say" indfrerently, that 70,
are fool. Come. will you mount2"
'No." furiously
The German shrugged his shoulders
"Have it your own way" he said. And
I gathering up the long leading reil
which he had fastened TO the head o
, one camel, he prepared to seat himsel
on the other
? But here Harding sprang upon hin
suddenly. mo, you don't!" he cried
"You shall Beave me one. you brute
? though it were hundred times you
) property"
"Stand off" the professor cried.
IIarding's answer was TO close wit
, him silently; and there ensued a tria
, Of strength whereby the issue SCENE
, for several minutes doubtful. The me
were not III matched. Kirkhoffer wa
: the taller and heavier, but then h
was also the elder by 90 years and Han