Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1912-05-30
CHAPTER VII.
In the Sand nnrnrt


pony's head sharply about. so that the
two faced one another. The wind was
rising. hurting clouds OF sand into
their eyes. and the plainsman held one
hand before his face.
There's no need of keeping up
water trail any longer" he said quiet
ly. by all the signs we're in for
sand storm by daylight, and that will
cover our tracks so the devil himself
couldn't follow them. Cot a water bag.
on your saddle.
Il reck'n dis am one, sab"
Keith felt OF the object Neb held
forth
Yes, and big one. too: fill It and.
strap It on tight; we've got & long.
dry ride ahead"
Jack?"
To the Bar X on the Canadian.
I've worked with that OUTFIT. They'll
sive us whatever we need. and ask
no questions; don't know OF ANYTHING
IN between. rs going to be a hard
nde' boy and mighty little to eat ex-
cept what I saved from supper"
How far am It 10 dis yere Bar X?'"
A hundred and fifty miles as the
crow flies, and sand all the way, ex-
eept for the valley Of Salt Fork. Come
on now, and keep close. for it's easy
10 get lost IN these sand hills"
Keith had ridden that hundred and
nity miles Of sandy desolation before.
but had never been called upon to
make such journey as this proved to
be. He knew there was little To fear
rom human enemies, fer they were
riding far enough east Of the Santa Fe
trail to be out Of the path Of raiding
parties, while this desert country was
stunned by Indian hunters. 1t con-
sisted OF sand hill after sand hill.
drear waterless waste, where nothing
grew, and mid the dread sameness of
which traveller could only find pnss-
age by the guidance OF stars at nizht
or the blazing sun by day. To the
eye mile after mile appeared exactly
alike with nothing whatever to dis
anguish either distance or direction
the same drifting ridges of sand
stretching forth IN every direction. no
summit higher than another no SEM
blance OF green shrubbery, or silver
sheen OF running water anywhere TO
break the dull monotony-a vast
sandy plain, devoid of life, extending
70 the horizon, overhung by barren
sky.
They had covered ten miles Of It by
daybreak, their ponies travelling heavf-
ly' fetock deep, but could advance no
further. With the first tint Of rose in
the east the brooding storm burst
upon them in wild desert fury. the
neroe wind bufHeting them back. lash
ing their faces with sharp grit until
they were unable to bear the pain.
The flying sand smote them in clouds.
driven with the speed of bullets. In
vain they lay fat, urging their ponies
forward; the beasts, maddened and
oIhoed by the merciless flashing of the
sand, refused to face the storm. Keith.
all sense Of direction long since lost,
rolled YEARLY from the saddle bur
rowed under the partial shelter Of a
SAND dune, and called upon Neb to
follow him. With their hands and feet
they made a slight wind-break. drag
gmg the struggling ponies into its
protection, and burrowed themselves
there, the clouds of sand skurrying
over them so thick as to obscure the
sky, and rapidly burying them alto
gether as though in q grave Within
an hour they were compelled to dig
themselves out, yet It proved partial
escape from the pitiless lashing The
wind howled like Embossed demons,
and the afr grew cold. adding to the
sting Of the grit. when some sudden |
eddy hurled Il into their hiding place. |
To endeavor further travel would |
mean certain death, for 10 one could |
have guided a course for a hundred |
feet through the tempest, which seem
ed TO suck the verv breath away. To |
the fugitives came this comfort-if
they could not advance, then no one
else could follow, aud the storm was
completely blctting out their trail.
Il was three O'Clock before II died
sufficiently down for them TO venture
out. Even then the air remained full
Of sand. while constantly shifting
ridges made travel difficult. Only
grim necessity-the suffering of the
ponies for water. and their own need