The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-02-17

yoerlOper called upon the beasts BY
name and urged them forward. Water
they knew WAS there. and water they
would have.
Tile whlpi why don't you take the
whip. you seheIms? Where Is IT. roar
ed the infuristed Bosr, rising and gler-
lng about the wagon.
AS he went forward he stumbled over
the baby and lts box. upsettiug 4 and
sending the child rolling across the
floor OF the wagon, where It lay 10 q
ball on heap Of skins, Growing With
delight. People 50 seldom played Games
with it.
The goer thrust the empty box back
against the side with his foot. and
snatched up the bamboo whip handle.
Poising It carefully above his head In
both hands, he gave a little preliminary
flourish, but the end was caught in
SomethinE-the brat again, curse It!
II opened wide eyes Of pleasure at
him, holding IN rs dlmpled wrists,
wound round With the end Of the lash,
With q savage oath he kicked Il OF
the end of the wagon Into the midst OF
the struggling cattle and brought the
great whip down upon them with all
hts force. Again and again 1t uncoiied
and whizzed down With u crack Ike a
rifle shot cutting into the steaming
thinks OF the plunSlng mob until they
beloved again. Scared and bleeding,
dsafened by the report of the whip and
the hparse yells OF the men, the mad
dened beasts Strengthened out, and with
KLAUS ard the voerlOper Juggling at the
leaders, heads, strained painting up The
further bank OF the drift, the wagon
crsaklnE through the rocky river bed
behind them, and then tFailed YEARLY
forward into the dusk.
And when all was still the lizards
came out Of the crevlces, only to scut-
Tie back with a whisk Of their tails,
There was water in the drifh nOw--red
water, dripping softly down between
the stones and sinking into the thirsty
sand. overhead sailed vulture In
over narrowing circles. And then the
night fell.
II was late that evening before Klaus
crawled stealthily away from the wa
gon. taking a fnll beaker Of fresh va
gon from the pool and his supper; the
Baus was very angry with him because
the wagon had stuck in the drift
though how could he help It IL the oxen
would not be driven7-and had forbid
dsn him to leave the wagon to see Bet
ia. But no Baas could keep him from
doing that. no matter how many hid.
lngs he got for II.
He walked back as far as the edge of
the drift and sat there waiting. He
could not see far tonight, for there
was no moon. only the half light Of the,
stars. ard the bottom OF the drift
yawned black at his feet A prowllngI
5ackal snarled close by, and at his APP
proach great vulture. gorged with the
remains OF some worn-out trek OK that
had fallen there to die. though he did
not remember noticing 1t, had tapped
heavily OF into the night,
klaus waited for many hours, but the
girl did not come. OF course. having
the baby to carry again would make
her take longer; for Baas Jakob had
told him how he had seen It roll of the
wagon that morning trying to reach
big tortoise on the road, aud crawl at
ter It unhurt. and how he had watched
Il there until BETA had picked It up
when she came along. stlll she would
catch them up next evening. and he left
the water beaker and the food tied up
in a piece Of rag under a heap Of stones
in the middle OF the road 50 that the
aasvogels could not gel at them, and
BETA might md them there In the
morning.
But BETA did not catch the wagon
up next evening. or the next.
Fonr days afterward they had pass
ed the edge of the desert and Outspan-
ned among the shady tamarisks and
The willows by the banks Of the Great
River.
Never mind, Klaus" said Raas Piet
kindly pattIng him on the shoulder
hunger is bad death; butiit is Gods
will. Besides,' he added, With a smile,
there are yet many good sssls In Bass
utoland. But you Will stay with Baas
Jnkob and me yet a blt2''t
II stay with yOu--and Baas Jakob,"
answered Klaus simply. ''lie treats
me as well as any other Baasi"