The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1915-07-23
cAAPrER xIlI--contInued


CHAPTER xiIi--continued
But, Sabron said aloud II Is q
prayer 10 be said at night and not In
the afternoon OF an African hell
lie began 10 climb ne pulled him.
self along, leaving his track In blood.
lie tainted twice. and the thick
growth held him like the wicker OF a
cradle. and before he came to his con.
sciouaness the sun was mercifully go.
Ing down He finally reached the top
! Of the bank and lay there painting
Not FAR distant were the bushes OF
rose and mimosa flower, and still pant.
ing. weaker and ever weaker, his cour.
age the only living thing In him. Sab.
ron, with Pitchoune by his side.
dragged himself into healing hands.
All that night sabron was delirIous;
his mind travelled far into vague fan.
tastic countries, led back again. ever
gently, BY tune, to safety
Every now and then he would real
lie that he Was alone on the vast
desert destined to finish his existence
here. % cease being human creature
and % become nothing but carrion.
Moments Of consciousness succeeded
those Of mental disorder Every now
and then be would feel Pitchoune
close 70 his arm The dog licked his
hand and the touch was grateful to
the deserted officer Pitchoune licked
his masters cheek and sabron felt
that there WINS another life beside his
IN the wilderness, Neither dog nor
man could long exist. however. with.
out food or drink and Sabron was
growing momentarily weaker.
The Frenchman. though sphiloso.
pher. realized how hard 1t was to die
unsatisfied In love. unsAtisfied In life,
having accomplished nothing. haying
wished many things and realized at
an early age only death! Then this
point OF view changed and the phys
teal man wag uppermost
lie groaned for water, he groaned
for relief from pain, turned his head
from side TO Eide. aud Pitchoune
whined softly sabron was not strong
enough TO speak to him. and their
voices. Of man and beast. inarticuiate,
mingled--both lef; TO die In the open.
Then sabron violently rebeiled and
cried out In his soul against fate and
destiny He could have cursed the
day he was born Keenly DESTROYS TO
live, TO make his mark and to win
everything q man values. why should
he be picked and chosen for this lone.
~ pathetic endf Moreover. he did not
wish to suffer like this. 10 lose his
grasp on life, to go on into wilder
delirinm and to die! He knew enough
OF injuries TO feel sure that his wound
alone would not kin him. When he
had first dragged himself into the
shade he had tainted. and when he
came to himself he might have
stanched his blood His wound was
hardly bleeding now. IL had already
died Fatigue and thirst, fever would
finish him. not his hurt He was too
young 10 die
With great effort he raised himself
on his arm and scanned the desert
stretching on all sides like rosy sea.
Along the river bank the pale and deli.
cate blossom and leaf OF the Inimosa
lay like blush veil. and the smell OF
the evening and the smell OF the mi.
mosa flower and the perfumes of the
weeds came 10 him. aromatic and
sweet Above his head the blue sky
Was ablaze with stars and directly |
over him the evening star hung like a
crystal lamp. But there Was no beau. |
~ In Il for the wounded officer who |
looked IN vain to the dark shadows ON |
the desert that might mean approach.
ing human life II would be better to |
die as he was dying. than to be found
b. the enemy
The sea OF waste rolled unbToken as |
far as his fading eyes could reach. /
lie sank back with a sigh, not to rise
again, and closed his eyes and waited
he slept a short. restless. feyerish
sleep, and in 4 dreams chased one an
other like those evoked by narcotic.
but out Of them. over and over again /
came the picture OF Julia Redmond.
and she sang TO him the song whose
words we're a prayer for the safety
Of loved one during the night.
From that romantic melody there
seemed TO rise more solemn ones. He /
heard the rolling Of the organ In the
cathedral in his native town. for he
came from Rouen originally. where
there is one of the most beautiful
In the world. The music
rolled and rolled and passed over the