The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-03-14

$500 -ANSN ~ tAS
in California, 1897 and 1898; and when
the low lands along the coast went
dry, it was q drought indeed in the
Tehachapi Mountains, for they faced
the Mohaye desert.
On this day in June a great mirage Of
heat o%Verspread the shimmering sands,
in the sembldnce of a vast lake dotted
with islands and trees; but the heated
dryness of the bed of the Tehachapi
River dispelled all illusions as to the
lake below.
It was not the first time that Ezra
! Shaw had camped by the river. For
five years he had stopped at the same
place on his way to his prospects on
the desert, and more than once he had
seer that dry river-bed bank-hfgh with
muddy water. But to Philip West
brook, a young mining expert from the
East, it seemed a very unreasonable
precaution to cross the river-bad and
camp upon the hot mesa when there
was such a fine cottonwood tree down
in the bottom.
How long since there's been a food
in this stream?" he demanded, when
Ezra drove past the cottonwood on his
way to a scrubby juniper on the oppo-
site bank.
Lets see," said Shaw. ut was two
years ago last Saturday"
"Well, if that's the case, let's camp
down under that cottonwood. I'll risk
q cloudburst to escape q sunstroke any
day"
1t was frightfully hot on the open
mesa, but a cool breeze drew up the
canon and famed the cottonwood
leaves into a soothing rustic. Far up
above the mountain heights puffy thun-
dcrcaps doomed against the sky, radiat-
ing a sultry, oppressive heat.
Ezra Shaw looked them over critical
ay before he made reply.
Gas I was saying" he continued,
ait was two years ago Saturday, and
The weather was hot and muggy, just
like this. You see that mark on the
cottonwood tree down there, about six
feet above the ground? That's where
the water came. Came quick, too. Do
you want to chance it,"
81 certainly do" replied Westbrook.
-Those clouds have hung round up
there for a week, and not a drop of
rain have they given up, with all their
wind and thunder"
So down in the boulder-strewn river
bed they camped, and the prospector
soon had a meal cooked and spread in
the shade of the cottonwood. West
brook was going out to inspect n of
his mines in the interests Of an East
ern mining company, and Shaw knew
the %desirability Of humoring him, even
at a slight personal risk.
But for twenty years he had lived on
the changing desert, and he knew its
extremes too well. So while he cooked
and fed the horses, he cast an occas-
ional glance up the canon. The sug-
gestion Of the act irritated young West
brook, who took it for a silent rebuke.
whats the matter with you:" he
demanded. Are you afraid a cloud
burst will jump round the point up
there and drown you where you
stand",
An indulgent smile wrinkled the heat
blackened face Of the old prospector.
1.-TWO years ago last Saturday I saw
something like that happen" he said.
"a teamster was camped here at the
time. That's one Of his wagon wheels
down there by the lone cottonwood on
the knoll. He didn't get drowned, but
he was sure surprised. And now, if
you have no objections, I reckon I'll
hook up and pull out Of here. 1t looks
kind of black away up there on the
peaks"
"Well I'd like to rest a little in this
shade before we go On, but of course
If you insist"
mo insist about it! None at all! You
just lie right down and rest, and I'll
harness up and drive out Of. this river
bottom. It hasn't rained in a long
time, but if that water up there hap
pens to come this way, it will come on
the jump. It's ten miles up to where
you see that black cloud, but it's all
down hill"
Without seeming to hurry, Shaw
packed the dishes in the wagon and
set about Harvesting his horses.
Yet if he had been alone he would
have worked like lightning. A great
hush lay over the deep canon, and the
wind blew in little gusts toward the
towering thundercaps, which touched
the mountain peaks with a base of inky
and frightful blackness.
From that black base rain was fall
ing somewhere. And whichever canon
happened to receive that torrent at its
head was SURE to be swept like a great
sluiceway. On those peaks the rain
, did not fall in mere drops-it fell in
sheets. 70
In the canon Of the Tehachapi,
SCARED and secured by the torrents Of
the past, a tense silence settled. Even
to Philip Westbrook, doing lazily in
the shade, the stiffness seemed ON
inous.
He raised his head and idly watched
the old prospector as he climbed into
the wagon.
"Going to leave me-" he asked. a lit
tie s%cornfully.
That's right" replied Shaw. "And
if you'll take a FOOLS advice you'll get
out If this wash quick"
He turned his head up the n and
listened a moment. Then he kicked
of the brake, yelled to his horses, and