Charlevoix county herald., 1920-06-04
&c o n t n u e d.
tcopyrisht By Randall PARRISH

glimpse Cf the surroundings. Tney
were travelling steadily south, the
horses beginning to exhibit traces Of
WEAKNESS, yet still keeping up a
logged trot. All about extended
wild, desolate scene of rock and sand.
bounded on every horizon by barren
ridges. Nowhere was there slightest
sign of life-no bird, no beast, no
snake even, crossed their path. All
was dead, silent, stricken with desOla-
tiOn.
Stella stared about at 1t, and closed
her eyes, unable to bear the sight; her
head dropped YEARLY, every nerve CIV
\ ing away before the depressing scene
outspread in every direction. Sikes,.
watching her slightest movement,
seemed to sense the meaning of the
action.
bad, amt itY' he said expressive
ly. ''You know whar we are"
"No; but I never before dreamed
any spot could be so terrible"
"This is the ShOshOne desert; thar
amt nobody ever comes In we're 'cept
wunst i'm while prospector, maybe,
er a band o. cattle rustlers. Even the
Injuns keep out"
She lifted her eyes again, shudder-
ing as they swept about over the dis
NAL waste.
The sun rose a red ball of fire, color
ing the ridges Of sand and painting
the grotesuue rocks With crimson
streamers. In the shadow Of bald
cliff the wagon was halted briefly, and
the two men brought forth materials
from within, making hasty fire, and
preparing breakfast. Water was given
the team also, before the journey was
resumed; while during the brief halt
the girl was left to do as she pleased.
/ Then they moved on again, surround
ed by the same drear landscape. the
very depression of 1t keeping them
silent.
They settled down to the same
monotony, mile after mile. The way
became rocker, with less sand, but
with no more evidence of life. Far
away ahead strange buttress Of rock
rose into the sky resembling the tur-
ret Of a huge castle The sun was d.
rectly overhead when Moore turned
his team suddenly to the left, and
drove down a sharp declivity leading
into a ravine.
"Drop the canvas, Joe," he said
shortly, there's only bout mile
more"
The passage was so narrow, and so
diversified by sharp turns, that Miss
Donovan, shut in behind the closed
cover, could perceive little Of its ma
ture. The cliffs arose preeipitously
on either side, absolutely bare. To
the left nothing could be seen but
black rock, but on the other side an
open space yawned, perhaps twenty
feet across, its bottom imperceptible.
The horses stumbled over the rough
stones, held only by Moore's firm grip
on the reins, and the light began to
fade as they descended At last moth
Ing appeared above but narrow strip
of sky, and the glimmer Of sun had
totally vanished. Almost at the same
moment the driver released the creak-
ing brake. and at trot the wagon
swept forward between two pinnacles
Of rock, and came out into an open
valley.
The transition was so sudden and
startling as to cause the girl to give
utterance to cry OF surprise. They
were In a green, watered valley, a
clear stream wandering here and there
through Its center, Swallowed by
groves Of trees This valley was
nearly square, possibly extending not
over a mile In either direction, merely
a great hole trimmed by desert, a
strange, hidden oasis, rendered fertile
and green by some outburst of
fresh water from the rocks. Emerg-
Ing upon IL I'm midst Of the barren
desolation through which they had
been toiling for hours. blinded by al
kali dust, II seemed like some beau
tiful dream, a fantasy of Imagination.
Miss Donovan doubted the evidence
Of her own eyes, half convinced that
she slept. II was Moore's voice which
aroused her.
DNendez must have got back, joe"
he said eagerly. There are horses |
and cattle over yonder."
The other pushed up the canvas and
looked out.
That's right. The fellow Is comm
now-seeT
He was Looping along carelessly.
Mexican from high hat to jingling
spurs. sitting the saddle as though
nodded there. young fellow, dark
faced, but with livid scar along one
cheek.
"Juan Cateras, the little devil"
muttered Skies, as the rider drew
nearer There's some pot brewing II
he IN In IT,