The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1899-07-08
I 7 ELL, its water, anyhow said
wv the tall man. "We ought to
v v be thankful for that"

WV the tall man. I'VE ought to
v v be thankful for that"
Thankful for nothingn
@rowled the short man, who had once been
stout as we'll as short "There isn't more
shan quart, and it amt fit to drink.
You re the greatest fellow to get sunshine
out of cuoumbers! We're goners, | tell
you. I've felt it in my bones ever since
we lost the trial three days ago-or was
az four?''
The tall man smiled as cheerfully as his
1Iaggard cheeks and sunken eyes would
allow. I've read about men being lost,
fog month and then turning up all right, 1"
he said hopefully.
''You never read nothing about men that
didn't turn up, did you?" said the other
oontemptuously.
1t certainly required great deal optim-
lsnl to extract any hope from the outlook:
Il waste Of sand and rocks in the Arizona
desert. The two men were the sole living
fhings in a great bowl. Fifty miles to the
vest were mountains, barren and rocky :;
20 every osher point Of the compass stretch
ed the sandy plain, without landmark
save an occasional boulder Or small sand
dune. Above, the August sun shone down
dazzling and scorchDg: at their feet was
hrackish POOL containing perhaps bucket
dul Of water. And that was all.
You don't know anything but hooks,
.1im, continued his companion, shading
his face with his wide hat. ''In books
ahere'd he an antelope wandering around
here Just 20 give us Il meal or we'd find
spring gushing out Of a rock, or some such
miracle. But this is real, Jim, and there
amt going to be. This comes of looking
&og gold instead of working at a trade like
sensible folks"
eve amt to be blamed for trying to
better our condition, Al, - the tall man re-
Jlied, moistenng his lips with the precious
alkali water. Suppose we had found the
rnine-or suppose we find it YETI
Fiddlesticks. There you are again.
We'll, why not? Of course we expected
2sardships."
Not like this-at least, didn't, or
wouldn't have come. We might as we'll
died at the last water hole What are you
smiling at?' he wound up iiercely.
Just thinking said Jim, turning away
llis face. 'We're in fix, allow, but
awhile there's life there's hope"
iEThatis hhiSh - ratnrtal
The tall man pulled a crushed and soled
wallet out OF his pocket.
''Know what I've got here, APP he
asked.
No. Money, perhaps. It's worth heap
here
''No, not money picture
He took from the wallet the photograph
Of girl, young and smiling and passaby
good looking,
That's Lucy Adams" he explained
holding the card off at arms length as if
80 get a better look.
The short man glanced at it indfferently
'Your girl''
Yes the dearest girl in all the world
so me. She's waiting for me down East,
and when strike it rich Pm going back
TO her.
"Wel!, of all the fools' The short man
Cooked wrathfully at his companion, then
suddenly changed his tone. Poor girl!'
he muttered.
"Do you know, Al" went on the tail
E.san, laying the picture on the ground and
bending over it, "when she gave me this |
gave her mine, and she promised that every
day she'd lsok at it and there was
catch in his voce-''pray for me"
1t was nearly minute before the other
spoke; then he said, half wonderingly
as tina. what makes you think we'll
pull out Of this scrape?'