The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1905-07-27

board across the mans knee. She pulled
an old bench beside the cot and sat close
while he ate. She sugared his tea and
broke toast into HIS soup and would have
fed him as a mother feeds a sick child,
but he weakly though laughingly pro-
tested against such indignities, and pro-
ceeded to manipulate the spoons in utter
defiance OF her suggestions. He was
raVenously hungry, and In spite OF his
swollen and parched tongue, he ate with
vim and enjoyment that surprised and
teapot were drained to the last drop. Tho
man scarcely ceased for an instant unless
TO ask or answer some question. He be-
gan to look brighter handsomer, strong
err and 10 express an interest in his sur
roundnEs.
why are you here. and alone? 1t Is
the last place on earth l would expect
70 ind woman" and he looked at her
interrUgativeiy as he admired her beauty.
am alone. and. yet not alone. Ny
rather Is usually about somewhere"
frightened look crept into her eyes, and
she glanced over her shoulder at the
never forget the time" and she shivered,
father lost all his property through the
criminal machlnations OF a man whom
ne ne had believed to be his best friend.
Inc anair changed his character entirely.
He suddenly became a monument OF III
nature, resentful. domineering, cruel Be
lore, he had always been kind. patient
ana generous. The day the creditors
room, wild with excitement and sup
pressed anger. He told me he was going
70 lhe desert 70 get away from the ac-
cursed world, Would / go, or would
desert MIN like all the others? / packed
up few things as hurriedly as / could
ana we went by train 10 a town on the
Drink OF this desert. My father bought
TWO burros Of an old Mexican wood
chopper, and on these animals he packed
provisions and a few meager belongings
torn from the home life. We each took
burro 10 drive, and began the tramp
q thirty miles through the heat. the
alkall and the sands to this cabin. The
owner, an old miner. had been murdered
my father told me. Prospectors had
round his body half devoured by vultures
ana coyotes, lying across the Threshold
child, child, and you have been COM
pened 70 I've alone among these hor-
rorsI He took her hand sympathetlcal-
Y; IKE a tired child she slipped from
the bench and knelt beside the couch. her
warm cheek resting on the hand that
held her own
Yes, sometimes the isolation has been
appalling. Every month father has taken
the burros and gone to town for supplies
and many times | have begged him TO
let me 80. This life has been a continu-
Gus writing despair, and to look on a
human face would have been a luxury
past comprehension. Ny father always
became angry because OF my Wish TO see
people, and said / was ungrateful un-
hlial-that | was no child Of his. For
six weeks be had not left the place
except to prospect. but as we had al
most nothing left to eat he had 10 60
When he started away yesterday |
pleaded for breath, a glimpse of the life
q the world. This time he was more
violently angry thsi. ever. He struck
me, and hurled curse after curse over
MS shoulder at me as he tramped away
He carried huge cane, and gave vent
70 his wrath by pummeling the burros
I'LL the poor. patient beasts dropped their
great ears and fairly crouched in the
sands with each miserable blow"
How long will he be away? When wifi
ne come hack2' The man felt a violent
detestatlon for this lunatic father, and
Will.
'He will be here Tomorrow, / think
can't you-will you not try. to take me
away before he comes7 You will not
ieave me?'
There was wildness OF application pa
thos OF prayer In her voice. In her ager-
ss she had risen on her knees and bent
her face close to his. Her glorious hair
brushed his forehead. Her eyes. whore
fingered predictions Of love and passion
yet unawakened burned into his. Her
lips rich intoxicating. were close-so
close that her quick warm breath famed
his hair. His pulses rose in mighty.
thrilling tumult.
The great. renorseless desert crowded
about them shutting out the world like
an impenetrable curtain. They were
alore-thls man and this woman.
Leave your leave you. dariing7 New
err The strength. the win, the power
ot the man were evident In his voice
He could have held her close have caught
her lips In a long. quivering kiss. but he
aid not He closed his eyes 10 shut out
her great beauty. but her breath still
mingled with his her hair brushed his
forehead. Would his struggles never
end?
Again the wall Of a coyote swept the
sand wastes. and crowded its eery tones
ka
the inmates like demoniacal influence.
The girl sprang from her knees and stood
facing the door. There stood the beast
on the threshold, fierce. grinning. pant.
ing thing with tongue protruding and
eyes ravenous with treachery and hun
ger With the cowardice so typical of
his kind. kind that deties nothing ex-
cept that which is dead he put his tail
between his legs gave a hideous parting
wall. and sped away over the pale. moon
lit stretches
The girl turned back 10 the cot and
leaned over the man He looked pale
and III. Tenderly she brushed the loose
waves OF hair from his forehead.
Dear. you must sleep You must rest.
Tomorrow you must take me away be-
fore father returns"
"But we shall lose our way IN the des-
ert, and as memories Of his frightful ex-
Derience returned a look OF terror came
into the mans eyes To expose this girl
TO such perlls seemed impossible. When
left Da gaett for the ranch that lay
few miles distant" he said. ''the rosd
wound through the sand clear and dis
unct. Then came a wind that drifted
and shifted the loose surface of the des-
ert until all traces Of rath We're obliter-
ated Then began TO founder ] be-
came confused and l struggled on aim
lessly until YOU carre TO me In the early
morning when | was wearily plodding on.
my mind fin OF morose anticipAtions. |
saw mirage Of the desert. coduettsh.
phantom picture painted on an aerial
canvas that beckoned with its realistic
bounty. II was a marvellous transforma-
tion, this springing OF luxuriant growth
out OF monotonous sterlity and desola
tion Myriads OF crystal pools smiled al
me The sand wastes bloomed with FOR
ests while herds OF horses and cattle
grazed In the cool shades. SO real II all
seemed 70 me that l caught myself lis
tening for the twittering OF birds among
again / felt like a thing discarded forgot
ten-.forgotten even BY God. The desert
heats crowded about me. The sands
glared defiance And yet you say ! must
take YOU away. guide you through this
inferno. and the man groaned Per
hRrs | can influence your father TO help
u.s.
"Nol mol you could do nothing with
him. Path or no path. we must get
away" The girl trenbled az the thought
OF remaining longer in the bleak. heat
walled prison. Death from starvation.
thirst exhaustion, will be far preferable
to the tortures Of fear. unrest and isola-
tion | have already endured But sleep
now She bent and blew a kiss that
was scarce more than a breatN against