Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1909-10-28

owe her In return Tor Ger disclosure
they were followed to the cave by the
Erf's relatives, who blocked up the en-
rance, and drew off the water supply
&aving the couple to die.
CHAPTER i.-continued.
The traveller fshed up the sack and
waded out upon the tiny beach. He
ooked up rather anxiously, though he
could not have seen a head looking
Town from above if there had been
any one there. There was not light
enough. He understood also that II
he men were going to shoot at him
rom the height they would wait till 1t
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 have taken them off and spread
them out, for he thought no more OF
Baraka's presence than If she had
Seen harmless young animal stand
ing there in the pool, but he. could not
tell what might happen at any mo-
ment, and so long as he was tressed
and had all his few belongings about
tim, 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
mOdestIy 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
fng it with his hands wherever there
vas the least shadow, as high as he
could reach, to find if there was any
foothold, though he was already sure
that there was not.
There is no way out" Baraka said
At last. 81 have been here by day. l
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. 1t 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. I
understand. If you do not kill me
yOu will die first; and when you are
Lead l shall kiss you many times. till
/ die also. 1t will be very easy. | am
not afraid"
Tie man sat quite still and looked
- 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 1t dis
tinctly. Again there was silence for
long time. Now and then Baraka
,oOsenod her only garment about her
IS she sat, so that it 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 a plight
that II starving were too hard to bear,
bullet would shorten their sufferings
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
il long time in the starlight his sight
had probably grown tired, so that he
10 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 at
he rock opposite and up to the stars
again, to rest his eyes. He was not
eOre than yard from the water now.
The place was very quiet. From far
above slight draught of air descended
warm from the rocks that had been
heated all day in the sun But there
vas no sound except when Baraka
moved q little.
Presently she did not move any
more, and when the traveller looked he
saw that she was curled up on the
sand. as eastern women lie when they
sleep, and her head rested on her
hand; for her garment was dry now
md she was drowsy after the walk
and the effort she had made. Be
sides, since there was no escape from
death. and as the man did not love
her. she might as well sleep if she
could
He had been certain of the distance
between his feet and the waters edge
rs he sat; it had been yard at the
:-,ost But now it was more: he was
sure that 1t was yard and half al
the least. He rubbed his eyes anC
looked hard at the dark belt of wei
sand, and it was twice as wide as il
mad been. The water was still run
ming out somewhere, but it was nc
longer running in, and in an hour Oh
r.