The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1904-10-25
f. 5reah
Of the Desert
, THRILLING Story OF Life In the Do
main Of Desolation.

@-@-~-@-s -
-rouching like benumbed pebble
,a,dst environments or heat horror and
VI 30 space rude shack wedged Its
49, ion toes YEARLY. yet somewhat
4E@eantiv into the unyielding heart of the
99&ert Nature, usually so amiable, hos
sSsbIe and beneficent, glared on the
Mpnk and its inmate, a thing demon
HFaI antagonlstic, repellent; here she
- unadorned, naked OF verdure or
Mspd nature-a great yawnlng Fremont
TIA of death and evil. About the tiny
tt%bttsfion she wreathed her scorching
1917 while her emissaries, tho hurry
III winds. whIrled and flung the hot
sssds with suffocating intent, tossing
sspsdcast their massive, Infatuated
voices as they, ragged ana roared and
~ the doorway of the cabin. a door
~ without a door, young girl stood
r%zing into the heated arena, which the
Meator must haye constructed for the
fapught half dreamily.
TaT in the distance a couple of whirl-
w5hds were running race long sinu-
&ss nature-acrobats that glided over the
ssTds. gathering clouds of dust and
1Mging them into the eyes Of the firma-
rssnt with irrepressible insolence.
INV God! cried the girl, with a half
ssjfed, sobbing breath. will this horror
s1ser never end?'
sTibouetted In the ramshackle doorway,
~ YEARLY faced the desolation that
sssmed to ridicule her youth and beauty.
Hsr gown, a heritage OF the past home
MI was somber black, and contrasted
V7rorously yet delightfully."- with her hair,
edo. glorious. waving masses. half red,
XII gold where rich. subdued tints Of
ss<Sbeams and pomegranate blossoms lin
Hsfed and radiated.
II she stood looking, half shivering
n4srn the heat, the sun. a great golden
XII rolled slowly from the arms OF the
sxSre armament into the vague shadowy
1bssses beyond the brink OF the horizon.
~5sIle its fast-dimming rays darted hith-
= snd thlther, Frightening for an instant
III Rrotesdue wrinkled frownin9 face
X the omnlpotent nature hend. the des-
sSurely surely, see some one" She
4lrached the decayed door casing in her
S9xerness, and leaned through the open
Ill straining her eyes and gasping for
hsSath so great was her anxiety lest the
&C fade and t,., disaBpsa,G for the
kennty and promise, had deceived her
many times Could this be another lie7
4 hope that was intoxicating whispered
eshtradiction. She shaded her eyes with
Aes hand to better shield them from the
YES yes. It is. It is. Thank Godl 1t
human being she gasped, but he
u Nl-he is staggering.
&c rushed inside. took a canteen from
4 BAL on the wall and filled 1t with
Nsler from a bucket in the corner,
aplashing and splitting the precious liquid
Qwss the earth floor in her frantic haste.
Than out over the sands, through the
murky twilight. she ran-ran with a
sadness a buoyancy born of hopeful
1nsI usiasm.
M saw her coming-this man worn and
ffeble from his struggle with the merci-
!saS remorseless wastes. TO him she
Meant life and like one resurrected he
Watched death. mumbling at defeat. creep
away and disappear I'm the mists that
shfeuded this gateway Of the inferno.
~ she reached him, he staggered from
ex1M ustion. She put her arm about him
Y1r support, and as she did so she felt
shss warm, throbbing, pulsing life was
tneFe with her-with her who for two
YaAfs had seen no human being except
pr half-crazed father, who spent his
qaF5 and half his nights aimlessly pros
pteNng for a wealth that was ever
.Xhe girl was scarcely conscious that
ths nan was III and fainting. With the
UNASSIGNED fervor of a child with a
aS@ treasure, she clasped him close to
aSz vibrating body with her strong young
SfSF He was hers, for she had found
hlsH OH the Joy OF f. He was real:
~ Fas tangible: a breath, a light, an
ice from the world of people
..1 n8 ne was becoming heavy. She could
ne hold him, and he was slipping away
ttom her, slipping as she thought to the
@s 49, ~ SANDS at her feet. Was he dead?
e. took his head between her hands.
CHI ssss, covered covered the inanimate. tired face
xlah kisses. She took no heed that he
u Mss handsome, that he was young. for
ssxsas ne was simply a leaf from the
s1sp book she had known and loved.
49, Ms< should i've; he was hers, a treasure
s%~Re ht by the desert tides TenderIy
saa Pooled his fevered head with watar
s6 sR we canteen. AT last, when despair.
~sss leech, was gnawing at her heart
ssss@s ne moved With great effort he
sw@sSsn himself to a sitting posture his
aagsrs sinking into the loose sand as I bs
tjNa& oTaced himself. With dazed. rnys-
Ees% eyes ne looked at the beautiful
al VA knelt beside him--so close thar
thesE Oh her wonderful hair brushed his
W you are better. You are stronger
I'M are rested. Come, we must 20 .
i,s,1s great hungry eyes seemed al
mn dsss.. some Infinite soul melody.
.fkfsss, tb soI wanderer was like a rose
e n IN through the gratings OF her prison
e>s1ia ton. 'he gloom OF
sS assi1 bi she wound her strong young arms
AraI sh ana helped him to his feet,
sas1S sne held him close-so close no
Nix near the throbbinRs OF her heart
lad mi lie the firmly rounded bosom rise
80 - IMPRESSION of unutterabIe iov .vant
sels.s rs sunscorched face. A vague coi,s
I'M Ts OF reality was creeping over
Il rm rremni6linEly he put his hand on
M&s Thro,,nnSst hurt her in his eager
y ha HlGHHA =
~ r,o warm yielding flesh OF life,
III mi Sar,, Can Il be possible7 You
&eu3vs g., sehulne! You won't disappear.
sY% IN these ferocious heat mists?"
&xuids, am real. Come. rest on my |
#st 4 Will take you to our cabin -"
4 hi hsar. igor OF manhood dominant |
M1nps,t a ne attempted to trudge ON |
Mk ineana s hIan But his body was
MllAS 10 Iae,s and he was finally COM |
u IN 'Sm against her and allow her |
aH1NK supporting arm about him |
AlnK lo sney trudged toward the cabin, |
! aaS Ioomed darkly in the gloom. The |
( b 9seentSoslose on every side, and with |
4 alhF7 vnpenh OF few fantastic stray |
fsa1 near ts ana desert willow thSt |
N thu be- rraTe caoin and resentfully chung |
J k<a6 - sprlng, there was neither tres ,ov |
I 6nt of IN gituate the landscape.
{ mi the nnpehetrable abyss of night |
h1neely ,, msil OF coyote, a sound |
M3nAss auuhruous in the deafening
Mt fnistss cry that sped through the |
IA quivering to an scbo anJ
III moa snlver of-iread went tbro,,gb
Z ksosne aocnS. such things the girl had
J "a s'omed. and she gave no
NsftSS ea they entered the raDiny oman
Mdsd bt NORWAY OF the shack The Girl
D HNlx rnnr through the blackness of the
j NlA the 80 cautiously skirmishIng 10
: #1f of th oVe. table and benches, The
VI When tbaSs ituation impressed the girl,
a IN ronrs .ney reached the farther end
tkEain SIS, she took both his hands snd
I'M Rsiy lacked him to a rude cot Tha
A, Hdeann ~ Hl,spered laughter disturbed
, M&M notes ioom, and after the coyote's
was sweetest music to the
az last you are ouito sat.n ~
II INV sho,ws you can rest j Shs resohnS
uI & &Rhted er the stove for matches.
h Me shador,aa nule, the wavering light