The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1910-01-13
CHAPTER l.-Continued.

waded out upon the tiny beach. He
looked up rather anxiously, though he
could not have seen a head looking
down from above If there had been
any one there. There was not light
enough. He understood also that If
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 off and spread
them out for he thought no more of
Baraka's presence than If she had
been 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 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 If there was any
foothold though he was already sure
that there was not
There is no way out" Baraka said
at last. II have been here by day /
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
VIII leave us here to starve. That is
what they will do. 1t is our portion.
and we shall die IL 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 IL 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 II 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 | 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 1t when
the falling boulder outside had sent in
little waves. He could see it dis.
unctly. Again there was silence for
long time. Now and then Baraka
loosened her only garment about her
as 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 plight,
that II starving We're too hard to bear,
n 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
1t long time in the starlight his sight |
had probably grown tired, so that he |
no longer saw it distinctly. He raised |
little on his hands and |
pushed himself down till it was quite
clearly visible again, and he looked at |
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 a slight draught of air descended.
warm from the rocks that had been
heated all day in the sun. But there
was no sound except when Baraka
moved a little
Presently she did not move any
more, and when the traveller looked he
saw that she was cmled up on the
sand as eastern women lie when they
sleep, and her head rested on her
nand; for her garment was dry now,
and 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 we'll sleep IL she
could.
lie had been certain of the distance
between his feet anu the waters edee
as ne sat; 1t had been yard at tha