The evening world., 1916-08-03


throvsA~us ~ Aav.
whsA vsasss1 - sAssDaa b. os
hsas anl tApss. abs ssussl from the
plaos. ohsns aAnss. - ne hAl Ssas be-
fore ana enishsd the Smaller 81 ne
cell Ne ala n msreiy Z n Q spirit of
slf- preservation. TIE p~Artnsrship b.
tween himself ana Judsth vas no more
cordial than before The fsud eth
lived between them The work they
accomplished together vas part %
,hsir grim scheme Of nfe and nothing
moro.
with alarming abruptnsss the
spring began again 10 fail In vain
the nan ana woman hsapsd the
freshest obtainsbls leaves upon the
shelter. The heat from dawn TO
dusk vas terrible. All the sss was
p%Arching. Aidsrs and willows lost
their foliage prematureiy. especially
those below and above the fount Of
precious water.
The sun beat down upon the rocky
sides Of the canyon with meroilsss
directness. This world OF mountains
sweltered. Tho air was dixzily vi
brating. hour after hour. No quail
we're whlstiinE In thu brush; tho
squirrels had disappeared; . very
few rabbits remained. and they were
supernaturaiiy umid. Man and God
together had made the oasis almost
a nf.less desolation.
Judith. meantime. dcspairinG OF
meat, had discovered that the acorns
were ~ripenins. Tho manzanita ber-
ries also wore rcd and rapidly drying.
They contained n white mcaly sub
stance, decidedly sweet and undoubt-
eddy nourishing. Sho gathered n
quantity In tho torn. wretched folds
OF her skirt and munched at them
hungrily.
The acorns continued 70 be bitter
and apparently useless. Nevertheless.
she gathered several handfulA and
broke them open on q stone. They
lay In tho sun before her cave, and
presently dried as hard NJ grains OF
corn.
They were hungry almost con-
stantly-desperately hungry. II was
not In the least for either
to 70 without meat for two or three
days ut n time. Client too. had dis
covered the nam, "A berries. Tho
acorns no had not cssayed to sample.
Ho cut n conc from m OF tho stunted
pines. however. and by heating II on
IA bed OF Goals forced II open and
shook out a handful OF rich brown
nuts. thin Of shell and delicious to
taste.
Daily the poo, OF water at tho spring
was diminishing. There came n noon
when there was less than IA quart OF
water In the hole. That seepage
robbed tho pool by subtcrranean pro-
cesses Client was thoroughly con-
WINGED. lie knew he must como there
at dusk to dig In tho earth and fol-
low the sinking water to u deeper
source
All afternoon In his darkcne6 shell
" ho tt ~ hlS NiiAo, w.
ening sticks for drills and u shovel
with which to perform tho work OF
~excavating at the hole. He dashed u
number OF stout willow stakes. thus
sharpened. to CROSS pieces. forming a
scoop, To the whole no dashed u sub
stantial handle. Other pieces he mere
ly prepared for loosenlng tho earth
and roots of plants. for the digging
would be no easy task.
At shutdown no carried his lmple-
ments TO the drying well. and stood
there gazing at the all but vanished
pool. His digging, he knew. would so
disturb and roll tho water that a
drink would DO out of the question
for hours. Nevertheless. II was work
he could not neglect. Even since noon
tho supply had visibly diminished.
While he paused 10 take ors last long
draft. Judith came walking up her
well trod trail. bearing her followed
out stone. In which she was wont to
carry water. Client turned about n
beheld her. In silence they exchanged
u long. questioning glance.
Bcholding tho tools that Client had
made, Judith vas Immediately APP
prised OF his intention, The man. for
his part. divining the use TO which
Ter receptacle could be put, stood
aside to permit her TO MI It. bsfore
operations should commence. She.
therefore, flled It carefully, exhaust
ing tho springs deepest cavity IN tho
process. Not much more than half a
cuptul OF water remained In the hole
and mona flowed In to ~replenish the
supply.
Judith retired. returning TO her
cave. on one OF tho smooth. fiat rocks
at her feet lay a score OF the dried
and broken acorns, She took up a
kernel and ate It. TO her surprise and
delight 1t had lost not a little OF its
bitterness; II was crisp. nut-like and
agreeable To her palate. She alto halt
a dozen. Then she stopped to con-
slider a now Idea.
u occurred to her that tho hard, dry