Carrizozo outlook. [volume] (Carrizozo, N.M.) 1910-1945, 1917-08-03
CHAPTER 1.
The Water-Hole.

A ftful breeze played among the
mesquite bushes. The naked earth,
where II showed between the clumps
Of grass, WIS bnked plnster hard. AL
though the sun was halfway down the
west, It's glare remained untempered,
and the tnntallzlng shnde OF the sparse
mesquite was more Of n trial than n
comfort 10 the lone woman who, refus-
Ing It's deceltful 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,
MS she constantly assured herself, keep
going until strength failed. Somewhere
TO the northward, perhaps n mile, per-
haps n league distant. lay the water
hole.
Desert travel was nothing new TO
her; thirst and fatigue were old nc
lualntnrces, She rcadjusted the strap
Of the empty wnter bng wei 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 Inst In the hnrd-bnked
earth she discovered fresh hoofprlnis.
She followed them gludly, encour-
aged when they were Joined by
others. A low blum rose on her left,
and along Its crest scattered Spanish
dnggers were %rnggedly %silhouctted
against the sky. She tried to run, but
her legs were heavy she stumbled II
great deal. and her breath made
strange, distressing sounds as II issued
from her open lips. Rounding the
steep shoulder OF the ridge, she has
tended down a declivlty into n knot OF
scrub oaks and ebony trees, then halt
ed, staring ahead of her. Nesting In
n shallow, fllnty bowl was n pool OF
water, and on Its brink a little fire was
burning.
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 d.
rectly toward the pond, seeing nothing
nfter the first glance except the water.
She would have flung herself full
length upon the edge, but the man
stepped forward md stayed her. then
plnced n tin cup In her hand. She
mumbled something In answer 70 his
greeting and the honrse, ~rnvenllke
croak In her voice startled her: then
she drank, with trembling e~agorness,
arenchlng the front Of her dress. The
wnter WIS warm, but Il was clean and
dellel2QS 81 fa az
-iFay now. Take your time. said
the man, ms he renlled the cup. 1T
won't give out"
She knolt and wet her face aud neck.
Felt the strangers hands beneath her
arms, felt herself lifted 20 a more COM
Portable position. Without asking per-
mission, the stranger unlnced first one,
then the other Of her dusty boots,
seeming not to notice her weak ut.
tempt at resistance. once he had
placed her bare feet In the water, she
forgot her resentment In the intense
relief.
The man left her seated in n col
lapsed, semlconsclous state, and went
back 10 hts FIRE. II was dark when for
the first time she turned her head to-
ward the camp fire and stared curious
ly NJ the figure there. The appetlzlng
odor OF brolllng bacon had drawn her
attention. and ms II no move went un
noticed the man said, without lifting
his eyes:
Supper will be ready directly.
How'd you like your eggs-lf we had
Rny7'
lie spoke with an unmlstakable TeS