The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-08-04
III.

He came back when the first streaks
of red were In the sky.
1T will be warmer soon," he said,
and ripped the shirt from the sheriff's
back. He stopped beside the stream
and, dipping up a hatful of water,
poured it over Dicks chest. Dick
shivered; the water was icy cold.
warmer soon," said Sancho, and
went away. The sun appeared. Slow
ly 1t climbed above the horizon. Dick
began to grow thirsty. The sweat
streamed down his face and bare
chest. About ten Sancho reappeared.
"Warmer?" he jeered, and held his
water-bottle to Dicks lips. He with
drew 1t the next moment and emptied
it over his chest. 1.-THE deserts warm
er than Ausha," be said, and kicked
him savagely.
Dick groaned involuntarily. Blisters
were forming where the icy water had
wetted him. Beneath him he saw the
cool waters of the stream. He writhed
In his bonds as he tried to reach it.
He opened his parched and cracking
lips toward it.
Once, awakening from stupor, he
saw Lima running toward him with u
pitcher of water. Then Sancho sprang
up from somewhere in the shade and
struck it from her hand.
1T Is my fault, Sancho. did not
mean his death. Set him Free" begged
the girl.
With curse Sancho drove her back
into the shack. And the sun climbed
Dick was no longer able to struggle (;
he was hardly conscious of his body,
and it felt as If this tormented cover
ing of his soul were something exterior
to him.
When he opened his eyes again he
saw Sancho with Lima beside the
horses. The girl was pleading with
the outlaw.
'Release him, and / go with thee,
Sancho," he heard Lima say.
The outlaw looked at her-then
nodded.
II shall give him water and set him
free" said Lima, and went down by the
water side with her pitcher, while
Sancho strolled meditatively toward
Dick.
"Warm?" he queried, tauntingly,
glOating over his victim. Then, see
ing that Dick was beyond his malice,
he raised his revolver slowly.
H.. 4.
saw him aim it at Dicks head. With
scream she flew at him.
Sancho laughed, and with his free
hand, held hers down. And Dick saw
the deadly revolver muzzle begin to
cover his head again.
Sancho waited. He was In no hurry,
and he wanted his enemy to taste
death In all its fulness. But the girl
was becoming nuisance. He flung
her from him, and, as she fell fiat in
the sand he aimed again.
At that moment Dicks attention was
directed toward a singular CLEAN of
light among the sandhills. There was
nothing strange about that. The sun
might be playing upon a stone. But,
again, the light looked somehow like
the CLINT of rife barrel.
Dick saw the outlaws finger close
on the trigger, saw Lima raise herself
and stretch out her clasped hands to-
ward Sancho in moaning appeal. Then
the sharp crack of a rifle sounded
among the rocks. The trigger finger
stiffened. But Sancho's bullet plowed
through the sand yard from Dicks
head, and Sancho stiffened, toppled,
and pitched forward.
With cry Lima flung herself upon
her lovers body And that was the
last that Dick knew, until he awoke
to find himself propped up in Doris
arms, with the taste of cool water in
his throat, and the walls of the hut
about him.
"Dick, forgive me, forgive me :" she
was saying 81 knew that you had
come here, and 1 was afraid for you.
and l followed you to tell you that 1
love you"