Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-06-20
Copyrighted 1911 by Harper 6 Bros)

back in horror He caught at the gun in his belt.
numb lifeess He crept forward his breath whistling
between his parched lips No. he was not dreaming
A moccasined foot dusty and trave-staned, proruded
from a striped blanket.
Don't move Red commanded in Indian "I've
got you covercd-youre a dead man if that foot
moves" He lunged forward into the bushes.
Great Godr' he burst out ITS woman He
fell down on his knees beside her
She lay full length on the sand, her twisted
queerly beneath her head, her cooress face upurned
to the copper, desert sky Red bent over her Parted
lips showed her small teeth but Red could not
feel the movement OF her breath against his cheek
He pressed his head her breast above her heart
garment that fell in stiff folds as he touched it. He
tried to drag her from beneath her head that
he could chafe life into the silent pulses of her
wrists. They caught He moved her slender
were knotted, with braided leather thongs to a stake
ing, sobbns aloud from utter weakness and exhaus-
ton He tried to cut the knot; he tried drag the
wooden stake from the ground but he only made
twisted mark across her brown arm Then he picked
up the six-shootcr and crouchcd over her. He did
not trust himself; he pressed the barrel hard against
the braided manaclc. There was quick squirt of
flame and the smell OF singed leather. A gray powder
mark spread her bruised wrist but the locked
hands fell apart and, driven straight into the sand,
a clean round hole showed
"Water-sone water Red WHISPERED, "the c,pful
l gave Bill--only the cupfu-
Then he the trodden sand about her chopped
with moccasin tracks. He followed them, crawling on
MS nandS and knees, nOSing after them like dog.
They fell suddenly into determined line as they led
from the brush into ovcrgrown trail Red ran
forward, the at his shoulder clankng against
the dense ironwood bordering his way. A mountain
sheep sprang terrified from clurp Of MESQUITE and
ran beating. before him. The moccasn tracks swerved
toward the mesquite and Red knew in his heart that
ne had found water. He plunged forward tearing
the canteens from their leather straps. Sheltered by
the fragment mesquite, water-hoe lay like molten
made red-hot vice close down about Reds throat
and he rocked on his feet from sickenng desire to
throw himself deep, deep into that silent pool, until
wonder OF the glorious death. But he bent over and
lowered the canteens with infinite patience The
seconds that he waited for the TASKS to fill dragged
past him like century. Then he drew them from
the gurgllng water, and turned back up the trial.
staggering like drunken and screaming insaney
to the impacabc dome OF brass above him.
He forced the caneon mouth between the girls blue
lips, pleaded with her. "Oh, know you're dead--I
know he said, crafty The water spilled down over
her throat and breast He caught the other canteen
and thick, braided hair
Suddenly, without seconds warning her eyelids
swept open, and she drew in her breath with CULVER
ing sob. Red stared down at her stupeied Her ewes
were blue-the deep. unmistakabe blue of the eau
casian.
81 guess know'd you wasn't squaw," Red said,
solernnly, 'but thought you was
She sat UP and looked down at her bruised wrists.
A faint color threaded up under her brown cheeks,
where her long lashes lay against them
:. you know I found you here" Red explained in
lieu OF the wanting introduction.
She broke into perfect medley Of words that cas-
eaded from her mouth in ripping, alien tongue.
Red gazed down at her, amazed She rushed on ex,
citedy, making broken gestures with her wounded
hands. Then she stopped and glanced up him with
shy questioning.
He spoke two Apache words to her. She
Casa" said Red, this being the only Spanish word
in his vocabulary When she did not respond he tried
he demanded earnestly. A startled look flashed into
her eyes She hesitated second, frownng 'Jc me-
she said then stopped suddenly, and broke anew into
the ripping argon she had spok before.
He took one of the little hands, and set to wor,
raveling the heavy leather The wrist was very small
and soft and the big welts it made Red feel like
putting his head down and crying, taking her up
in his arms and comforting her-he could be
which.
he started to his feet with cry Up above the sun
travelled serene in mid-heayen Red explained to her
with rapid pantomime and gesture about Bill, and
noon, and camp. She must remain in the cool shade
near the water while he, with the full canteens, would
60 for Bill, and return Her face blanched with
She threw herself down before him the sand, and
inoccasin tracks and mpored him, with hysterica
gestures He tried to tell her that she could
pointed to the red-gazcd sun he unbucked the six
shooter from his belt, and laid it beside her. But she
shook her head and Hlurg to him. crying She snached
up the strip of leather and sign6ed that she would
.,e hcrseif to him, would follow him. Red stopped
and lifted her to her feet.
90 You lou shall go with me-" he said resting his hands
YOU And she understood
,ohe moved away from him, quickly folded her
blanket, and hid it under mesquite bush Still
STOPPING she turned to ask his approval. He was
staring at her hxedly, The round, loose neck of her
19ckskn dress had slipped down over one shoulder.
Inc deep goden.tan Of her face and throat stopped
anspy where the line OF her dress had been and
the wondering hand that Red laid upon it. He
searched her face painful questioning in his gaze She
stared back at him for an instant then drew away
from MS toucn with quick movement she slipped
the dress into place, sudden flush staining her throat
and face. Then she reached down and took his hand
IN hers, and they started down the path together Red
carrying the filled canteens swung over his shoulder
, 1t was three in the afternoon by the sun. when
they saw the thin trail of smoke from Bills campfire,
Red gave sigh of relief
-, HE amt stopped hopin'," he said "He knowed
Id come back"
Bill came out to meet Red running in a quick trot
toward them. When he raised his head and saw the
girl he stopped suddenly and stood swayng his