The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-04-25

a a9&Q&X "I amt denyin' it." Bill answered, as R 8M he swung up into his burro-sadde. What UA&8u I said was that if we intended to find 48 water, better be httn' the trail" He swore at his dozing steed; and, after
 lazily blinking the alkaG dust from its
 thick eye-lashes, the burro ambled pa
 tiently on
 He searched around the cactus and the wthered mes quite kicking up the ground expectantly The desert sand rose in little gray pufs then sifed quietly down into the heap of tumbled bones.
 "You know" Red said, abruptly, T believe them bones back there that old dago, or kind of foreigner, who found the rich mine out here bout "Too bad you couldn't !. dug up 2 chart of his mine while you were lookin him over" Ell returned. drily, ~then could "a stopped this following noses, to walk straight into fortune"
 If he was that dago we're milionaires tomorrow" here ;n the EaSIe.t.l moantsns. where they sav ha located"
 I've rolled in my blankets millionaire too many declared as he dejectedy ooseed the dust on his face and neck with dirty red handkerchief.
 Personally, don't relish fryin' this red-hot sand" Bill continued. presently.
 "Well, we won't bake tonight, anyway. You pitch camp over there, under them iron-wood bushes. I'm goin to dust along up the trail and find some water We've got just bout enough for the burros and two cupfus over" Bill said.
 "Wen, water the race-horses tonight We may have to shoot em tomorrow.
 ~You can't find no tank tonight" Bill argued
 You get the shirts and socks out, ready to wash.
  sheep to-day Where there's sheep there's water" comm back in Bi M called a after ter him. "Yoa better better take little drink, Red, before you" "Oh, I'm all right" Red turned back to tell him. But if don't put in by noon tomorrow, I guess better plug the burros and put em out of their Bill. It'I keep you day longer" The he started his way toward the distant hills.
 Hours later the warped desert moon slid up over the broken horizon and looked down querulously at Red, he trudged along, the empty canteen ratting from his shoulder-srar The endless waste stretched an. % % s vas oa a etched a dss g; the the pale light Red stopped and stared up at the great one-sided eye watching him, and the desoate- cold fingers about his heart For the first time he was conscious of quick pain i1 his throat; seemed thousand intervening blocks and squares as he had seen paint crack and blister in the T wonder" he said, in thin, questioning voice that came to his brittle and foreign 'f it's time for beat it to the Big Round and he stopped. terrified and broke into queer, taking him, iunged nameiess something whose long his shoulder.
 from the sand into loosely hung, forbdding line of sharp peaks, Red stumbled into deep arroyo. It scant ten feet wide, with stark walls rising far above, until they seemed to meet overhead. At the mouth. of the canon was water-tank. Red ran toward it. His heart misgave him when he saw the csawled over and peered down into the water-hole. By lickering moonheam, playing against the dried walls of the tank he could the hudded skeletons of desert that had died this search He shrank back, and stumbled up the canon.
 Two hours later the cool desers dew began sparkle on the mesquite. and although Red was trembling with strange hystera of weakness, he felt refreshed he drew off his hat and stood with his face upturned to the sky.
 Where narrow gulch precipitately intersected the arroyo, Red found another desolate heap of whtened homes. He started make detour and pass the pitt full story that had been mutey thrust home to him that night. But he turned back It some human something, anyway, out in this chaos of death
 "O1d Timer" he said, in his alien, dry voice. "1 think you're goin' to have my comp'ny before long back here and lie down with you bet you died fight in, old scout" He followed the main draw of the canon until, from sheer exhaustion, he fell. As he struck the sand his fingers touched the buckle of an old canteen. half buried by the drifting sand Red lay for second too dazed to realize what his fingers had automatically closed over then he got to his knees and began ciawing the canteen from the ground The uncorked copper flask shaped like bottle, and was old that the leather straps had rotted away leaving only the buckles.
 ~But you're water-tight at that" Red said hold ing the canteen against the moonlight he searched for leaks.
 He stared up at the steep walls of the canon. The canteen had been buried near the left wall so Red scraped footing with his pocketknfe and started futtng rocks tore his coat and left twisting marks his naked arms and bruised hands, until by the yellow light of the breaking dawn he could see red botche. second fall made deep cut his chest But he went back stubborny Ts seIapng out new footoids hung on with one hand, digging further step witt his free fingers he could feel great drops of sweat shaking with sobs, his clothes torn into stiff shreds he pulled himself the edge He fell in whim- pering heap
 He lay for hours motionless, until the round, morn ing sun rode high above him. He turned over weakly sharp pains shooting through the gash his chest When he could force himself to sit up the world about him rocked crazily in wild dance. But in the fantastic whirl he could see verdant mesquite ane towering cact. If he had not been transported te some delirious paradise, water was somewhere wthir his reach If he could but crawl to itl When the weird dance about him had slowed to sane world o