Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1910-03-18

I began to have my doubts. indeed, had
been for the last hour. had been
thinking and my whole view was
changed. 1t seemed a pity to let a
man like Darlington die, he who could
smile in the face OF death which was
confronting him with certainty. If he
had shown the white feather, and had
cursed, but he was game to the end,
and his smile l could not forget; 1t
haunted me.
vas extremely anxious o to save
the man l had set out to destroy. l
retraced my steps In as great haste
and speed as / could compel my horse
to assume. I was in as great a hurry
to locate him as | had been to leave
him. 1 even had fears, sickening fears
that l might not be able to find him.
1t was a chance in a hundred, nay, in
a thousand. that / should, but l sue.
ceeded and in a couple Of hours more
l discerned a tiny figure of black NOV.
Ing upon the white. When caught
up witch him he was toiling doggedly
along, feet stunning and head down.
Yet when / overlook him he smiled his
welcome.
1T was impossible to do 1t, Daring.
tom" 1 said. You win. l guess we'll
stick 1t out together"
He was actually unwilling to share
the horse with me. That isn't fair
and right to you" he said. "Ill-luck
was mine and I'm willing to fight my
way out alone. You stand a chance OF
finding your way out; together your
chance is severed in two"
He proceeded to take his course
volver and called him to stop. He
smiled at me over the weapon, pleas
antly.
"Oh, that has no terrors for me
now" he said. That, you know. would
be rather a favor compared to this"
and he waved his hand in the direction
where earth and sky meet.
Look here, Darlington. you fail to
get my idea," I said. Either we get
out or not together, as he case may
be. II you refuse to ride. I'm going
to walk"
The expression of his face instantly
changed. Coming up close, he looked
at me for what seemed a very long
time. Then, without a word, he climb
ed up behind me, and we started nee
more our painless ramble Upon the
chartless and sandy sea.
The horse lasted a day and one-half
longer. When we began our wander
Ing on foot we were unable to speak
above a whisper. and without water.
The remainder Of our journey is hazy.
Somehow we kept with one another.
1t is all a blur to me. a nightmare Of
fire, waking in spasms to discover Oar
rington falling at my side. Then there
Is a faint recollection Of finding him
on the ground and ny inability to
arouse him. Of dragging him, then Of
crawling, swooning n crawling again,
with a bloody mist before my eyes,
then. blank.
A shepherd watching his flock heal
the fringe of desert espied two tiny
objects pom It's pale face which ap-
peared to him very slowly moving. Be-
ing of an inquisitive nature, he inves-
tigated. and 1t is to him we are indebt-
ed for our lives.
That was twenty=one years g and
Darlington and l have been going 1t
with each other ever since, In those
twenty years he has not let slip by one
summer spending a month or two ON
my farm at the lake. have taught
all his kids to ride and rope andtether.
He still has that smile, which seemed
to change a~stonishingly since our RAM
| bling on sandy seas. l am not ashamed
to admit that l was in error. The anti
thetical nature of our beings which in
spired hate was one caused through
ignorance and misunderstanding which
is all as old as the hills. We have
talked 1t over and laid It's memory
away, for we nave come to the con-
| clusion that it was wisely given US.
thus to make entry into each others
lives, and that his hatred was as a
terrible, raging, and fierce fire, where
in the waste and refuse Is burned
away, while the gold comes forth pure.
true, stronger, and richer for the burn.
ing.-San Francisco Argonaut.