The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1902-11-28

DOUGLAS FELL IN HEAP OVER THE
YOUNGER MANS WEAPONS.
air contains over 100 degrees of kiln
dried heat, the great thirst is born.
You see the heat racing upward in
palpitating waves. The valves of your
heart burn The blood scalds in your
veins The great thirst is fighting for
the moisture in your brain-your san
ity.
1t cracked the wuman's lips and
drank from them. The cracks healed
and the great thirst tore them apart.
She lost the power to move, even to
toss her head She strove for the
power to suffer, to know. Gradually
her eyes closed Conquered. When
they opened again, she raved, quite
mad The power of acute sensation
was gone.
In a rough claim shanty across the
valley the young prospcctor smiled
hopefully into his firstborn's eyes as he
raised the cup to its lips. Then he
walked 10 the door and the smile fad
ed. Two weeks before Molly had left
them-him and the baby boy-to get
the assay and record their claim. She
had laughed at his fears. She know
the country by heart, and while she
Travelled would dig further and fur
Their into the precious vein. When she
returned, they would go TO Los Angeles
and stay till the great heat died down.
lie glanced across the valley to the
point where he knew their first home
stead stood. He loved its rough rubblc
walls. He had brought Molly there a
bride He looked at the thermometer.
1t stood 1870 in the Shade. And still the
babe in the shack crowed.
He left the shanty and walked to the
ledge of rock that held fortune for him
and Molly. Then his alert black eyes
caught sight of a horseman leading a
pack burro down the narrow trail.
Skirtfng the canyon wall, the prospect
or reached the path to the forlorn claim
shanty. The child was crying. Taking
the little one in his arms, he ran to the
brook and dipped it in the water; then.
filling his canteen, he hurried back to
the shanty and laid the little one on its
bed. Snatching his rifle, he advanced
to meet the stranger.
With a muttcred oath he recognized
the man as Douglas, the assayer. Mol
ly must have gone to him after all in
spite of her husbands warnings. And
Douglas knew of their strike!
Whats wrong?" asked the stranger,
pausing at sight of the gun.
"What brought your
Douglas scowled ominously.
"Well hearn' bout your find, thought
you might take notion to sell"
Il amt selin' -leastwise to you,' re-
piled the prospector significantly. There
had been bad blood between them ever
since Dan Donovans Molly had shown
her favor for the penniless prospector
and had scorned the crafty, unscrupu-
lous assayer. There amt room for
both of us in these diggin's. You'd bet.
ter scoot.
He turned TO the house. and bullet
tore its way through his hat He
turned quickly. Douglas had dropped
back of the trees that edged the creek.
The prospector dropped to the ground,
stretched fiat and began to throw up
the earth in front of him. Bullets
whiZZed around him. wish to the
Lord was nearer the shack" he NUT
tered to himself, but maybe I'll catch
him fore shutdown" The breastworks
were foot high now, and his rifle was
pointed over the top. his keen eye
Slancing along the barrel.
So an hour went on. Two bullets
struck him. but he made no cutlery.
The great thirst stole up from the
ground. and he fought it off until the
gun sight danced on the barrel. lie
reached for his canteen. but two more
bullets from the man who lay by the
creek emptied it for him.
The enemy began to tempt.
want water? Give it to you fur
that claim"
The prospector was mute.
From the shanty came the faint cry
of the child, pa-dink-dink!"
The prospector kept his cramped fin
gers locked around the trigger. His
lips set firm. but there was agony in
his eyes
"That you're kid cryin'T'
M answer