The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1902-11-26

DOUGLAS FELL IN A HEAP OVER THE
YOUNGER MANS WEAPONS.
air contains over 100 degrees of kiln
dried heat the great thirst IL 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 womans 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 rough claim shanty across the
valley the young prospector smiled
hopefully into his flrstborn's eyes as he
raised the cup TO its lips. Then he
walked TO 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 l....sied at his fears She knew
the country by heart, and while she
Travelled he would dig further and fur
ther into the precious vein. When she
returned, they would go To Los Angeles
and stay TIL the great heat died down.
He glanced across the valley to the
point where he knew their first home
stead stood. He loved its rough rubble
walls. lie had brought Molly there n
bride lie looked ut 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 Il horseman leading a
pack burro down the narrow trail.
SklrtIng 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 II In the water; then,
filing his cantccn, he hurried back to
the shanty and laid the little one on Its
bed. Snatching his rifle, he advanced
to meet the stranger.
With muttered oath he recognized
the man as Douglas, the assayer. Mol
~ must have gone to him after all IN
spite Of her husbands warnings And
Douglas knew of their strlkel
whats wrongP asked the stranger,
pnusng at sight Of the gun.
"What brought your
Douglas scowled omlnously.
"Well, hearln' bout your find, thought
you might take notion to sell"
81 amt sellin'- leastwise to you" re-
piled the prospcctor significantly. There
had been bad blood between them ever
since Dan Donovan's Molly had shown
her favor for the penniless prospector
and had scorned the crafty, unscrupu-
lous assayer. "rhere amt room for
both of us In these diggln's. You'd bet
ter scoot"
lie turned TO the house, and bullet
tore It's way through his hat. He
turned quickly. Douglas had dropped
back of the trees that edged the creek
The prospector dropped TO the ground
bllttiufh nut anu DtBui W w
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
| CHANGING 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 1t Off until the
! gun sight danced on the barrel. He
reached for his canteen, but two more
bullets from the man who lay by the
creek emptied 1t for him.
The enemy began to tempt.
want water? Give II to you FUR
that claim"
The prospector was mute.
From the shanty came the faint cry
Of the child, Papa dink-dink!"
The prospector kept his cramped nm
gers locked around the trigger. His
lips set firm, but there was agony IL
his eyes
"That you're kid cryin'p
No answer.
"wonder you don't give him drink. =