Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1904-03-10
II DL-I IlCEIl TTN T

tiltHis lHSiF NOTSeS UOOIS were muI-
fed in the thick dust Of the road;
they drew near without attracting at
tention. Then the woman, alert and
watchful for the safety of the man,
slipped down from her horse and stole
up TO the uncurtained window and
looked in. She went back "a the man,
who waited with the ia LEI. beasts in
the shadows, and report what she
had seen: an old man sitting at a Ia
bic and a young girl lying on a couch.
81 don't know this place" said the
man: "it's out of my reckoning alto
gether. II seems almost as If we
must have turned from the main road
and struck something out of the beat
Ell track. Go ahead, Joyce; see what
you can find out; see if they've got
a drink or a bite anywhere"
She went back to the house, lifted
the latch and walked in. The old mar
turned his head slowly at the sound,
and looked at her with those wild
eyes. She went forward into the
room and stood in the light. so that he
could see her fully.
1--WE lost my way" she said, in a
c~uriously refined voice, sharp though
it was with fear and hunger, "and am
afraid to go on tonight. I've eaten
nothing for many hours-drunk moth
ing: if you could give me a little"
The old man burst into a wild laugh
and pointed at her in derision. "Give
you something's" he cried. Cant you
see for yourself there's nothing here?
Look round these walls; this is what
they have brought me down to. |
don't ask for food, or drink, as other
men ask; l only want a little-only a
very little-of that wondrous stuff that
shall send me to sleep. Such a little
thing to ask-such a small thing.
They call it opium-and you take it
and mold it up"-he moved his thin
fingers softly and laughed in his
throat-"and then but three whiffs-
and then-Paradise! Can you give
ne that? ! don't ask food don't
want food; give me only a little-a
mere pinch-of opium!"
He started up and looked round the
ROOM, and stretched out his long arms
imploringly toward her a she did so.
Presently, after a restless motion OF
two, he stopped at the head of the
gaudy couch and looked down at the
girl upon it. He even stretched a
hand toward her as though to stop
that ceaseless motion Of her head;
drew back and shook his own.
She's dreaming now; don't you
see her? They say she won't wake
again; better for her-much better, for
her. Suppose. like me, she woke and
found the Palace of Dreams gone? oh,
much better for her as it is"
'Is-is she dying?" asked the WON
an, in a whisper.
Dying; that's the word" said the
old man. "She used to move about
quickly and happily, once; we all come
to this at the end. "I'm d~ying-dying
for want of one little bit of the pre-
cious stuff that shall put life into me
again. She wanted food; I didn't want
that. II l might only, for the last
time, have ever so little Of it-just to
send me into dreamland again.
could forget. Only one little precious
bit of opium!"
She went outside again and found
the mar who Wanted with the horses.
In the faint light Of the stars they
looked into each others eyes.
"Well?"
Nothing to be got there" she re-
piled, in nanswer to the abrupt ques-
ton. "An old fool-raving mad; a
young girl-dying Of fever, / should
think. What will you do? They don't
seem to have a thing in the house
neither food nor drink o anything"
The man frightened his belt and then
drew out a revolver and looked at 1t.
I'm going down into the town." he
said. Drink I must have. and food"
you know the risk?" she asked. in
a querulous whisper. "The sheriff
and his men may be waiting"
IF they are, you know what they'll
get" he said, as he swung himself
into the saddle. you'd better wait
here till I come back-if l do come
back. I'll get what l can and find out
what I can"
Very we'll" she replied, in the tone
of one used to giving obedience to
him. "I1l wait"
He had gone but a dozen yards when
he swung the animal round and came
back to her. There's to be no back
ing down now, Joyce" he said, in q
fierce whisper. You're not the one to
desert a man, eve though fifty men
are out securing the country for him.
II they catch us wen make . fight
for II, eh?"
Il haven't failed you yet" she said,
In a level voice; and, only half salts
fed, he rode away.
She went back into the crazy wood
en- house. The old man hadsunk again
into his former attitude by the table;
he scarcely even looked ap as she
went in After all. she had but to kill
time until. this horrible waiting was
over. and she could fly again with the
man whose troubles she was sharing,
as she had shared them before. With
no real feeling she crossed to the
couch and looked down. at the girl
upon It. She had seen dying men. and
dead men not q few. She had not
seer death coming in this form be-
fore. <
The face upon which she looked