Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1915-02-18

"That's my pencil" he tAsoght duly
"There is not anotter pencil in this
desert. How can | write to Dolores II
Old Man Gallon. walks onT'
He took out Of his pocket a worn
leather wallet and drew out the pic
ture of q woman, whose calm, cold fea-
lures, unadorned by the photographers
art. were appealing ~ the man OF his
appetites.
He. looked ct this moment, and
then al the mosbid fire in his blood
famed toward his heart Love, life
and AAQpinsss depended upon the pos
sessiop o& gold. Therefore, with this
fire In h1s. haaEt. Wilkerson suddenly
got that absolute thirst for gold which
tzavaxsaa deserts. which has killed
moro people than the armies Of Ell
rope.
And in his sudden access Of physical
desire for gold in order to attain this
woman he rose to his feet. and there
cams upon his face swift expression.
stsAlthy but determined.
~ put the photograph away and,
panieAerlike, stole into the shadow un.
der thu blu, and toward the. man who
had been his partner, but whom he
was resolved to kill He crept along,
taking all precautions against disturb.
ting single pebble, until hs stood over
Gallon, and In the full moonlight he
saw that Gallon was drawing the plans
and marking the locations Of mine.
.How far" he thought forcefully to
himself, ''has the old man gone What
gulch - .thfs1 What place ID thisi he
has found tho gold. and I'm going to
have it!' He still watched the pencil
and saw him trace in rude letters:
"This VIII make you happy"
That moment Gallon saw Wtlkers0n
smiling at him.
Smiles and tears. sorrow ana laugh.
ter have made this world what 1t %.
and the smile on the saturnine visage
of Wilkerson stirred Gallon to hid
depths. Did Wilkerson know7 Had
Wilkerson Scent Was Ruth to lose the
gold that he had found after all these
years1 Wilkerson had peered over his
shoulder. Wilkersonl Wilkerson! Viii.
kerson! There must be no Wilkerson!
He pulled out his revolver and fired
1t the man smiling at him from the
shadow.
Wilkerson emptied his revolver al
the old man. hut Gallons trained eye
backed up by his overInastering pas.
sion, had directed his weapon too sure
~. Wilkerson realized that his cue
my's bullet had gone home.
Still with til" blood lus. in his heart,
Gallon pulled ont the picture Of little
girl and paTsionatcIy kissed it.
"You look like your mother. Ruth
he whispered.
But while he was yielding to this
queer Tenderness his former partner
was struggling to his fect-dizzy with
pain, absolutely cowed by the shock OF
finding himself physically helpless. YET
driven by instinct 10 find other human
beings. Where we're theyy There was
NO sound ON the desert except the
rustling Of the dry leaves of the
yuccas and the ninrmur of the cactus
a. L died OF drought. He was really OF
tive minds. One desire was to find the
location of the geld. The other was Ia
save his own life and ass,lnge the bit
ter fast which he knew meant death.
At last he stumbled to his feet and
peered across the mist yelled valley
far away lie saw light Gathering
all hts strength. be started toward it
for 1t held out TO him rlle prospect OF
help for his physical injury. aud as liz
fingered his revolver he feverishly
dreaIned OF finding Gallon aud 81
avenging himself,
Under the stars he tramped on. A.
men see their real world IN miniatur,
and their ideal world magnitied. as W,
all do. the moon, flooding its ligh
down upon his path: did not appear
within his range Of vision. 1t wal
only the little pin points Of stars II
the purple black sky that he discernes
| and in the midst Of this armament a
| II horizons had been obliterated, b,
saw q solitary twihkling light. which
| meant Q human llabitation.
Ell get him yet" he muttered thick
II. The mere act Of articulate speed
disd IN his throat He realized that b
had - water. and the oyerpowerin,
eAazse turnsd II his very marrow.
Il can't maks 4" b tAsught b hin