The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1904-08-19
q Breath -
Of the Desert
a Thrilling story Of Tie IN the %.
main Of Desoiatlon.


denanuy into the unyieldlng heart OF the
desert. Nature. usually 80 nmlnbie hos
pitahlo and henenCont Elarod on the
fhaek and ita inmate. a thing demon
was unadOrncd. naked OF verduro or
good nature-a great .yawning Fremont
uon OF death and evil About the tiny
habitation she wreathed nor acorchinE
breath, while heT emissariea. tho hurry
Ing winds, whlrled and flung the hot
sands with sumocating intent. tossing
broadcast thor massiv0, infurinted
voices Rs they ragged and roared and
fought among themselves.
In the doorway OF the cabin. n door
gazing into the heated arena. which the
Creator must have constructed for the
nnal struggle Of tAe elements. She
thought half dronmlly.
Ear In the distance a couple OF whiri-
winds were running n race long. Hinu-
Gus, naturo-acrobatH that Elidcd over the
lands. gathering clouds Of dust and
mont with irreprcssible lnsolence.
MY oodr' cried the girl, with a half
stihed. sobbing breath. Twill this horror
eiihoustted IN tho ramshaode doorway,
abe YEARLY faced the desolaton that
seemed TO rldiqule her youth and beauty.
life. was somber black, and oontrasted
vigorously yet delightfully."- with her hair.
crisp. glorious. waving mnasea, half red
A. she stood looking. half shlverinE
bail, rolled slowly from the arms Of the
azure armament into the vague nhadowy
abyases beyond tho brink OF the horizon,
while ~ fast-dimming rays dsrted hith.
the grotosque, wrinkled, frownlng face
OF the omnipotent nature mend. the deH-
"suruiy, surely, l sec some one" She
ciutched the doonyed door casing 10 her
enEerness. and leaned through the hprn-
ing. straining her eyes and .gasping for
breath. 80 great was her anxiety lest tho
object fade and disappear. for tho
miragcs with their phantom loyalty.
beauty and promise, had deceived her
A hone that was Intoxicating whispered
contradiction. She shaded her eyes with
her hand 10 better shield them from the
yves, yes Il is. It f. Thank oodl II
n a human being" she gaspod. but he
4 nl-he n staggering"
She rushed inside, took a canteen from
water from a bucket In tho corner
aplnshing and splitting the precious llauid
Then out over the sands, through. the
murlsy twilight she run-ran with a
neetness, buoyancy born OF hopeful
He saw her cominE-this man worn and
fooble from his struggle with the mercl-
loss. romorselega wastes. To him she
meant life. and like one resuTrccted he
watched death. mumbling az defeat creep
away and disappear In the mlntH that
fhrouded this gateway OF the Inferno.
Al she reached him, he staggered from
FOR support. and ~ she ala 80 she felt
that warm, throbhing, pulslng life was
thoro with herewith her who for two
Ter haif-crazed father. who spent hIs
days and half his nights almlefsiy pros
peeting for a wealth that was ever
The giri was scarcely conscious that
the man was m and falntlnE. with the
ir'passloned foryor OF child with a
her vibratInE body with her strong ti,i young
arms. iie vas i'.r, Tor She had found
him. OH the ioF = Il. He VA. real.
essence from M e.rid : peopie.
not hold him, ana was clipping away
hungry VI sands S AZ hsr feet eel wSs he dead .aY
She took HIS head between her hands.
She covered the Illuminate, tired face
with VIII h kissss, She took no heed that h, he
70 her. he was simply a Leaf from tho
world book she had known and loved.
,r as should ia I'VE ee was hers rressSrs
she cooled his fevered head with water
from the cnnteon. At last. when despair.
s, Ef iessh o was EnNwWihs az heT heart.
raised himself 20 n sitting posture, his
fingers sinking into the loose sand as he
feebly bracod himself with dazed. mys-
ngure that knelt beside him-so close that
q. coil OF hor wonderful hair brushed his
''Ah, you are better. You are stronger.
You are rested. Come, we must co.
and her great hungry eyes seemed at
tuned with some infinite soul melody
This desert wRnderor was like rose
thrust through the gratings Of her prison
"A iight sent TO mumine tho gloom OF
Again she wound her strong young arms
about him and helped him TO his feet.
Again aho held him cloHe-so close no
could hear the throbbings Of hor heart.
could see the firmly rounded bosom rise
An expression OF unutterabie 10y swept
over his sunsccrched face. vague CON
seiousnesa OF reality was creeping over
him. Trembllngly he put his hand on
hor arm, almost hurt her In his eager
meas. Through her thin black sleeve he
folt the warm yielding flesh OF life.
"a womani Can il be possible7 You
arc real. Eenuinel You won't disappear,
dissolve N these ferocious heat miSts7''
shoulder. ! ~ri take YOU 70 our I cabin NJ ny
with the vlgor Of manhood dominant
in his heart he attempted 90 trudge on
wsa ipeSpaSs ana he S, wa ~ n TIay e Ss.
PEELED 20 lean against her and allow her
70 put a supportinE arm about him
Which loo @s dSrsIy IN u she gloom oS '" Phs
sands crept close ON every side, and with
the exception OF a few fantastic. Htrag.
ElinH yuccaH, and a desert willow that
stood near the cabin and rcsentfully cluna
70 the barren soil In an e1ort 10 shade
n small spring, there was Mother tree moi
shrub e P Ss t1S bisnsssssps r.,,
came the wall Of a coyote. a sound
strangely incongruous In the ddafenlng
stiffness; a cry that sped through thu
heat mistn, qulYering to an echo and
died. A SILVER Of dread went through
abe man. To such things the girl had
become accustomed. and she gave no
Together they entered the gaping open,
mouthsd doorway OF the shack The CIR
guided him through the blacknoss Of ths
single room, cautiously skrmlshing "a
avoid the stove, table and benches. The
humor Of the situation Impressed the girl
OF the room she took both his hands and
iaughingly backed him TO rude cot. rhs
Hoft haif-whispered laughter disturbed
the uncanny gloom. and after tho c0yOto'i
doleful notes. was sweetest music to th'
Now at last you are quite safe" h,
said. Now you can rest" She reaches
40 the shelf over the stove for matches
then lighted a candle The waverlnE ligh
sent the shadows scamporlng into the cor
nera and nlumined the figure Of the cir
as she moved briskly about
The man, completely exhausted, set
tiled back comfortably on The old rec
past redemption. and watched he
through haif-closed eyes, She hurrie'
out into the night, quickly reappearini
with her arms fun OF yucca wood which
her father had gathered from the gro
tesqus, spine-tipped trees that dotted IN,