The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1914-12-12

That's my pencil" he thought duly
There is not another pencil in this
desert How can write to Dolores Il
Old Man Gallon walks Off"
He took out of his pocket worr
leather wallet and drew out the pic
ture of a woman, whose calm, cold fea
lures. unadorned by the photographer
art. were appealing to the man Of his
appetites
He looked at this moment, and
then all the morbid fire in his blood
famed toward his heart. Love, life
and happiness depended upon the pos
session Of gold Therefore, with this
fire in his heart Wilkerson suddenly
got that absolute thirst for gold which
traverses deserts, which has killed
more people than the armies of Eu-
rope
And in his sudden access Of physical
desire for gold in order to attain this
woman he rose to his feet, and there
came upon his face a swift expression,
stealthy but determined.
lie put the photograph away and,
pantherlike, stole into the shadow un-
der the hill and toward the man who
had been his partner, but whom he
was resolved to kill. He crept along,
taking all precautions against disturb
ing a single pebble, until he stood over
Gallon, and in the full moouligbt he
saw that Gallon was drawing he lans
and marking the locations of milne.
How far" he thought forcefully TO
himself, has the old man gone What
gulch is this? What place is this? He
has found the gold, and I'm going to
have IT," He still watched the pencil
and saw him trace in rude letters:
This will make you happy"
That moment Gallon saw Wilkerson
smiling at him.
Smiles and tears. sorrow and laugh
ter have made this world what 1t Is,
and the smile on the saturnine visage
of Wilkerson stirred Gallon to his
depths. Did Wilkerson know? Had
Wilkerson seen? Was Ruth to lose the
gold that he had found after all these
years? Wikerson had peered over his |
Wilkersonl Wilkerson! VII.
kerson. There must be no Wilkerson!
He pulled out his revolver and fred
at the man smiling at him from the /
Wilkerson emptied his revolver at |
the old man. But Gallons trained eye, |
backed up by his overmastering pas
sion. had directed his weapon too sure
ly. Wilkerson realized that his enc
mys bullet had gone home.
Still with the blood lust In his heart
Gallon pulled out the picture Of little
girl and paSsionately kissed it.
"You look like your mother. Ruth"
be whispered.
But while he was yielding to this
queer tenderness his former partner
was struggling 10 his feet-dizzy with
lair. absolutely cowed by the shock OF
hiding himself physically helpless. yet
iriven by instinct to find other human
leings. Where were they? There was
10 sound on the desert except the
ustling Of the dry leaves Of the
'uccas and the murmur OF the cactus
Is IL died Of drought. lie was really OF
wo minds One desire was TO find the
ocation OF the gold The other was 60
ave his own life and assuage the bit
er fast which be knew meant death.
At last he stumbled to his feet ana
ccred across the mist veiled valley
FAR away he saw a light. Gathering |
Do his strength. be started toward Il
or lt he'd ont 90 him the prospect o.
.eip Tor his physical injury. and as he
ngered his revolver he feverishly
pamed OF finding Gallon and So
veugins himself
Under the stars he tramped on As
zen see their real world In miniature
nj their ideal world magni6ed. as we
% do the moon. flooding its light !
own upon his path. did not appear
within his range Of vision. Ii was
My the little pin points OF stars in
be purple black sky that he discene,l
nd in the midst Of this ornament. as
horizons had been obiiierated. be
aw a solitary twinkling light. which
leaut a human habifation
I'll get him yet. be muttered thick
=. The mere act Of articulate speech |
led In his throat He realized that b.
ad no water. and the overp0werinc
hrs burned IN his very marrow.
4 can't make H." be thought to him