Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-02-18

on nave brought me mere 70 us
he said. Your father and your broth
ers have shut up the entrance with
great stones, and they will go up the
mountain and let themselves down
from above with ropes and shoot me
like q wolf in a pit-fall. But you shall
die first, because you have betrayed
me-"
So he cooked his revolver and set
the muzzle against her head, to Kill
her, holding her by her slender throat
with his other hand; for they were in
shallow water and he had dropped the
sack in the pool.
Baraka did not struggle or cry out
1T would rather die by your hand
than be alive in another mans arms,
she said quite quietly.
He let her go, merely because she
was so very brave; for he did not love
her at all. She knew 1t, but that made
no difference to her, since no other
woman was near; If they could get
out alive with the rubies she was sure
that he would love her for the sake
Of the great wealth she had brought
him. II they were to starve to death
at the bottom of the great rock wall
in the mountains, she would probably
die first, because he was so strong;
and then nothing would matter. It
was all very simple.
The traveller fshed 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 IL
the men were going to shoot at him
from 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 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 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
modestIy Ioosened 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 81 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
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.
eff we had got out with the treas
uEe," 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.
If 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. 1 am
not afraid"
The man sat quite still and looked
1T 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 for
a long time. Now and then Baraka
oosened 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
lands were quite dry now, and he
slowly rubbed the clinging moisture
rom his revolver. Some men would |
nave been thinking, in such a plight. !
hat If starving were too hard to bear,
| bullet would shorten their sufferings
n the end; but this man was very full
II life, and the love of life, and while /
le lived he would hope
He still watched the same dark 1
treak where the sand was wet; he |
lad not realized that he had been so
ar from it till then, but by looking at .
long time in the starlight his sight |
lad probably grown tired, so that he
81 rv,~