Arizona republican., 1901-03-04
CHAPTER a.

He was too nearly exhausted to take in the situation at once. but lay quite still in dreamy repcse, grateful for the tcunquil quiet.
 Iruant reason returned and ran away again in agitated little nutters. like a timid bird within thc serpents charmed radius. But it came back and stayed at last; then he carefully pulled up the hfcless body. re1ased his stiffened fingers and stood up. leaning against the clamny wall for support.
 The stars were all ahutter with ex- citement. The sky was pellucid. only ilecked here and there by scurrying, cr,nging clouds. The light was dim, but his stralning eyes picked out a reckless trail down the precipice to the canor's he'd. where lli;le pScls g,inted and smiled as they craw-fshed into the voracious sand.
 Picking up the flimsy body he .lalt- ingly descended. When he reached level ground he gently laid the burCi n down and began eagerly the work of resusci- tation. He laid him on a flat rock. face downward. and slapped and pounded and rubbed: he rolled him about and breathed into his gaping mouth.
 After long time he laid his hand on h.s heart, and strained his soul u catch the faintest tremor. There was not the flicker eff the pulse; not a ray of hope. He was dead.
 For a moment Jack was stunned and st05d wringlng his hands in speechless agonr His face still bore the twin-like resemblance for 1t was as white and tf7n ss ly cc fhc mn,
 Then sweet Hope the darling daughter universally beloved, w,lisp- cred to his wilting soul faint words of cheer.
 Snatching up the dead. and twining It's Timber arms around his neck. and placing it's wet cold cheek against his own. he hurried away to trail he knew led t1 the wooded uplands.
 He stumbled to the top. panting and weary almost to death but Tlusing not a moment for rest or breath he staggered on into the night toward the Harpoo ranch only five miles away.
 Not once did he lay his burden Ci)wn curing that ,ong Journey; not once did he pause or ha,t. though his very bones achc1 and his own life seemed ebbing away.
 How he reached home he never knew. but there it loomed from cut the shad- ows at last. It was 90 changed he scarcely knew it. The rooms Jim ha added for his bride had not been built when he last saw the place. Then, as he halted a second to shift the burden and make sure of the place. 1t all came to him. They-iis sweetheart and his cousin--were to be married soon and these Improvements were for the m take advantage of weakness, surged over him. and ravenous devils pricked and tan;llized him into agony. But he only wavered for moment. thank God, 1laen. flinging the devils with their snapping jaws behind him. with one hand. he clutched the corpse tighter with the other and ran as fast as his weary l.mts would carry him into the old familiar room and laid 1t on the rude bed they had shared in the old. happy days.
 He tore off the wet clothing in fever ish hG'ste: then soon had n fire blazing. Bringing stimulants from the little corner cupboard he renewed his efforts. He wondered why his cousin kept so much liquor in the house.
 There were m neighbors for miles around so there was no hope of assist ance. He determined to figt,r the grim