Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1910-01-13
CHAPTER I.-contInued.

CHAPTER I.-continued.
The traveller flshed up the sack and
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 II
the men were going to shoot at him
from the height they would wait It'll 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 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 il she had
been a 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 a long
time
After half an hour the traveller rose
and began TO examine the rock, feel.
ing it 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. IL 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.
mo" replied Baraka. "They know
that you have a good weapon, and
they will not risk their lives They
will leave US here to starve. That is
what they will do. It 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. ]
understand. If you do not kill me
you will die first; and when you are
dead l shall kiss you many times, till
die also. 1t will be very easy. l 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 it when
the falling boulder outside had sent in
little waves. He could see it dis
tinctly. Again there was silence fol
long time. Now and then Baraka
loosened her only garment about heI
as she sat, so that it might dry more
quickly; and she quietly wrung out
her thick black hair and shook it ovel
her shoulders to dry it, too, ant
stuck her two silver pins into the
sand beside her.
Still the traveller sat with bent head
gazing at the edge of the pool. Hi!
hands were quite dry now, and hC
slowly rubbed the clinging moisture
from his revolver. Some men would
have been thinking, in such q plight
that If starving were too hard to bear
a bullet would shorten their suffering
in the end; but this man was very full
of life, and the love of life, and Will,
ne lived he would hope.
He still watched the same darl
streak where the sand was wet; b,
had not realized that he had been 8,
far from it till then, but by looking a
II long time in the starlight his sigh
had probably grown tired, so that h
no longer saw it distinctly, He raiset
himself a little on his hands an
pushed himself down till it was quit
clearly visible again, and he looked a
the rock opposite and up to the star
again, to rest his eyes. He was nc
more than yard from the water nov
The place was very quiet. From ia
above slight draught of air descended
warm from the rocks that had bee
heated all day in the sun. But Their
was no sound except when Baral1
moved little.
Presently she did not move an
more, and when the traveller looked h
saw that she was curled up on tn
sand, as eastern women lie when the
sleep, and her head rested on he
hand; for her garment was dry nov
and she was drowsy after the wal
and tho effort she had made. b
sides. since there was no escape froI
death, ard as the man did not Low
her. che might as well sleep If sh
could.
He had been certain Of the distanc
between his feet and the waters edg
as he sat; Il bad been yard at th