Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-09-18

! Al9CE re1g7Ce0 wftE joy new to
I him that these escaped prisoners bad
/ not been pursued It was himself thai
+ the hand meant TO subject 10 their say
/ age vengeance and himself alone, as
+ be well knew
! as their bullets pursued him Wilcox
lay along the body Of the broncho, feel
Ing his steed very small and himself
very large, and yet. despite the rain Of
lead, his pleasure over the escape Of
the child warmed his heart
He had selected for himself and for
. GledwHre ponies that had often been
rIn against each other and which no
others of al Red Kfubal1's corral could
surp8ss IN speed Gledware and the
child were on the pony that EimbaI
had once staked against the swiftest
animal the Indians could produce, and
wilcox rode the pride Of the Indian
band. which had almost WON the prize,
The race was long, but always IN
equal The ruffians. who had dashed
from the scene Of the cabin almost in
an even EIe, scattered and struggled
pnevenly. Now only two we're able to
send bullets whistling about WuIocb'g
head. now only one found it possible
20 cover the distance. At last he fell
out Of range
The child who had lain so trlstingly
upon WnIock's Wild bosom. who had
chung 70 him as 10 father-sbe was
safe an uuwouted smile crept under
the bristing beard OF the fugitive. as
he urged the pony forward In unreiax-
ing speed. Should he seek refuge
among civilized communities his crimes
would hang over his head To venture
into his old baUnts in No Mans Land
would be to expose his back to the as /
sassiu knife. or his breast to ambush f.
ed murderers
These were desperate reflections. and
she future seemed framed in solitude .
yet Brick Wilcox rode on with that
odd smile about the grim lips The
smile was unlike him but, tine whole
affair was such an experience as bad
never entered his most daring fancy .
Never before in his life had he held a
child in his arms, still less had be felt
rhe sweet embrace Of peaceful slum-
Der.
The sun had risen when the pony,
after few lettering steps. suddenly
sank 10 earth. Wiuoek unfasteued rba
halter from its neck. tied it with the
lariar about bis waist, and without
pause set out afoot
Though stiff from long riding. the
change of motion soon brought renew
ed vigor Wilcox had growu thirsty.
and as the SUN rose higher and beat
down on him from an uncIouded Sky.
bis eyes searched the plains eagerly
for some shelter that promised water
Ills did not look la vain Against the
horizon rose tie low blue shapes of the
Wichita mountains. looking az first like
Fat sheets of cardboard, cut out br q
careless hand and set upright 10 the
sand. He advanced. growing weaker.
breathing with more difficulty but sun
motteriug. NOT yet-uot just vet"
The mountains had begun ta spread
apart There were long ranges aud
short Here and there. "a form thar
had seemed AN integral part IF some
range. defined Itself as distinct from
+. others lying ike an island ~ rock
ir sea Of uuhroEen desert Wilcox
was approaching the Wichita noun
EaEas from their southwestern extrem-
.-r- AS far rs be coulH sec fa one Iii
ro7tiau tao -rotasqua forms stretched =
iu isolated chains or single groups hut
i'm tho other the end was reached. and
beyond lay the unbroEen waste Of The
Panhandle
SwayiuG on his zrear fe-= ss with q
the weakness OF au infant. he was
low very near the end Of tac system
A. wall of granite sDarsaIv dotted with I
green rose above him TO height IF r.
about $50 feet p
He sank to the ground, mis- eyes red
ma 5immed. For some time be re- c
NAMED there inert staring bis brain a
refusing 10 work. r vrnder stood s
white object between him and taa d
mountain. q curious white something
with wheels. might If NOT be a covered "
,vagouE No; it was mirage. But L
Was it possible for q mirage to deceive Ii
Iim into the fancy that wagon stood
nly few hundred feet awavr Per T.
laps It was really a wagon. He star q
ID stupidity, not moving There were Il
10 dream horses TO this ghost wagon.
There was no sign Of life If captured a
~ the indians Il would not have been ii
eft intact. But how came g wagon Il
nto this barren world2 III
He stared up at the sun as If 70 as
lure himself that he was awake. then 81
aughed hoarseIy, foolIshiy Ee began
o crawl forward. but the wagon did Ia
net move. As 1T grew palmer in all d
rs details q new strength came to him I'd
BE strove to rise and. after several at p
empts, succeeded. He staggered for
ward till his hands graspad one Of the p
wheels It was no dream. 81
a searching look distinguished two NJ
'bjeers that excluded from attention al
ID others. Upon a mattress at the So
ear OF the wagon lay q woman. her
ace covered by cloth. and near the v
ront seat stood a keg Of water. The -
tg1d form Of the woman and the posi- =
ion Of the arms and hands showed )
hat she was dead. a
The man recognized this truth but IT
made only q dim impression. That
eg Of water meant life-and life was 4
tbousandfOld more IN him than death &