The Washington times., 1901-07-07

in front Of them, and Immediately COL
lapsed.
When the dust cleared away. they found
that a low heap of sand dunes lay directly
across their path. Into this obstacle two
other columns at once dashed, to subside
like their predecessor, and almost before
the travellers had time to realize what
was happening a barrier of sand had
formed across the base of the promon-
tory, terminated at either end by the
edge of the precipice.
If these storms are common said
Mainwaring. Il can understand what the
evil spirits are II one of those columns
struck a camp at night, the men would
, be buried and suffocated before they we're
Yes" assented Bernstein, "and the
sand would act as a preserYative, which
would account for the curious dry condi-
tion of those corpses. You see, this dis
triCt is almost rainless, and
Very likely you're right, professor
interrupted Hiram, who had been listen
ing impatiently. but if. instead Of speck-
erlatin', you'd tell me how were to get
over that drift. I'd be obliged. We're in
trap, that's what we are
Couldn't we try and cut a way along
the edgec" asked Bernstein, though he
knew in his heart the futility of such an
effort
we must, If we want a little amuse-
ment and exercise. but it'd be no possible
use for anything else. Or you might build
something, professor, to fly down the
cliffs on. Thurs no use grumblln yet,
and that stuff may blow away as quick
it came
As nothing was to be gained by staring
at the drift. the whole party returned to
the camp They were all gloomy and de-
pressed. and 1t was unwise for anyone to
offer comment or suggestion. At length
Mainwaring got tired of sitting still and
proceeded to explore the rocks among
which the spring rose.
II was not very tedious undertaking,
for the highest point was not much over
ruFN algavHr fDn afnT Hlt4yN
not encouraging. The sand pillars had
disappeared. and iheir place had been TAX
en- by clouds of dust The ridge that i'm
prisoned them showed no sign of diminu-
tion. On the contrary, it appeared larger,
and, singular optical Illusion, nearer than
IT had been that morning.
Mainwaring was about to return to his
comrades when something moving at his
feet attracted his attention. Closer IN
spcction showed that 1t was bit Of cloth,
tapping in the wind. He scraped away
the sand and found that II was the soft
brim OF mans hat and. horrible to say,
that there was mans head in 1t. lie
was looking on a corpse.
After first natural feeling of repulsion,
he proceeded to uncover the body COM
plctely. Ii was that of a white man. as
was evidenced by the dress. 1t was lying
on its face, apparently just as II had been
struck down, n the hands stretched out
in front Of it, and in the claw-like fingers
were Il notebook and a pencil.
Gently disentangling these articles from
to the camp and related his adventure.
Each in turn scaled the rocks. examined
the corpse, and returned without making
an observation. Afterward Bernstein was
called upon to read the notebook out.
1t proved to be the diary OF Edward
Stainforth, of Yale University, and his
colleague, Leonard Brinkman, during an
expedition similar to that on which Bern
stein was engaged.
The early portion was of little inter-
est to the travellers and was rapidly and
impatiently skinned through. At length
they reached the date on which the eX-
peditiOn started on its fatal journey.
June G. 1Ss--Came to a plain said to
be governed by evil spirits, who come to
watch it every evening. Certainly most
uncanny looking place. Shadows turn
out to be thrown by rocks-shape very
fantastic. Indians and half-breeds refuse
to cross saying there is a better way to
north Cowardly dogs. Send them round
Brinkman and L and Sarter, cowboy,
set off alone.
IThen follow several scientific notes,
Camped near clear spring close to can
yon.