Charlevoix county herald., 1908-08-22


his grateful lips from the canteen OF
Joe Mary, and with an effort he opened
his eyes and struggled slowly to his
elbow. All animosity was vanquished
by the conquering, leveling thirst, and
he reached blindly out to seize the tin
which held more of the precious f1uid,
but with a sickening sheer the half
breed stepped quickly back and shook
| il, splashing and tantaliZing in its full
ness, before his longing eyes, and then
turned 1t deliberately out upon the abb
sorbing sand.
For moment the trooper simply
sat and gasped and gazed In speech.
less desire at the sparkling water as
1t flowed and gushed cool, gurgling
stream, from the mouth of the up.
turned canteen. With a dry, choking
sob from a thick, swollen tongue, he
lurched suddenly forward and plunged
his face and hands into the mOmentary
mud of moisture, and sucked and
Tapped at it ravenously. like a beast.
Then, as the last drop vanished, he
looked longingly up for more.
The half-breed grunted with graft
fication as he saw the pleading agony
in the mans eyes-an agony stimu-
lated and aroused anew with aggrava.
ton, and he stepped closer and spat
spitefully into the upturned, expectant
face, then smiled mockingly as he
slowly unslung a second canteen and,
raising it to his own evil lips, drank
long and deep.
The troopers hands worked con.
vulsively as he watched the wanton
waste of water, and the light of re-
turning reason grew quick and sud-
denly strong in his eyes. He felt the
power of renewing strength increasing
within him, and in desperate frenzy
he struggled totteringly to his feet,
and with limbs almost refusing to sus-
tain him he flung himself swayingly
upon the half-breed and tried to tear
the tempting tin from his lips. But
Joe Mary simply dropped the canteen
and seized him stranglingly by the
throat and hurled him Keeling weakly
! back, and drawing his revolver COW
cred the thirst-tempted, trembling
trooper
"Ah! You choke-fight for water
eh?" he said. smiling slowly, and he
held the dripping canteen nearer.
"Yes!" the trooper gasped. "Give
me more-you devil. Just another
drop!" he pleaded pathetically, with
wild, crazed eyes. Then his hand sud-
denly sought the butt of the weapon
at his hip. as the halfbreed shook his
head sneeringly.
You die for water, I guess!" tainted
Joe Mary with intense, savage instinct.
"Mebbe I give one big drink-all, then
shoot quick-eh? Plenty water over
there" and he pointed with long lean
arm toward the foothills. "Mebbe
don't give water-eh, but go away and
no shoot now. You die just as same!
Which," and he leered treacherously
toward the trooper.
"Water!" gasped the man still
chokingly, and he snstched greedily
at the proffered tin and carried it joy.
fully to his lips. The water ran in a
gurgling, grateful stream down his
parched and swollen throat and oozed
tricklingly from the corners of mis-
mouth. Then, when at last the costa
sy was over and the awful, consuming
thirst was conquered, he threw aside
the empty tin and faced the half.
breeds still threatening weapon.
Now I'm ready to die. I've had a
drink" he remarked coolly, as he
wiped the moisture from his lips and
stood still, staggering a little, as the
half-breed's eyes glittered and cleaned
death to him over the sight of his
menacing muzzle.
Overhead, the solitary buzzard still
circled and looked down from dizzy
heights and the coyote still skulked
expectantly among the growing shad.
ows of the sand hills.
Joe Mary paused, stepped back a
pace and again raised his weapon.
Then. just as the muzzle grew sudden
ly steady once more, and his bronzed
forefinger begun to crook closely
against the trigger, there came sharp
upon the still desert air, quick,
warning rattle and a subdued hiss at
his feet, and with wild look of abject
terror in his evil eyes, he leaped
quickly aside. and as he did SO there
was sudden squirt of flame, followed
by quick pun OF smoke and sharp
report, and Joe Mary pitched forward
and lay still. face downward. in the
alkali dust.
Just trick OF the tongue!" NUT
tered the trooper laconically, as he
showed his still smoking weapon back
into its holster, and, climbing weakly
upon the dead mans pony. rode of in
the direction of the foothills.