The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-08-02
| TALE OF THE PLAINS
(ospyrishs, A. Q. MSo.rs = CO., iOlo.)
By RANDALL PARRISH

They had covered ten miles Of Il BY
AAybreak. their ponies travelling heavi-
". stlock deep, but could advance no
nsrthsr. With the first tint Of rose In
sAs east the brooding storm burst
upon them In wild desert fury. the
bercs wind buffeting them hack. lash
sng their faces with sharp grit until
fhey were unable to bear the pain.
TIE nying sand smote them In clouds,
driven with the speed OF bullets. In
vain they lay dat urging their ponies
tprward: the beasts. maddened and
blinded by the merciless lashing of the
oond. refused 10 face the storm. Keith.
al sense Of direction long since lost,
rolled YEARLY from the saddle, bur-
sowed under the partial shelter Of q
eand dune. and called upon Neb to
fDllov him. With their hands and feet
tAey made . slight wind-break, drag
Ging the struggling ponies into Its
protection. and burrowed themselves
Asrss the clouds cf sand skurrying
ever them % thick a. to obscure the
sAy. and rapidly buryfng them alto
Geshsr - though In Q grave. Within
q h,ur they wsrs compelled TO dia
shsmselves out. yct Il proved partial
escare from the pitiless lashing. The
vnd howied like unloosed demons,
md the air grew cold. adding to the
sting Of the grft when some sudden
oddy hurled II into their hiding place.
10 Sndeavor further travel would
nsan certain death. for NO one could
have guided Q course for Q hundred
esst through the tempest. which seem
q to suck the very breath away. To
ne fugitives came this cemfort--if
eAsy could not advance. then no one
go ,ould follow. and the Storm was
eompstely baotting out their trail
Il ,sss three o'clock before II died
ssmcientiy down for them to venture
sue Even then the air remained full
q sand. while constantly shifting
ridges made travel diffcult. Only
orfm nscessity-the suffering of the
Denies for water. and their own need
M soon reaching the habitation of
man and acquiring food-drove them
- the early venture. They must at
tain the valley Of the Salt Fork that
night or else perish In the desert
there remained 10 other choice. Ty.
NJ neckerchiefs over their horses
syss. and lying nat themselves. they
sncceeded In pressing slowly forward,
winding In and out among the shit,
NJ dunes. with only the wind to guide
thsm. IL was an awful trail. ehe hoofs
sinking deep I'm drifting sand. the
struggling ponies becoming so ex.
hausted that their riders finally dis,
mounted. and staggered forward on
sooe. leading them stumbling blindly
aner. Once the nesro's horse
dropped. and had TO be lashed TO its
eset again; once Keith's pony STUN.
oled and fell on him. hurting him face
Gown into the sand. and he would
have died there. lacking sufficient
strength 20 lift the dead weight, but
nor Neb's assistance AS II was he
vent staggering blindly forward
bruised. and faint from hunger and
fatigue. Neither man spoke; they had
No breath nor energy left to waste:
every ounce of siren 9Th needed to be
conserved for the battle against ma.
ture. They were lighting for life:
1ghting grimly. almost hopelessly. and
alone.
About them night finally closed IN,
black and starless. yet fortunately
With . gradual dying away of the
storm. For ar hour past they had
oeen struggling on. doubling their di.
rsction. wondering DULY II they were
not lost and merely drifting about In
. circle. They had debated this
hsrcely once. the ponies standing de-
1sctedy. tails to the storm. Neb argu.
fng that the wind still blew from the
south. and Keith oontending Il had
shifted into the westward. The white
man won his way. and they staggered
ON uncertain. tho negro srasplng the
6rst pony's tail to keep from being
separated from his companion. Some
snstfnct Of the plains must have guild.
cd them. for at last they dragged
themselves out from the desert, the
crunching sand under foot changing
Anto rock. and then 20 short brittle
grsSs. ~ which the ponies nibbled Gag.
Riy. The slope led gradually down
ward. the animals ecentins water. and
strugxfH~ 90 hoo" ~~-~" cwaving
IN tnefr saddles. the riders Lee them
90. and they never stopped until belly
AoSp Tn the stream. their noses buried
The men shivered In their saddles.
nnfil. at last satisfied, the ponies con-
sented to be forced back up the bank.
rvhere they nibbled at the short tufts
Of hsrbase. but In . manner express
sfve OF WEAKNESS. Keith nung him
self on the ground. every muscle of
MS body aching. his exposed nesh still
smsrting from the halt OF sand
Through which they had passed.
He had not the slightest conception
- 20 where they were. except he
knew this must DO the Salt Fora. Ut.
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