Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-10-27


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shallow water and he had dropped the
sack in the pool.
Baraka did not struggle or cry out.
Il would rather die by your hand
than be alive in another mans arms"
she said quite quietly.
He let her go, merely because she
was so very brave: for he did not love
her at all. She knew it, but that made
no difference to her, since no other
woman was near; II they could get
out alive with the rubies she was sure
that he would love her for the sake
of the great wealth she had brought
him. If they were to starve to death
at the bottom Of the great rock wall
In the mountains, she would probably
die first. because he was so strong;
and then nothing would matter. Il
was all very simple.
The traveller hshed up the sack and
waded out upon the tiny beach. He
looked up rather anxiously, though he
could not have seen head looking
down from above If there had been
any one there. There was not light
enough. He understood also that IL
the men were going to shoot at him
from the height they would wait till it
was daylight. Baraka stood still in
the water, which was up to her waist,
and he paid no attention to her, but
sat down to think what he should do.
The night was warm, and his clothes
would dry on him by degrees. He
would have taken them of and spread
them out, for he thought no more of
Baraka's presence than If she had
been a harmless young animal stand
ing there in the pool, but he could not
tell what might happen at any mo-
ment, and 80 long as he was dressed
and had all his few belongings about
him, he felt ready to meet fate.
Baraka saw that he did not heed
her. and was thinking. She came up
out Of the water very slowly, and she
modestly loosened her wet garment
from her, SO that it hung straight
when she stood at the end of the
beach, as far from the traveller as pos.
sible. She. also, sat down to dry her
self: and there was silence for long
time.
After half an hour the traveller rose
and began to examine the rock, feel.
ing 1t with his hands wherever there
was the least shadow, as high as he
could reach, to find IL there was any
foothold, though he was already sure
that there was not.
There IL no way out" Baraka said
at last. II have been here by day. I
have SEEN"
"They will let themselves down
from above with ropes, till they are
near enough to Shoot" the traveller
answered.
NO." replied Baraka. "They know
that you have good weapon, and
they will not risk their lives. They
will leave us here to starve. That is
what they will do. It is our portion.
and we shall die. 1t will be easy, for
there is water. and when we are hun
cry we can drink our fill. You will
die first. You are not as we are, you
cannot live so long without food"
The traveller wondered If she was
right, but he said nothing.
If we had got out with the treas.
,ure," continued Baraka, you would
have loved me for it, because you
would have been the greatest man In
the world through me. But now, be.
cause we must die, you hate me.
understand. If you do not kill me
you will die first; and when you are
dead shall kiss you many times, till
die also. 1t will be very easy. I am
not afraid"
The man sat quite still and looked
at the dark streak by the edge of the
pool where the water had wet it when
the falling boulder outside had sent in
little waves. He could see it dis.
tinctly. Again there was silence for
q long time. Now and then Baraka
loosened her only garment about her
as she sat, so, that 1t might dry more
quickly; and she quietly wrung out
her thick black hair and shook it over
her shoulders to dry it, too, and
stuck her two silver pins into the
sand beside her.
Still the traveller sat with bent head,
gazing at the edge of the pool. His
hands were quite dry now, and he
slowly rubbed the clinging moisture
from his revolver. Some men would
have been thinking, in such q plight,
that ii starving were too hard to bear.
bullet would shorten their sufterings
In the end; but this man was very full
OF life, and the love Of life, and while
he lived he would hope.
He still watched the same dark
streak where the sand was wet; he
had not realized that he had been so
far from it till then, but by looking at
1t long time in the starlight his sight
had probably grown tired, SO that he
no longer saw it distinctly. He raised
himself little on his hands and
pushed himself down till it was quite
clearly visible again, and he looked al
the rock opposite and up to the stars
again. to rest his eyes. He was not
more than yard from the water now.
The place was very quiet. From far
above slight draught.of air descended,
There 10 OkaLv Ono