Semi-weekly herald., 1911-08-07
CHAPTER xxxvk
The Duel In the Desert.


The Duel In the Desert
Keith rode straight forward into the
sandy desolation, spurrinG his horse
into swift trot After one glance
backward as they clarnbered up the
steep bank. \ glance which revealed
Hopes slender form in the cabin door.
his eyes never turned again that way.
He had q mans stern work to do out
yonder. and his purpose could not be
swerved, his frmness OF hand and
keenness OF eye affected. by any
thought of her. HIS lips compressed
his fingers gripping the rein. he drove
all regretful memory from his mind,
until every nerve within him throbbed
in unison with his present purpose.
He was right: he knew he was right.
which had set him forth, leaving love
behind. but honor-the honor OF the
South. and OF the frontier. Of his an
eestry and his training-honor that
drove him now to meet Hawley face
to face, man to man, to settle the feud
between them Tor all time. And he
rode smiling. gladly, as to n tryst.
now that he was at last alone. free
In the desert
The hours passed. the sun rising
higher in the blazing blue of the sky;
the horse, wearied by the constant
pull of the sand. had long since slowed
down to walk; the last dim blur of
the cottonwoods along the Fork had
disappeared; and the rider swayed in
the saddle, the dead lifelessness OF
sky and desert dulling his brain. Yet
he had not forgotten his errand-rous-
ing constantly from lethargy to sweep
his shaded eyes about the rounded
horizon, keenly marking the slightest
shadow across the sands. taking ad-
vantage ok every drift to give him
wider viewpoint. rising in his stirrups
to scan the leagues of desolation
ahead. Twice he drew his revolver
from out its sheath. tested II, and
slipped In q fresh cartridge. return
place. the nap Of the holster turned
back and held open by his leg. The
sun beat upon him like . ball Of fire.
tho hot sand flinging the blaze back
into his face. He pushed back the
upper part Of bis shirt and drank q
swallow of tepid water from . can
teen strapped behind the saddle. His
eyes ached with the glare. until he
saw fantast1c red and yellow shapes
dancing dizzily before him. The
weariness of the long night pressed
upon his eys-balls: he felt the strain
Of the past hours, the lack Of food,
tho need OF rest. His head nodded.
and he brought himself to life again
with q jerk and muttsrsd word. star
ing out Into the dim, formless dis
tance. Lord. II there was only some
thing moving; something he could
concentrate his attention upon: some
thing to rest tho straining eyesi
But there was nothing. absolutely
nothing-just that seemingly endless
stretch of sand, c!rcled by tho blazinE
sky, the wind sweeping Its surface
soundless and hot, as though from the
pits OF hell: no stir. no motion, no
movement Of anything animate or In
animate to break the awful monotony.
Deathi It was death sverywhersi his
aching eyes rested on nothing but
what was typical Of death. Even tho
heat waves seemed fantastic, gro
tesqus, assuming spectral forms. ~
though ghosts beckoned and danced
In the haze. Turing him on TO become
one of themselves. Keith was not .
dreamer, nor one to yield easily to
such brain fancies. but the mad dslir1-
um Of loneliness gripped him, and he
had to struggle back to sanity, beat
ing his hands upon his breast TO stir
anew the sluxgish circulation Of his
blood, and talking to the horse In
strange feverishness.
with every step of advance the
brooding silence seemed more pro
found. more deathlike. He got TO
marking the sand ridges. the slight Va
riations giving play to the brain. Way
en to the left was the mirage Of .
lake. apparently so real that he had
to battle with himself to keep from
turning aside. He dropped forward
in the saddle. his head hanging low,
% blinded by the inosssant sun glare
he could no longer bear the glitter Of
Concluded next week..