La Junta tribune. (La Junta, Bent County, Colo.) 1881-1939, 1906-09-15

oh. I don't know" the boy answer
cd eareie<siy- Il walked up from ths
coast three months ago. You see. !
dtin't have money enough for . horss
and . good outfit aud needed the out
at most Besides. I WAS raised % .
farm and am used to walking. a man
I met carried my OUTFIT to the minss.
and I pegsed on BEHIND
And nov you are going back homs
empty handsd?- the Boer asked. sar-
eastie,liy.
NO. indeed.- quickly Il dtAnt
come here for fun I'm going u college
come time. and that takes m0ney: anA
Eve got half d0aea beothers and -
teru who are planning for diRersae
thing II Vas easiest fae me to leave.
70 all OF them put in their savings 10
ward my expeoses- OF courne I doa't
expect To get rich." frankly. but shall
work hard to take back enough to st
~ all . good start"
The Bner grunted-
why are you going back. then. with
o0t your outfty' hs demanded
Got to have something to eat" ths
boy answered easily. II went TO the
mines first. but the only opening was to
wosk for somebody elss OF to buy .
claim At q fabulous price. 30 I shoul-
dered my outft and struck o6 prOs-
Pecting. kept Il up three weeks. ard
now" his eyes flashing eagerly into IT,
grim ones above him. Il believe I've
found a spot that will turn me In . Lot
Of money. But I'm out of provisiOas
and must go back after a supply.
don't suppose you have any you would
selly'
NO" shortly. but where's your out
nt?"
"Oh. I've concealed that In the sand
guess It'll be all right Anyway.
there was nothing else To do. But
didn't stop you 70 talk about myself"
colOring a little II wanted to say that
your cattle a;e awful thirsty. At home
we would drop everything to furnish
such cattle with water quick"
The Boer's face relaxed somewhat.
Even II there was no water between
four days Journey he asked con-
temptuously. 'You uitianders. who
would do all things. can make rivers as
you need them. suppose?"
days journey behind you" the boy re-
torted. land your cattle show they were
not attended to there. No matter the
hurry n man may be In. IL Ii crime to
neglect beasts as you have yours"
THE water course behind WAS dry.
as this Is. and as the next one may he. y
the Roer said. My teams have not
had water In three days. and God
knows what may happen II the next
river bed Is like this one and the last"
The boys face paled suddenly.
THE river dry" he gasped. why. I
counted on getting water there. I've
day" Then he forgot himself In con
Germ for the cattle.
"You must turn back toward the
place I've found" he cried authOrita-
lively: -it's only nve or six miles away.
There's = hole In the river bed that
has water. and It's thirty yards q
more across and several feet deep. II
will be enough TO supply your herds
for some weeks. Aud beyond II are
three or four miles OF good grazing
where the soil has not yet became dry.
II you keep on this counse the cattle
will all perish.''
The Bo..r had Strengthened up. pre-
parztory to riding on. but at this he
turned sharply.
Water" he cried. "and plenty Of II.
He raised his hand to his mouth aud
called to the men In front. One Of
them rode back. To him he gave .
quick. pereinptory order. Then be
turned back TO the boy.
do you understand what you have
done: - he demanded. This place you
have discovered will need water to
work 1t. and II we use that. as we
doubtless shall. you will lose all the
benefit OF your discovery for this sea-
SON.
The boy threw back his head ~
though to ward OF the insinuation.
THE cattle need the water more than
the land" he returned. 'If the water
Is gone when ! return with the pro-
visions. can go and prospect some
where else. and perhaps come back
after the rains set In. The folks Mt
home would not want me to put by
money at the expense Of suffering"
The Boer leaned down and held out
his hand.
1T is WELL" he said simply. You
will go back TO the basin with us. We
do not sell provisions. but we have
plenty which we will give you. And II
may be-" with a friendly twinkle han
ishing the last trace Of hardness from
his eyes. that we will he able to ad-
vance the success Of your object here"