Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1907-08-23
r I.

his eyes, was following one OF the mo
~precipitous slopes of the Sierra Of thu
Wind river, at no great distance from thu
source OF the Green river, that greaI
western Colorado which pours its waters
into the Gulf of California.
1t was about seven in the evening the
traveller rode along, shivering from the
effects Of an icy wine which whistlet
m%ournfully through the canyons. Al
around had assumed a saddening aspect
in the vacillating moonbeorns. he rode
on without hearing the football of his
horse, as it fell on the winding sheet OF
snow that covered the landscape at time:
the capricious windings of the track he
was following compelled him to pass
through thickets. whose branches, bent
by the weight of snow, stood out before
him like gigantic skeletons, and struck
each other after be had passed with q
sullen snap.
The traveller continued his journey
looking anxiously On both sides of him
His horse, fntigued by a long ride, STUN
bled at every step, and in spite of the
repeated encourn cement Of its rider seem.
ed determined to stop short, when. after
turning an angle in the track it suddenly
entered a large clearing, where the close
growing grass formed a circle about forty
yards in diameter and the verdure formed
a CHEEKY contrast with the wilderness that
surrounded 1t.
"Hsaven be praised!' the traveller ex-
claimed In excellent French, there is a
spot where l. can camp for tonight with
ont any excessive Inconvenience"
While thus speaking the ira veler had
stopped his horse and dismounted. His
first attention was paid to his horse, from
which he removed the saddle and bride,
ana which he covered with his sarape, ap-
pearing to attach no importance to the
Geld. which was. however, extremely BE-
we're in these elevated regions. SO soon
as it was free the animal, in spite Of it's
fatigue, began browsing heartily on the
grass, and thus reasaured about his COM
panion. the traveller began thinking about
making arrangements for the night.
1t was no easy task to ind dry frewood
at a spot almost dsnuded of trees, and
whose soil, covered with snow, except
in the clearing. allowed nothing to be
distinguished; but the traveller was pa
tient, he would not be beaten. and within
an hour he had collected sufficient wood
ns he proposed kindlins.
"Ah ah," said the traveller, "the FIRE
will do. SO now for supper"
Then ss;HsbIiag in the double pockets,
which travellers always carry fastened to
the saddle, he took from them all the re-
quisite elements of a frugal meal that is
to say, pemmican and ~tassajo, or meat
dried in the sun. At the moment when,
after shutting up his alforgas, the trav-
eler raised his mead to lay his meat on
the embers to broil, he stopped motion
less, with widely opened mouth, and it
was only through a mighty strength of
will that he suppressed a cry of surprise
and possibly of terror. Although no sound
had revealed his presence, a man, leaning
on a long rife, was standing motionless
before him and gazing at him with pro-
found attention.
At once mastering the emotion he felt,
the traveller carefully laid the tassajo on
the enabers, and then without removing his
eye from his strange visitor, he stretched
out his arm to grasp his rifle, while say
Ing inn tone of the most perfect indif-
ference
Whether friend or foe, you are well
come, mate. IT'S a bitter night, SO if you
are cold, warm yourself, and if you are
hungry, eat. When your nerves have pc
gained their elasticity and your body its
usual strength we will have a frank ex-
PLANTATION, such as men of honor ought to
have"
The stranger remained silent for some
seconds then, after shaking his head sew
eral times, said in a low and melancholy
voice, as IL speaking to himself
Gan any human being really exist in
whose heart a feeling of pity still re-
mains?'
Make the trial, mate" the traveller an
swered, "by accepting without hesitation
my hearty offer. Two men who meet in
the desert must be friends, unless private
reasons make them im%placable enemies.
Sit down and eat"
This dialogue had been held in Spanish.
4 language the stranger spoke with a
facility that proved his Mexican origin.
He seemed to reflect for a moment and
chen instantly made up his mind.
Il accept" he said, .'for your voice is
too sympathizing and your glance too
frank to deceive"
THAT is the way to speak," the trgy-
eler said gaily. 'Sit down aud eat with.
cut further delay"
The stranger smiled sadly. The two
men then attacked with no ordinary yigor
the provisions placed before them. The
general appearance Of the stranger was
most wretched and his ragged clothes
scarce covered his bony, fleshless body
while his nale and sickly features were
rendered more sad and gloomy by q thick.
dissrdered beard that fell on his chest.
His eyes, infiamed by fever and sur
rounded by black circles, glistened with a
sombre fire. His weapons were in as bad
q condition as his clothes, vet there was