The Hickman courier., 1914-12-17
TREY OF HEARTS.
the cut clean and bAndaged Il.

the cut clean and bAndaged IL.
Then seeing that the storm held
with fury unabated. she rose. recon
noitered and returned to exert all her
strength and drag the unconscious
man across the dry bed OF that ancient
watercourse and under the lee Of It's
farther bank.
There, sitting, she pillowed his
head upon her lap. and bending over
him made her body an additional shell.
ter to him from the swirling clouds
Of dust.
And for hours on end Judith nursed
him there. scarce daring TO move
save to minister to his needs. bathing
his fevered brow and moistening his
parched lips and throat
In the course OF the nrst hour she
was once startled by the spectral Wis.
ion through the driving sheets OF dust
of horse that plodded up the arroyo.
bearing two riders on its back.
Weary with the weight OF its double
burden. II went slowly and passed so
near to Judith that she was able to
lrcsognirs the features OF her sister
and Tom Barcus.
Be sure she made never 4 sign to
catch their attention.
Within the next succeeding hour
the coppery light lost something Of
its hot hrillance. took on q darker
lshade. and then one darker still. Twi.
hight stole athwart the desert, turning
lfts heat to chill. its light to violet
Growing more intense. the cold
eventually reused the sleeping man.
And hardly had his eyes Enclosed
and looked up into the eyes Of Judith
bending over him than he started up
and out OF her embrace. got unstsad-
lfly upon his feet and after q mon ent
of pause. watching her rise IN turn.
strode away-or. rather. staggered
with the gesture OF exorcism.
Uncompiaining. hugging her new
horn humility TO her with the ecstasy
OF the anchorite his horse-hair shirt.
Judith followed him patiently. at q
little distance.
Not far from where he had rested
there was n break In the overhansing
wall Of the arroyo. Through this he
scrambled painfully. reaching the level
OF the desert only after cruel effort.
the unheeded woman at his heels.
A brief pause there afforded both
time TO regain their breath and survey
the desert for signs Of assistance: u
offered none. other than what they
might accomplish through their own
exertions. For leagues in any quarter
II stretched without a break other than
the black cleft OF the arroyo. cleaning
q bleached and deathly white In the
noonshine-like the face Of q frozen
world.
With tacit consent both turned that
way. Alan leading. Judith his pertina.
cious shadow. with never 4 word or
sign between them TO prove that either
was aware Of the others company.
But this was q state OF affAirs that
could not long endure. Judith had the
price to pay for her own trials. suf-
fering and privation: the strain began
to tell sorely upon her. She reeled
slightly a. she walked. weaving a
winding trail across and across the
straighter line OF footprints that
marked Alan's course through the or
dered pattern Of the powdered sage
brush
And Of q sudden she collapsed.
Instinct alone made Alan glance
overshoulder: for she had made no
sound whatever.
He turned and came directly back
20 her. knelt beside her. lifted Aer
head. pillowed II gently on his arm
and piled her In turn with the dregs
of the canteen.
With q sigh, a stifed moan and q
little shiver. she revived.
He helped her gently to regain her
feet. passed an arm round her.
In this fashion they struggled on in
strange. dumb companionship OF mis-
cry and wonder.
Thus an hour passed; and for all
their desperate struggles neither could
see that the light on the mountainsids
was a yard the nearer.
Behind them other lights appeared.
two staring yellow eyes that peered
up over the horizon, seemed 10 pause
! time In search Of the two. then
Ieaped out directly toward them.
OF this they were altogether ignor-
mt; and when deep. droning sound
disturbed the desert silence, like the
purring OF some gigantic cat. both as
cribed II to the drumming Of their