Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1915-04-23
CHAPTER xIII-consinued.

But" Sabron said aloud, lit is a
prayer to be said at night and not in
the afternoon of an African hell"
He began to climb; he pulled him
self along. leaving his track in blood.
He tainted twice, and the thick
growth held him like the wicker of a
cradle. and before he came to his on
seriousness the sun was mercifully go
ing down. He finally reached the top
OF the bank and lay there painting.
Not far distant we're the bushes of
ose and mimosa flower. and still pant
ing, weaker and ever weaker, his cour-
& the only living thing in him, Sab
ron, with Pitchoune by his side,
dragged himself into healing hands.
All that night Sabron wastdelirious;
his mind travelled far into vague fan
tastic countries, led back again, ever
gently, by a 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. to cease being a human creature
and to become nothing but carrion.
Moments of consciousness succeeded
those Of mental disorder. Every now
and then he would feel Pitchoune
close to 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 was 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 a philoso-
pher. realized how hard it was to die
unsatisfied In love, unsatisfied in life,
having accomplished nothing. having
wished many things and realized at
an early age only death! Then this
point Of view changed and the phys
ical man was uppermost.
He groaned for water, he groaned
for relief from pain, turned his head
from side to side. and Pitchoune
whined softly. Sabron was not strong
enough to speak to him. and their
voices, of mar and beast, inarticulate,
mingled-both left to die in the open
Then Sabron violently rebelled and
cried out in his soul against fate and
destiny. He could have cursed the
day he was born. Keenly DESTROYS tc
live, to make his mark and 70 win
everything a man values, why should
he be picked and chosen for this lone
lyt pathetic end? Moreover. he did moi
wish to suffer like this. to lose his
grasp IN life, 10 go on into wilder
delirium and to die! He knew enough
of injuries to feel sure that his WOUND
alone would not kill him. When h,
had first dragged himself into tn,
shade he had tainted. and when h,
came to himself he might hav,
stanched his blood. His wound wal
hardly bleeding now. 1t had alread.
died. Fatigue and thirst, fever woul,
finish him, not his hurt. He was to-
young to die.
With great effort he raised himsel
on his arm and scanned the deser
stretching en- all sides like a rosy sea
Along the river bank the pale and deli
cate blossom and leaf of the mimosi
lay like a blush veD. and the smell o
the evening and the smell Of the nj
mosa flower and the perfumes Of tn
reeds came to him, aromatic an
sweet. Above his head the blue SIX
was ablaze with stars and directl
over him the evening star hung like
crystal lamp. But there was no bea,
~ in It for the wounded officer VIII
looked in vain to the dark shadows o
the desert that might mean approach
ing human life. Il would be better (
die as he was dying. than to be foun
by the enemy
The sea OF waste rolled u~nbroken a
far as his fading eyes could reacl
He sank back with q sigh, not to ris
again. and closed his eyes and waite,
He slept a short, restless, feveris
sleep, and in II dreams chased one al
other like those evoked by a narcoti,
but out of them, over and over agai
came the picture OF Julia Redmon,
and she sang to him the O who's
words were a prayer for the safet
OF a loved one during the night.
From that romantic melody tbe1
seemed to rise more solemn ones. Fl
heard the rolling of the organ in N
cathedral In his native town, for h
came from Rouen originally. whel
there is one OF the most beautifl
cathedrals in the world. The mus
rolled and rolled and passed over Il