Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1916-05-05

Lieber, with Gerry and Kemp, sat in
the shade of the veranda, smoking after
the midday meal. The stock had been
corralled, but, on Kemp's advice, the
start for Fazenda Flores was to be
made halfway through the afternoon.
There was to be a great moon that
night and the drive would be robbed of
the perils Of darkness to cattle as well
as of the horrible heat.
The three were silent, half somno
lent, when a passing herder grunted
and pointed westward with his chin.
Lieber stood up and looked. A pillar
of dust was coming across the desert.
He could see men riding and some
ng else. He took his field glasses
rom a peg and looked again. "Fu-
neral, or a sick man." he said and sat
down to wait. Kemp started whiting
to keep himself awake. Since the hour
of Lieber's confession he had hardly
spoken.
When the cavalcade came within
easy view Gerry stood up and watched
He could not hide his curiosity like
horses came four men bearing a sag
ging hammock on pole. They were
running in quick. springy steps that
made the hammock sway gently from
side to side. The pace they kept up
under the burden was marvellous.
They were followed closely by eight
horsemen. At the first signs of falter-
ing among the bearers, four of the
riders would throw themselves off
their ponies and run under the pole.
The change of relay was made without
| a stop. without a pause. The freed
ponies stood with hanging heads and
gtraddled legs. Even from q distance
one could see that the burdened men
had run the wiry little beasts off their
feet. They were all in, but the men
were still erect-keen. With a fna
squirt the cortege drew up before the
veranda. Lieber stood up. Dead OF
dying" he asked.
Master, we do not know" an
swered the oldest of the men, theil
leader.
Fever or smallpox" asked Lieber
Fever"
With a look of relief Lieber wen
down the steps to the hammock. A shee
had been thrown over the pole to kee1
off the worst of the sun. He pulled
it off. A ghastly sight met his eyes
but he did not shrink Bring him III
here" he said, springing up the step.
and sweeping a saddle harness anC
some old magazines off a great raw
hide settle on the veranda.
They laid the sick man on the settl
and Lieber started to strip him witt
gentle. deft hands. Kemp strobe for
ward and helped but Gerry stood by
powerless to move. He had recognizes
Alan, the man he had sworn to breal
: If ever he met him. Somebody els
had broken Alan, terribly, pitilessly
Gerry's eyes shrank from the sight.
lump came into his throat Alan wa
dead. Alan with whom he had war
dered barefoot through those quie
lanes Of home, with whom he ma
: fished and swum, and once ha
fought What a little fury Alan ha
been in that boys battle! 1t had nc
been fought to a finish. On one in
pulse they had stopped and looked q
, each other and turned away, ashame
to shake hands.
Lieber. once heavy, forid and clun
. sy, was transformed. He worke
quickly, with sure hands. The bod
. lay stripped on the settle. Under
still lay the hammock and dusty blaI
a kets. The pillows and a board ha
4 been tossed on the floor Lieber e,
a amined his patient minutely, withol
! haste. The spleen was frightfully di
= tended and pushed out across the al
!. 1omen. He could feel its hard, III
# yielding margins. The feet were swo
+ len. The face was yellow with tt
o sickly gray-yellow of nodded stray
r. Coma had set in.
10 Lieber dragged a great medicir