Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-02-22
CHAPTER I.
essvsa y Hs,sr y srMAsr
The Water.Hole.


A ftful breeze played among the
mesquite bushes. The naked earth,
where it showed between the clumps
Of grass, was baked plaster hard. AL
though the sun was halfway down the
west, Its glare remained untempered.
and the tantaizing shade Of the sparse
mesquite was more Of trial than a
comfort to the lone woman who, refus-
Ing Its deceitful invitation, plodded
steadily over the waste. Stop. indeed,
she dared not. In spite Of her fatigue,
regardless of the torture from feet and
limbs unused to walking, she must,
as she constantly assured herself, keep
going until strength failed. Somewhere
to the northward, perhaps mile, per-
haps a league distant, lay the water
hole.
, Desert travel was nothing new to
her; thirst and fatigue were old ac-
quaintnnces. She readiusted the strap
Of the empty water bag over her Shout
der and the loose cartridge belt at her
hip, then set her dusty feet down the
slope. The sun had grown red and
huge when at last in the hard-baked
earth she discovered fresh footprints.
She followed them gladly, encour-
nged when they were joined by
others. A low bluff rose on her left,
and along its crest scattered Spanish
Lnggers were raggedly silhOuetted
against the sky. She tried to run, but
her legs were heavy; she stumbled a
great DEAL and her breath made
strange, distressing sounds as it issued
from her open lips. Rounding the
steep shoulder of the ridge, she has
tended down declivity into knot of
scrub oaks and ebony trees, then halt
ed, staring ahead of her. Nesting in
shallow. finty bowl was pool of
water, and on its brink little fire was
burning.
It was tiny fire, overhung with a
blackened pot; the odor of greasewood
and mesquite smoke was sharp. A
man, rising swiftly to his feet at the
first sound, was staring at the new
conner; he was as alert as any wild
thing. But the woman staggered di-
rectly toward the pond, seeing nothing
after the first glance except the water
She would have flung herself full
length upon the edge, but the man
stepped forward and stayed her, then
placed tin cup in her hand. She
mumbled something in answer to his
greeting and the hoarse, ravenlike
croak In her voice startled her; ther
she drank, with trembling eagerness
lrenching the front of her dress. The
water was warm, but it was clean ant
delicious.
EASY now. Take your time" sale
the man, as he refilled the cup. II
won't give out"
She knelt and wet her face and neck
Felt the strangers hands beneath he
arms, felt herself lifted to more com
Portable position. Without asking per
mission, the stranger unlaced first one
then the other Of her dusty boots
seeming not, to notice her weak ut
tempt at resistance. Once he hat
placed her bare feet in the water, sh,
forgot her resentment in the intens
relief. 0se ~ niaf.a. .A..s
Tie, man left her seated in col
lapsed, semconsclous state, and wen
E back to his fire. 1t was dark when 70
the first time she turned her head to
ward the camp fire and stared curious
" ut the figure there. The appetizln
odor Of broiling bacon had drawn he
attention, and rs if no move went III
noticed the man said, without liftin
his eyes:
"Supper will be ready directly
How'd you like your eggs--if we ha
any?'
He spoke with an ,lnmistaknble Tex
as drawl; the woman put him down n
once for a cowboy. Well back fror
the fire he had arranged q seat for hel
using a saddle blanket for q cover
ing, and upon this she lowered hersel
stifIly.
II suppose you wonder how I--har
pen to be here" she said.
"Now don't ta,i III you're restct
miss. This coffee Is strong enough I