Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1909-06-08


haustion and thirst. He ended tn
sufferinSs OF his pack mule with a re
volver bullet.
Dick staggered on afoot across tn
desert, hoping to find water at Apach,
spring. His blue shirt was torn an'
faded to dingy purple. Hat ant
shoulders were gray with alkali dust
Contact with the rocks and cactus hat
rent trousers and leggings. His shoes
cut by sharply pointed stones and will
thread rotted by the dust Of the des
erts, were worn to shreds. tnshavel
and unshorn. with sunken cheeks ant
eyes bright with the delirium of thirst
he dragged his weary way across th'
desert He reached Apache sprin.
shortly after the passage Of the In
dians. but his craving for water wa
so great that he did not observe thei
trail.
Keeling toward the spring. he cas-
aside his hat and flung down his riff
In his eagerness TO drink. THROWN;
himself OH his face before the hollow
IN the rock from which the water trlc
kled. he first saw that the waters III,
dried up. With his bony fingers h'
dug into the dry sand, Cryin.. aloud il
Despair. Stifliy he arose and bluHdcrcC
blindly to rock. upon which he SAM
in his weakness.
Another day Ike this and III Iiv,
up the fight" he moaned. ".Iracht
spring dry, the first time IN years
Little Squaw spring nothing bLI dus
and alkali. 1t is twenty miles 10 Clear
water rspring-twenty-miles-if | cai
make IL"
Dick trembled with weakness. lii
swollen tongue Glove to the roof Of hi
mouth. His lips were cracked an,
blackened. Bits OF foam ticlieret
about the corners of his mouth. fh
glare blinded his eyes, which were hal
closed. At times fever waves swep
over him; again he shuddercd will
cold.
Sounds Of falling waters filed LII
ears. The signing Of the wind thrcugl
the canyon walls suggested the tric
killing Of fountains. Rivers flowed he
fore his eyes through green meadow
only to fade into the desert as h,
gazed.
what a land-what II laid. II l. tn
abode Of the god of thirst. He tempt
men into his valley with the lure o
gold and saps the lifeblooi from lhri
bodies drop by drop. Drop by drop
hear 1t falling. Mott is water l hear
There 1t Is. How cool II looks"
Dick rose and staggered toward tn
cliff. In his delirium of thirst he saw
streams Of water gush down the noun
tain side. Holding out his arms. Ii
cried. Saved. savedw
His hands fell Imply by his side.
as the illusion faded. He then dCu
bled them into fists and shook them Il
the cliff In a last defiance of despair
"You shan't drive me mad"'
He seized his empty canteen. press
Ing It to his lips.
"No: drained that two days ago, o
was 1t three:' he whispered in pani
as he threw 1t aside.
Picking up his gun. he falteringly ut
tempted the ascent. Il won't give up
I WON'T! he shouted huskily. "Iv,
fought the desert before and con
quered. I'll conquer asain-I'll"-
His will power ebbed with his fail
Ing strength. Blindness fell upon him
Oblivion swept over him. He sank
dying Of thirst, In the sands OF th'
desert.
As the buZZards find the dead. so M
Apache crept upon Dick as he lay pros
trate But as the Indian aimed ht
heard footsteps from draw. He saw
a man approao hing the spring. Silent
ly he fed behind the rocks.
Ii was Jack. He had entered tn,
lava beds from the east. closely fol
lowing the man for whom he hrt
searched for so many weary months
Others Of the Apaches had marked
him already. Knowing he would go t.
the spring, they waited warily to learl
II he were alone. The band had seat
tered to surround him at the water
hole.
Jacks horse and burro. which he hat
left ut the head Of tie canyon. wer'
already I'm the Indians possession
With him he carried his rifle and 1
revolver A cantcen Of water wa!
slung over his shoul,lIr. The deser
had placed it, stamp upon him. turn
ing his clothes gray. The tan Of hl:
face was deepened. Lines about hi
eyes and mouth showed how much III
had suffered physically and mental!
I'm his search for the man he believed
was his successful rival In love
Reaching the spring. he looked abou
cautiously before lie laid down hi
rifle. He tugged at the butt OF his re
volvcr to make certain that 1t could b'
pulled quickly from the holster. Tax
ing off his hat. he kne!t to drink. IL
smiled and confidently tapped his can
teen when he found the spring dry
He was raising his canteen to his lip
when he spied Dicks body.
Jumping behind rock. he pulled hi
revolver, covering the insensible man
1t might be trap. He scanned th'
trail, the cliff, the canyon. Hearin;
and seeing nothing. he slipped his re
vclver into his holster and hurried t.
Dicks side. At first he did not recog
nize him. The desert and thirst ha'
wrought many changes in his friendi
face.
When recognition came he threw hi
arms about the PROSTATE form, crying
"Dick, at last. at last"
His voice was broken with emotion
The search had been so long, so wear.
and the ending 80 sudden! He hat
found Dick, but 1t Looked as IL he came
too late.
Gathering Dicl: up in his arms, h'
raised him until his head rested OF