Middletown transcript., 1909-10-16

batue8s 1S uHu klHVeA0Ss @tA SAueJ
through the sand, and head and
legs felt heavy She'll look as il
she was afre when the sun gets
down behind her.
Gutter nodded wearily. Every
thing feels as II it was afire.
ii this place, heremarked. Lets
pitch the tent.
Baines assented willingly, Cut,
ter lighted the slcohol.stove-
there is no fuel in Death Valley
and prepared the simple sup
per of tea and beans, while Balnes
fed and watered the mules. The
poor beasts plunged their parch-
ed muzzles into the water pail
and drank frantically until the in
exorable hand Of their master re-
moved the soothing liquid.
The sun now was behind the
wall, and made-its jagged top q
strip or molten iron. The alco
hol stove sent mp q clear aame,
by the light Of which Cutter be-
can 10 overhaul his rife.
he pumped ont the long shells,
and holding the gun across his
knees. pulled the trigger. There
was @ crashing report. ] thought
'd5emptied her. he saidi sheep
is!lty, Whoa, there, muleg !!
That's : pretty good lender
foot play Baines' tones were
l don't know how / came to do
it, said the other. contritely. |
sure thought shewas empty.
Well, you put q hole in the
wagon for fair.
No, did II / was that sur.
prised ! didn't listen.
Baines rolled over intothe tent,
wrapping his blanket around him
w the same movement.
Ireckon it's the only thing in.
this part Of the world you could
have bit except me or the mules,
he eaid. But it won't hurt her
Rnyi Put ont Jour old lamp and
turn in.
Cutter dropped the Tin hood
over the flame, and che soft purple
darkness enveloped them. so
Tar they had toiled through the.
bllstering heat and arid sand for
nothing, but hope and the pros
,eeetnr ere lifelong friends. The
two old-timers we're not a whit
discouraged. For = while they
lay awake, discussing in low tones
their next mo7es over the vast
dead sea Of sand.
Atsunrise the Two mules lifted
their voices i'd rancpus demands
for that which the desert could
not give them-water.
II was Baines' turn to cook.
Cutter cast on his blanket, and
picking up the water pail, went
70 the wagon.
Bring me q dipperful for the
coffee, said Baines, busy over the
alcohol lamp.
Cutter nodded, aud Baines
trimmed the wick, lighted it, and
put fresh beans in the pot.
Get q move on with that water
be called, fnssily. We want to
hit The trail before il gets too
hot.
Receiving no response, he look
ed up, and saw the pail lying on
the sand and the hand that had
held Il slowly scratching Cutters
red bead. The head tnrRed and
presented To Baines . face devoid
Of color aud expression, with 9
loose lower lip and . staring eye.
An unfamiliar voice croaked some
thing in which only the word
awater" reached Baines' ears.
That was quite euoGgh. Itwas
the one transcendently vital word
in the desert prospector's yocab. |
ulary-the one word that was ia
his mind ali day, and from Vi Iaeh
his nightmares grew when his
sleep was troubled.
With 9 chill sthisheart, Baines
sprang mp and ran to the wagon.
There was 4 round bullet.ho.e Id
the tail board and another in the
big water vat, with a smashed
iron hoop that had partly mush.
roomed the missile. But already
The deserta air had dried theWagon
bed, and the sand below WIS as
white as chalk, although It had
drunk two. thirds of their pref
cious liquid.
Baines stopped and thrust bis
fingers into 10 tiercelg. Ii was
not even damp. Cutter watched /
him out OF the corner 0f dilating
eye. Neither man moved nor
spoke, Bsiues squatting On his
heels, frowning ct the sand, and
Cutter watching him.
Presenalv 0ue ~ Ilba hurror