Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1900-1903, 1902-08-29

80
O drop of the element OF which they
were In search Their tongues were
! bligtered They drank sparingly Of
| the water in their canteens, pressed
on for another hour and then knew
that they must return.
Back they started. They followed
their own onward trail as well as they
could, but at times it was lost, and
then circling was necessary to take it
up again. At noon they lost it. and
could not find it again, There was a
great jagged rock rising to the west
ward which neither recognized,
sLieutenant," said Barlow, were
going wrong. We never came this
way. The sun doesn't sit right. Tt
should bear more to our right. be-
lieye that we are going almost direct
| " at right angles to the camp"
They circled again and again, but
no trace of the trail. Then the con-
clusion forced itself on Tracy that
they were lost They wandered on I'M
til the. sun went down beyond the.
black rocks. Then they each drank
sparingly of the precious contents of
the canteens, and lay down on the gray
desert to sleep,
The sun came up like red-hot
round shot. Tracy and Barlow ate the
last of their single ration, and took
one swallows of water apiece. Then
on they went again. Twenty-four
hours passed. The sun came up once
more, and with its coming they stag
gered forward The canteens were
empty. They looked for the cactus
whose leaf yields juice that helps
fight off the demon of thirst, They
could not find it. The only vegetation
were occasional clumps of stunted
prickly pear cactus, the juice of whose
leaves acoentuates thirst,
Another "a hours, The men cheered
each other on like the. soldiers they
were. Tracy began to feel the coming
Of delirium. Oh, for draught Of wa
ter! He looked ait Barlow. The mans
eyes were burning but they had a
courage in them, and something else
in their depths which Tracy never be-
fore had seen there. On and on and
on. They could not go farther. Sud-
denly Barlow turned to Tracy and said
in a voice that was choled from the
olutehing of thirst's hand at his
throat. Lieutenant, was afraid that
we might be tempted to drink this long
ago, so / saved it for the Last 5extremi-
ty. Lieutenant, have one good drink
of water apiece left in my canteen,"
BARLOW shook the canteen, and Tracy
| heard the plash of the water within.
Drink, Barlow, said Tracy, 'sdrink.
You saved it, and it should be yours.
Drink, drink it. say. 1t may give
you strength to go on. If you get
back, boy, and the men strike water,
ask them to come after my body
Tracy was Keeling His brain was
awhirl and his whole system on fire.
"Lieutenant,. said Barlow. 81 had
| more In my oanteen than you had in
yours when we started, Men In an
extremity Iike this should share and
share alike. I'll take my cup and
we'll divide the water
lis there enough for the two and to
do any good g' 's'aasked Tracy.
Yes" said Barlow. zone good drink
for each
anrink arst.s said Tracy. 'sI'll not
touch drop till my command is
served, 4 A.
SAL right, sir" said Barlow,
Tracy turned away for a moment.
He heard the gurgle of water. Would
it never come h is~turn to drink? Bare
/ low spoke ssLieutenant, I'm afraid
u took more than half. Here is what's
left"
He poured the water gurgling from
The caSteen into the cup There was
q good round drink. Take It, lieu-.
tenant" said Barlow, II had more
than that"
Tracy seized the cup and drained it.
Oh, the joy of It., New life went surg
ing through him. His eyes cleared.
He looked at Barlow There was no
new life in the mans eyes. His lip was
dropping.
sBarlow,' said Tracy, almost fierce
~, ssyou deceived me.t You never drank
drop"
Something like a smile came into
Rarlew's face.
Forgive me, lieutenant" he said.
shut there was only enough for one"
and then he staggered and fell for
ward Tracy caught him in his arms,
and, weak though he was, managed TO
support the burden.
ssLieutenamt" whispered Barlow,
ego on. You are strong enough and
may reach the camp. If you do just
come back and bury me here.
Then the man drew his officers head
close to him and whispered something.
Barlow almost let fall his burden.
eyes, it's true, was the guilty one.
and your brother was innocent and a.
| sacrifice. Take this" and he drew
paper from his blouse and put it in
Tracy's hand. Forgive me- lieuten-
ant he said, and as he spoke his
/ empty canteen swung from his side
and struck against Tracy's knee.
| Forgive you? Yes, Barlow" he
said.
! The enlisted man looked up, smiled,
4 and then there was but one living soul
! in the desert.
/ Tracy let his burden gently to the
earth, and then he pressed on, for now
/ there was an added life in his veins
and an added interest in living. He