The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-02-27
step back and keep free from the

step back and keep free from the
poor brute's dying kicks.
The man on horseback had actual
ly been asleep, and as his companion
laid him gently on the warm sand, he
slowly opened his heavy eyes.
Little father" he murmured. The
corners of his mouth were closed with
a deposit of black sand, and his lips
hardly moved. The other put aside
the loose end of the turban cloth,
and exposed a fair, boyish face with
languishing blue eyes, and a jaw SO
square as to be almost a deformity.
The sun had burned the fair skin
in some places, leaving the others
pale, the result being a fantastic
medley of brown, reds and pinks.
PAUL"
eyes, little father"
"You are better for your sleep
is that not so?" asked the other,
kindly.
But the younger man lay still, with
his blue y e half closed. His mouth.
was so parched that he could scarce
~ move his tongue.
1--WE will divide what water there
is left" said the elder man, decisive
ly. And he turned toward the pros
trate horse.
From the saddle he detached a
large gourd, which gave forth a ter
ribly hollow sound, and after some
searching in a loose bag that was
SUSPENDED from his shoulder he found
a small drinking vessel, cunn1ngly
manufactured from half a gourd.
He kept his back carefully toward
his companion as, kneeling on the
ground, he extracted the wooden
stopper.
Then the young man painfully
turned over on his face, and, crawl
ing along, s~tealthily approached. AS
his companion elevated his arm to
raise the gourd he dragged himself
forward and watched the yellow
water trinkle into the vessel with
eyes devoid of human feeling. They
were like the eyes Of a wild beast in
sight of blood.
Slowly and deliberately the man
poured all the water into the little
vessel; he appeared to have forgot
ten the division Of which he had
spoken.
In setting down the gourd he
glanced to one side, and caught
sight of his companion lying on n
ground at his side, with agonizlng
eyes fixed upon the water vessel.
Then he turned, and for some Sec
onds their eyes met; in n face was
steady determination, in the other a
waver.ng weakness, rendered terri
BILE by the brutelike agony of the
eyes.
You drink your share first" said
the younger man, painfully.
II do not want any. liam not
thirsty"
This with cracking lips and tongue
as dry as leather.
The younger man attempted to
raise himself, while the ~contortlons
of his discolored face were terrible
to look upon.
"You drink your share first" he
repeated hoarsely.
will you drink it all?" The
elder man gently inclined the drink
ing cup so that the water glistened
on the edge.
will you drink it all?" he re-
peated.
One precious drop fell on the sand,
and the dampness of it vanished in
simultaneously.
"Will you drink-it-all?"
Then he held the cup to his com.
panion's lips, and the water was
gone.
He who did that deed to a dying
man-beneath no gaze but that or
his God-was VINEYARD Mistley. The
young man was his servant.
Now he sat upon the sand and
took his servants head upon his
knees.
The cooler air now revived Paui
Maritch. He turned his head to
where Mistley lay m the sand at his
side.
The Englishman heard The move
ment and crawled closer to him.
"Mistley," whispered the dying
man.
Yes, Paul"
eff you live through this, never let
them know that I am dead. Let the
burden of my existence weigh on his
mind. While he thinks I am alive,
he will never know q moments peace.
Let this be my legacy to the man VINO
made me what 1 am" "
VINEYARD Mistley crouched on the
sand in silence. He had an English
mans awkward shyness of mention
ing the. name of God in other sense
than explanatory, and yet he shiV'
cred to think that this man was
really dying in his arms with bias
phemy on his rigid lips.
TO be c%ontinued.)