The Cairo bulletin., 1906-05-09
A Desert Drama

the lonely military post on the edge of
the Mojave desert you saw nothing
but sand and scrub and cactus. No
living things were to he found out there
except the serpent and the lizard.
Only the vulture spread his wings 10
6y over IT,
IN the rank and file Of the army this
lonely frontier post was called the
Death post Not that there was more
sickness there than elsewhere. but that
an average OF four men per year went
out from il and were heard of no more.
They were always private soldiers. and
they were always men who had acted
queerIy for days before. They had
been found hroodmg or weeping They
had ceased to laugh or smile. There
was fear in their eyes. one by one
at intervals they had quietly gone
forth at night, and when their alb
sencc had been reported the surgeon
had gently said TO the commandant
1t is not dcsertion The men have
been awed and terrorized by the pres
ence of the desert Ii has drawn them
TO itself. Out there on its bosom there
will be another skeleton. +"
The commandant may have agreed.
but he could not so state IN his OIL ial
reports. II must be missing or "de,
sertion." lii time his superiors de-
mandcd explanations and limited al
laXity OF discipline They even sent
him to Il new field and seut an iron
man TO replace him. a colonel. who
laughed Al the desert and fell no awe
Wien he looked up at the rugged cliffs
which the brawling river had cut It's
way through when the world was
younger by "A million years. His pan
acea for lOnesomencsS. for homoslck.
ness aud for sentiment was drill and
plenty of it, He would give the men
no time TO think. When they told him
that Private Parker was acting queer
~ he had the man before him and ,
cursed and threatened and ridlcued. !
Two nights later. when the midnight +.
relief came around to Parker's post II .
found his muskct lying on the ground
but the man himself was missing
He heard the call of the desert. and
he has gone to his death" whispered
his comrades.
The man is deserter, AMI | will .
have him back here within two days /
or resign my commission exclaimed .
the man of iron
Squads were sent out, ana the search .
continued for three days without sue
cess Then the commandant deter
mined 10 put the post to shame and kill
sentiment and superstition at blow
He mounted his morse and rode away
over the desert. lie would find the de-
serter and bring him IN. He believed /
the man had taken food and drink
with him and pushed for the mining
towns on the other edge Of the sea OF
sand He should he overlaulcd and all
example made OF him. They watched
-he colonel take a straight course over
he sands, which were Just beginnin.
o heat up under the morning sun Of q
summers day He was strongly mount
ID and carried water and provisions.
The colonel had figured that the dc
erter could not have made over forty
n fifty miles. That would not he half
vay across the desert Despite the
eat the horse had covered that dis
ance before the sun went down The
olonel had seen skeletons AZ he rode
the skeletons of men and OF animals
o the right and left and ahead Of him.
Ie had derided them. He had noted
hat two great vulturcs lowered over
i'm as he rode, looking down on him
lways. but uttering no croak or cry
lie had smiled at them \ thousand
lines lie had east his eyes around him
nd taken in the drearncSS, but he had
lughcd it to scorn. And now night
ad come. and he was as much alone
5 If there had been no other human
eng on the face of the world. lie
te and drank and sought sleep, II
rould not come. He counted the stars
bove him: he counted the numerals;
g cursed himself a. being more fool
;h than a woman.
or sudden the officer found himself
lifting NJ and staring out into lhc
light and listening 50 intenlly that be
elected the movements of a lizard
ards away. The situation was get
ing on his nerves. and he struck
imself in anger as he realized II. DO
What he could. he could not sleep A.
e looked out across the sands he
bought every cactus a moving figure
every figure an enemy. Ills horse
remblcd and perSpired and snorted
nd finally broke away He listened
o the thud OF its h0ofs uhtll they
uite died away, and then he sat with
lis face IN his hands He had snccred /
[ and ,derldcd the desert. hut the
esert had conquered the man ~ iron.
Who can tell Of the next day. with its
lazlng sun roasting and scorching:
he frightened horse had gallopcd
niles away. The mans footsteps sank
eep into the shifting sands al every
lovc. and the scrpentS and lizards
nd cactus were ever before him.
.bove him the vulures were always
oycring and waiting, and IL he shook
4 iSt ut them and dared them TO
ONE down and give him battle il was
0 new thing 10 Them They lnid seen
Their men do the same