The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1912-11-01

But there was nothirg. absolutely
nothing-Just that seemingly endless
stretch OF sand, circled by the blazing
sky the wind sweeping its surface
soundless and hot, rs though from the
| pits OF hell; no stir. no motion. no
movement of anything animate O. In
animate to break the awful mOnotony.
Death. it was death everywhere! mis-
aching eyes rested on nothing but
what was typical OF death. Even the
heat waves seemed fantastic. gro
tesque. assuming spectral forms
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
. of 10 the left was the mirage OF
. lake. apparently so real that he had
, 10 battle with himself TO keep from
turning aside. He dropped forward
in the saddle. his head hanging low.
so blinded by the incessant sun glare
ne could no longer bear the glitter OF
tnat horrible ocean OF sand. IL was
noon now-noon. and he had been rid
| ing steadily seven hours The thought
| brought his blurred eyes again 10 the
horizon. Where could he be. the man
| be sought ia the heart OF this soil
| tude? Surely he should be here by
now, II he had left the water-hole at
dawn Could he have gone the longer
! route. south to the Fork? The possi'
| bility of such thing scared through
him like hot iron. driving the dull
ness from his brain, the lethargy from
| MS limbs. God, no. Fate could never
! play such a scurvy trick Us that! The
man must have been delayed: had
failed TO leave camp early-Some-
! where ahead, yonder where the blue
! haze marked the union Of sand ana
! sky. he was surely coming. riding bali
lead. and dropping in the saddle.
! Again Keith rose In his stirrups.
/ rubbing the mist out of his eyes that
| he might see clearer. and stared
! ahead What was that away out yon'
der? shadow? a spot dancing before
/ his tortured vision? or a moving. liv'
ing something which he actually saw?
! He could not tell, he could not be
! su &c. yet he Strengthened up expect
artly. shading his eyes. and never
losing sight OF the object It moved.
! grew larger darker. more real-yet
! how II crawled. crawled. crawled to-
/ ward him. II seemed as II the vague.
! shapeless thing would never take
! form. never stand out revealed against
! tie sky SO he could determine the
| tr1th He had forgotten all else-the
| silent desert, the blazing sun, the
/ burning wind-all his soul concen-
| trated on that speck yonder. Sudden
/ ly it disappeared-a swale in the sand
! proba bably-and, when 1t rose into view
/ a, ain. be uttered a cry OF joy-it was
/ a horse and rider!
! Little oy little they drew nearer
! ole another, two black specks in that
vast ocean Of sand. the only moving.
! living things under the brazen circle
/ of the sky Keith was ready now. MS
eyes bright. the cooked revolver
! gripped hard in his hand. The space
! tetween them narrowed. and Hawley
saw him. caught glimpse of the face
urder the broad hat brim the burn
! ing eyes surveying him. With an oath
! he stopped his horse. dragging al his
gln. surprised. dazed. yet instantly
understanding. Keith also halted. and
across the intervening desert the eyes
Of the two men met in grim defiance.
| tTO BE CONTINUEDD