The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1913-10-03

after a soul and body wearying march on the
trail OF the willy Apache found himself In the
heart OF one OF the dreariest, most God.forsaken
mountain countries in the whole range of the
southern country
The troop exhausted and practically with
out water, the men having not a drop to drink
save what i'm their canteens They had cut
loose from river I'm the early morning, expect
ing to find another when the day done. but
not much as a rivuet had they found There
was coffee that night and there wasn't light
heart in the whole outfit.
Tracy unhappy. II wasn't wholly his suf-
fering condition and that OF his which
weighed upon him Just before leaving the
Arizona post he had received news that his
younger brother, John, had been committed TO
states prison In a far northeastern state. The
officer had seen his home only since his grad
uation. He had stayed away purposey. His
brother had been n trusted bank emplOye. Then
came suspicion, then conviction and sentence
John Tracy protested his innocence Of the crime
charged against him, and his family knowing the
lad, believed In him, but the orcumstanta evi
dence overwhelming, ard I'm spite OF the ef
forts of the aged father, who spent his time and
his money in the boys defense he went TO
prison.
Before the troop had left Fort Banks with its
nose to the red-hot trail OF Geronimo there had
joined enlisted man n strapping young OF
ficer who said that he came from St Louis. His
name Barlow, and he assigned TO the
troop Of which Tracy the Junior officer and
he went with It on its chase across the border
after the Apache cheftaln.
Barlow on every occasion possible attached
himself TO Tracys person, Whenever there was
a scouting party detached from the main body
and put under the second lieutenant's command
Barlow asked that he might be assigned 10 1t TO
share in the scouting duty. He was reserved
fellow and apparently OF superior education
There were no camp jokes for him. He
grave and tacturn. Tracy had noticed the evi-
ntt,g % t1,, u H..
was a capable soldier and willing to dare and
to do anything he was glad to have him n part
of his outfit when detached and dangerous
service.
on the morning following the night that the
troop was practically without water and I'm n
country devoid of all green things save the for
bidding cactus, the troop commander told Tracy
that he had better make short reconnaissance,
feel out the country for the enemy and above all.
try to locate water To attempt march under
that hot Mexican sun with the men, and with any
idea OF effective service was foolhardy.
Tracy told his captain that he would take but
one man with him; that they would strike south
west, where II was thought n better prospect OF
water lay, and that they would return as soon as
find was made. He selected Barlow for his
companion, and the two struck out through the
black. sunseared country.
They went on for three hours. Not drop OF
the element OF which they in search. Their
tongues biistered They drank sparingly OF
the water In their canteens, pressed on for an.
other hour and :Aen knew that they must return.
Back they started They followed their onward
trail well they could but at times Il was
lost, and then circling necessary to take It
up again. At noon they lost II and could not
find II again. There was great Jagged rock ris.
Ing TO the westward which neither recognized.
Lieutenant" said Barlow. we're going wrong
We never came this way The sun doesn't bear
right 1t should be more 20 our right. | believe
that we are going almost directly at right angles
90 the camp"
They circled again and again but no trace OF
the trail. Then the conclusion forced itself on
Tracy that they were lost They wandered on
until the sun went down beyond the black rocks
Then they each drank sparingly OF the precious
contents or the canteens and lay down on the
gray desert to sleep.
The sun came up like a redhot round shot
Tracy and Barlow ate the last OF their single
ration, and took swallow OF water apiece
Then on they went again. Twenty.four hours
passed. The sun came up once more and with
its coming they staggered forward The can.
teens were empty. They looked for the cactus
whose leaf yields Juice that helps fight of the
demon OF thirst They could not find A. The
only vegetation were occasional clumps OF stunt.
ed prickly pear cactus. the Juice OF whose leaves
accentuates thirst
Another twenty-four hours The men cheerea
each other on like the soldiers they were Tracy
began TO feel the coming OF deirium Oh for n
draIght OF water! He looked at Barlow. The
mans eyes were burning. but they had n cour.
age In them, and something else In their depths
which Tracy never before had seen there On
and on and on. They could go no further sud.
denly Barlow turned to Tracy and said in a voice
that was choked from the clutchlng of thrst's
hand at his throat: Lieutenant I was afraid
that we might be tempeted TO drink this long
ago so saved Il for the last extremity. 1ieu.
tenant, ! have good drink OF water aplece
left In my canteen."