The Washington herald., 1907-01-26
FIRE AND WATER.
BY LOUISE J. STRONG.

The fever scOrched him physically and
befogged him mentally. He tossed in a
hot. restless haze, at times babbHng
childlshly Of "Mother"'-the mother.
whose loss three years before had sent
him TO the far West to try 10 forget his
hOmelessness. The struggle to master
-he new conditions attendant on ranch
Ifs had taken him out of himself and
done him good, and as success crowned
his efforts, dreams of a home again, made
so by the presence of a sweet-faced girl
wife, lightened his toll
They were only dreams as yet, for he
held himself humbly and had hesitated
to offer his love until he felt that his
affairs were on firm basis. financially.
as they would be when his present album
dant crop was harvested.
In his partial delirium and hazy wan
dering he muttered now the long re-
pressed confession, whispering IL eagerly
with feverish Impotence for the response
his heart hoped for.
At length the silence, which lay like the
pail Of desolation upon the lonely little
shack. was broken by heavy footsteps on
the planks at the door. and a burly fellow
strobe in with a noisy greeting; Hello,
Harris, Laid up, hey?'
The sick man reused TO consciousness
and smiled feebly: How do, Lamson
Glad you came in. Yes, I've been laid up
"a bit-can't remember how long-fever
muddIes my head" His speech was
broken and dragged thickly.
"Ain't wanting 20 eat, much, I s'pose,
and good thing that is, too Tor an old
bach that's got nobody"
Harris winCed-mOther had been in his
sick fancy so much. and with such vivid
ness. that his bereavement seemed but
q few days back. With an effort he re-
piled:
Il want nothing but water. and Slade
brings me a pail full mornings. when he
doesn't forget. as he did to-day" He
gestured toward the empty bucket on thc
chair beside the bed, but the visitor did
not notice il; nor the longing in the fever
red eyes and the cracked lips.
Doctor. of course" he minated.
briskIy.
NO. slade wouldn't go for him, and
no one else's been in"
''Slade wouldn't go, IA, IA, guess not
muchi You don't get the old grounding
that far from his hole back of the hill.
Everybodys buster than in sheeps-shear-
ing time, you know, harvesting their
grain Reason no ones been along.
reckon. I'm through in fine shape. I tell
you,-and I've promised myself and gang
20 Snyder for d week-and mani you'd
ought TO be looking after yours.-It's
spelling fast, l noticed" He laughed at
the startled expression that widened the
hollow eyes. Forgot it, had your Well,
you want 20 see to it right away. I must
mosey. I'm out on a sweet errand. Got
my new house done; it's a beaut too, and
furnished tip-top. And, now the cage is
ready, Pm going up TO settle the date
Of taking home my bird. Lzzie's fought
shy, but she'll pull steady when We're
tied, all right Ha, ha"
"Lizzie2' Harris repeated vaguely, his
voice hesitating and troubled.
"Surel Lizzie Bradley-LamsOn. Kind
o. tidy name I take it, something like
those swell New Workers, ha, ha,'' He
roared boisterously at his flash of wit.
"Well, hope you'll pull up soon. So
long," He stamped away, whistilng, leav-
ing the door open.
In the silence that again closed upon him.
Harris lay and stared out at the CULVER
ing heat waves and little dust eddies that
whrled in at times, aggravating his burn
ing heat and thirst. But he did not
notice them He was striving to steady
his thrObbing brain and analyze the tor
turing inner sense Of pain and loss which
now intensified his bodily distress.
The crOp-the C-r-O-p2-that was all
right-it was great; he could put up the
dainty cottage he had planned SO often
these last months since the promise OF
early summer had shown such abundant
fulfllment in the Tipening fields. The crop
the crop?-who said IL was spoiling,-it
was all right-he would begin on it to-
day-when he had a drink-he could
drink the well dry, He fumbed clumsily
with the bedding, and essayed to rise. but
fell back ineTtly, a little foolish smile on
the parched lips. His head was so big
he had not known ones head could be so
big-and heavy-and the c-r-o-p?-the crop
was all right-he would build the cottage
-for-for Lizzie. Lizzie, He cried out
hoarsely. with a pang OF anguish at the
sudden. dull recognition of his loss. There
was no Lizzie for him-none-none.-nor
had been-what mattered the cropi-let il
spOn,-what mattered anything now Lizzie
-Liz-z-i-e-bird-cag e-LiZZie Brad-Liz.
He scowled impatiently. He could not get
the name right-his head was so big-he
was so hOt-bUTning. Mother,-where was
mother Was she in the fiery lake that
Elder Watson had SO scared the little
boys with-he hadn't meant to be a bad
boy-mOther knew-she would keep him
but he was so hot-burning. Water
ter,-Lizzie-Liz-zie Brad-ley-Lamson,
Lizzie Bradley? Lamson, The peTplexed
look deepened to a froWn of pain. and
trouble; he had found her name and as
he drifted farther and farther from con-
seriousness, he carried her name with him
back 10 little boyhOod. tangling il with
his brothers, but never losing il entirely
again. Lizzie Bradley amsOn-be careful
Davy-mother said not 10 go too near the
bonfire-but he did, Joe, the careless one
and now he was burning, burning
mOther-Lizzie Bradley-LamsOn.
''Oh you poor, poor boy, Bring some
water. quick"
Did some one speak, or was it-again
the little. foolish smile cracked the
parched lips-he had known mother would