The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1909-11-05

she cautiously sucked the dew from
her garment. drawing It up to her
mouth and squeezing It between her
lips.
II was little enough refreshment,
but 1t was something, and she was not
afraid, which made difference. Just
as she had drawn the edge OF her shift
down and round her ankles again, the
man turned on his side suddenly. and
then rose to his feet. For an instant
he. glared at her. and she saw that
his blue eyes were bloodshot and
burning: then he picked up the hcavy
camel bag, and began to make his
way round what had been the beach Of
the pool. towards the passage through
which they had entered. and which
was now dry cave, wide below. mar.
row at the top. and between six or
seven feet high. He trod carefully
and tried his way, for he feared the
Quicksand. but he knew that there
was none In the passage. since he had
walked through the water and had
felt the way hard under his feet. In
q few moments he disappeared under
the rock.
Baraka knew what he meant to do;
he was going to try to dig through the
dam at the entrance to let the water
in. even II he could not get out: but
she did not move. for In that narrow
place and In the dark she could not
have helped him. She sat and waited.
BY and by he would come out. drenched
with sweat and yet parching with
thirst. and he would glare ut her hor.
ribly again: perhaps he would be mad
when he came out and would kill her
because she had brought him there.
After some time she heard . very
faint sound overhead. and when she
looked up the vulture was gone from
his pinnacle. She wondered ut this,
and her eyes searched every point
and crevice Of the rock AZ far ~ she
could see. for she knew that the evil
bird could only have been frightened
away; and though 1t fears neither
bird nor beast. but only man. she
could not believe that any human be.
ing could flnd . foothold near "a
where 1t had perched.
For some seconds, perhaps for 4
whole minute. she saw nothing. though
she gazed up steadily. then she saw
that small patch OF snowy white was
moving slowly ON the face of the cliR
at some distance above the place
where the vulture had been. She bent
her brows In the effort to see more
by straining her sight. and meanwhile
the patch descended faster than Il
seemed possible that q man could
climb down that perilous steep. Yei
1t was man. she knew from the first
and soon she saw him plainly. In his
loose shirt and white turban. and with
long gun slung across his back
Nearer still. and he was down to the
jutting pinnacle where the yulture had
sat. and she saw his black beard; stu
nearer b. . few feet and she knew
him. and then her glance da1teA q
the mouth Of the cave. ct the other
end Of which the man she loved VA
toiling desperately alone In the darh
to pierce the dam CT earth and stones
Il was only . glance. In . second a
time. but when she looked MP tn
blaek-oearea man had already made
another step dowlwards. Baraka
measured the distance. II be epokl
loud now shs could understand him
She knew him vel. and she kAsv VII
~ had cs0e. With his long gun. HI
vas her fatAars brotAer's soa. d
vheo sAe vas betrothed: - val
/ ona1. oDA ~ va riskjnx HI Nh 4