The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1920-05-13
CHAPTER vi
Trespass.

This shred of Il chance. half humOr.
Gus, was deep-set in anger and loss.
Sand was a raSp to their bodies, and
the slashed clothing gave scant protec-
'lon. Already, IN imagination, Con was
In need of IL drink. The thought of
brandy was Il horror now, and the idea
Of clear, cool water like Il knife in the
throat. Andrew March sat down and
studied the bottom of his foot.
How much do you think" Con in
qutred. sin miles?"
ooh, not so very far. If we only
had one camel"
"YeS-one with milk in her."
Don't talk like that said the elder
man, sharply.
The subject of drinkables was thus
dismissed by the veteran, and Con
bowed his head in acknowledgment.
Late in the day the sand-storm pass
ed, and the air cleared. They went up
along the vanes of sand, fresh drifted,
out OF the gully, to gaze at large upon
their world-a prison as vast as the
horizon circle.
THE white race could wander in
here and get lost" said Andrew
March.
Lets not talk about getting lost,
either" said Lexington.
1t was the elder mans turn to nod
agreement.
The country was fantastic in forma-
ton and color, reddish hills running
In rows ahead, like the spine of a
world monster showing through. At
Intervals were cuts, showing the deep
er layers of rocky blue and blood-color.
Not so much as u dead twig anywhere,
or a bird. The skyline was notched
with tilted rocks. Lexington could
not help wondering how soon he would
wither and Guy up, to bleach beside
some colorful boulder.
Pain was gripping him. 1t was
neither grief nor illness, hut the cur.
rent Of life. deeper than many are
called to feel. He met it silently, with
a fortitude that perhaps his mother
and father before him helped to inte-
CRATE. Death had small part in this
bitterness. 1t was n matter of life.
"Help me to keep sane" he said to
March.
THAT is mutual" said his friend.
but you are not In any danger.
watched you a long while before
choosing you for this task. You are
not a materialist. and only materiallsts
go INSANE"
"Yes, I suppose all the others are
born with a touch of some kind"
$50 I've heard" replied March.
They walked through the sand.
Sometimes their feet sank deep and
threw them backward, but perhaps the
next step would find smooth and solid
rock. Progress vas a rack Of physical
strain, and pitifully slow. The hills
ahead, so hard to reach. were on !.
diagonal across their route. 1t star
tied Lexington to find that this diagona'
Strengthened out every hundred PAGES
This was simply the effect of the
landscape upon their eyes. The hills
were distinctly misleading, having ,
tendency to defect the course thai
should lie Mt ar angle over them
Without strict attention to their shad
Ows, the two pedestrians must Ger
tainly have wandered off into sand,
oblivion. The perennial hands of tn,
ages had wrought cunningly to con
fuse.
"Our path should lead across thos'
big Jumps to the southwest" sal,
March.
They suffered the illusion Of grow
ing smaller, since there was nOthin,
anywhere to new familiar associa
lions and comparisons.
Night drew down before they hat
made any noticeable progress. The.
rested upon the pink sands, and Coz
had a pillow Of proper shape, restfu
to the eye in its imitation. although