The daily sentinel., 1913-06-14
Copyrighted 1911 by Harper 6 Bros.)

back in horror. He caught at the gun in his belt
The fingers of his six-shooter hand seemed suddenly
numb hfeless. He crept forward, his breath whistng
between his parched lips. No, he was not dreaming.
moccasned foot dusty and travelstained, protruded
Don't move" Red commanded in Indian. "Pve
got you eovered-you're dead man if that foot
moves He lunged forward into the bushes.
Great God" he burst out ITS a woman He
fell down his knees beside her.
She lay full length the sand her arms twisted
queey beneath her head her eoloress face upturned
bps showed her SMALL teeth; but Red could not
teel the movement OF her breath against his check
He pressed his head her breast above her hear
he could hear only the faint whisper of the buckskin
garment that fel in stiff folds he touched it. He
tried to drag her arms from beneath her head that
he could ehae some life into the silent pulses OF her
wrists They were caught. He moved her slender
body so that he could see her pinione hands. They
driven in the sand He worked the intricate braid
ing, sobbing aloud from utter weakness and exhaus-
ton He tried to cut the knot; he tried to drag the
wooden stake from the ground, but he only made
twisted mark across her brown arm. Then he picked
up the six-shooter and crouched her. He did
not trust himself he pressed the barrel hard against
the braided manacle. There a quick squirt of
flame and the smell of snged leather gray powder
mark spread over her bruised wrist but the locked
hands fell apart and driven straight into the sand,
clean, round hole showed.
"Water-some water Red whispered "the cupful
l gave Bil-ony the cupful-'
Then he the trodden sand about her chopped
with moccasin tracks. He followed them, crawling on
his hands and knees, nosing after them like a dog
They fell suddenly into determined line as they led
from the brush into an overgrown trail Red ran
forward the canteens his shoulder clanng against
the dense iron-wood bordering his way. A mountain
sheep sprang, terrified from clump OF MESQUITE and
ran, beang before him The moccasin tracks swerved
toward the mesquite and Red knew in his heart that
he had found water He plunged forward tearing
the fragment mesquite water-hole lay like molten
silver in the deep shade The sight of the still
and he rocked on his feet from sickening desire to
throw himself deep, deep into that silent pool until
all heaven and earth would be botted out in the
wonder OF the glorious death. But he bent 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 gurgling water, and turned back up the trial
staggering like drunken man and screaming nsanely
to the implacable dome OF brass above him.
He forced the mouth between the girls blue
know" he said. crafty The water spilled down over
her throat and breast He caught up the other canteen
and pouring the cool water, wetted her forehead
and thick braided hair.
Suddenly, without a seconds warning her eyeids
swept open and she drew in her breath with a quiyer-
ing sob Red stared down at her, stupeied. Her eyes
were blue-the deep unmistakabe blue of the Cau-
casian.
Il guess knowd you wasn't no squaw" Red said,
soemnly, but | thought you
She sat up and looked down at her bruised wrists
A faint color threaded up under her brown checks,
where her long ashes lay against them
you know found you here" Red explained in
lieu of the wanting introduction.
She broke into a perfect medley of words that cas-
caded from her mouth some ripping alien tongue.
Red gazed down at her, amazed She rushed on ex-
citedly, making broken gestures with her wounded
hands. Then She stopped and glanced up at him with
shy questioning
lie spoke one or two Apache words to her She
looked bewildered.
Casa" said Red this being the only Spanish word
in his vocabulary. When she did respond he tried
his one French phrase, "Commong porty vooF
he demanded earnestly. startled look flashed into
her eyes. She hesitated second, rowning. "Je me-.
she said, then stopped suddenly, and broke into
the ripping jargon she had spoS n before
He took of the little hands, and work
raveing the heavy leather The wrist was very small
and soft and the big welts made Red feel like
putting his head down and crying, or taking her up
which
When the tangled knots united from wrist
he started his feet with a cry. Up above. the
travelled serene in md-hcaycn Red explained to her,
with rapid pantommc and gesture about Bill, and
noon, and camp She must remain in the cool shade
the while he, with the full canteens, would
go for Bill and return. Her face blanched with terror.
She threw herself down before him the sand and
put her forehead against his feet She pointed to the
moccasin tracks and mplored him. with hysterical
gestures He tried to tell her that she could not face
the binding MONDAY heat OF the white desert; he
pointed to the red glazed he unbuc'led the six
shooter from his belt and laid it beside her. But she
shook her head and vluEg to him crying She snatehed
tie herself to him, would follow him. Red stopped
and lifted her to her feet.
You shall go with me- he said, resting his hands
on her shoulders, "and if you can't wak-lll carry
you" And she understood
She moved away from him, quicdy folded her
blanket, and hid it under a mesquite bush Still
STOPPING, she turned ask his approval. He was
staring her fxedy. The round loose neck OF her
buckskin dress had slipped down over shoulder:
The deep goldentan of her face anG throat stopped
abruptly where the line of her dress had been, and
the round shoulder very white, far whittier than
the wondering Rand that Red laid upon it. He
searched her face painful questioning in his gaze She
stared back him for instant, then drew away
from his touch. 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 filed canteens swung over his shoulder
1t was three in the afternoon. by the sum- when
they saw the thin trail of smoke from Bills campfire
Red gaze a sigh of relief