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

sex are hui Il new zero. All the moist
forces of Lexington We're turned in
ward to sustain life itself.
us that that l hear thunder?"
Maybe the pulse in your own ears"
answered March.
They staggered up a third series of
hills, which were spread f~an-shape in
the midst of the world. Looking back,
they noted that the first range appear
ed to have turned partly about since
they passed that way. The sun of
afternoon showed in the wrong quar-
ter Of the sky. March sank to his
knees and began to draw i%ntersecting
lines in the sand. To Con, as he
sprawled ear his friend, it was like
forcing the solar system back into
place. West and north were again eS-
t%ablished, almost against conviction.
They dragged across the third range.
but the instructive t1utter Of hope in
their hearts died quickly. when they
saw that had m~iscalculated. Across a
deeper valley was another monster
bank Of dust. another range.
Abruptly Con stopped and pointed
down the slope. Directly below them
something was moving.
Stones We're rolling down the hill.
1t was not clear from what point they
started. Perhaps Il dragon had bur-
rowed into the hill and was kicking
out the earth from his nest. Gods
of red clay went flying down. below
the two watchers. Lexington peered,
forgetting the awful sun. It was like
recovery from blindness. to find some
thing in motion in the dead world.
At length, from a hole in the hillside.
a Ii ing creature appeared, resembling
somewhat a man.
Now others of the SAME species
emerged and stood on q sandy ledge,
halfway down the slope. They SEEM
ed like fat. misshapen children, thin
legged. hunched of shoulder. with
heads set close. Their caps were coils
of their WI hair. The arms of all
were dwarish. They had come out to
take the air after their labors within
the hill. The falling clay had stopped.
More and vet more of these demi-
humans came out into the sunlight,
until the slope was darkly patched
with their leathern bodies.
March shook his head. Lexington
noted the first sign of fear in the elder
man. who remained silent.
From that distance they determined
that the creatures were naked above
the waist. but that they wore short,
dark skirts likr those pictured upon
the ancient walls of Assyria. Their
canes or slaves proved to be imple-
ments resembling garden hoes. The
faint sound of their conversation drift
ed up to the Americans. But this was
drowned in the slow thunder Of Cons
temples. Us.
"Cave men?' muttered Lexington.
Witches children"
"Aren't they solid? Have my eyes
gone out"
March did not hear, for he simply
whispered to himself, "What a world! !"
A dromedary was coming across
from the further hills. Leisurely it
followed a slanting way up to the
cluster of creatures around the pit.
On the beast were strapped four
baskets. Now many hands set about
filling these with pebbles. or so it ap-
peared. The camel-driver was another
of the crooked dwarfs. When the
baskets were full, he led the animal
down by the anne path, starting across
the valley toward the opposite barrier
Of sand.
The little men who had come out of
The hill began to disappear. Their
hare bodies were like rough nuggets of
copper. Levington's eyes twitched. and
he brushed a hand across his face.
He wanted to laugh and fling himself
down hill. He would ask them for
water. For an instant he hated An
drew March for being afraid, and an
instant later realized this feeling was
merely his own deep-stirring fear. He
swallowed thickly. A tear stood in
n eye, making humorous the pain in
his heart.
DAull hlOW L Ndu IL Ill me- ne
said, grinning.
March did not see the tear. He had
grown pale beneath the CRIME.
"Oh, God!" he mumbled, "this isn't
what we came for"
Suppose we'd better not ask them
for a drink" said Con. "We'll 20 on
and hunt for it, because it must grow
natural somewhere around here. Shall
we follow the dromedary?"
The little men had gone In. Dust
rose like smoke from the open shaft.
The laden beast was etching his way
across the valley. March had. reused
from his apathy. He looked at Con,
who asked:
Can you make it-down Hill"
BOY" said March steadily, "you've
got a tungsten nervous system"
Commanding their scant energies,
the white men made a final play for
life, and walked along the crest Of the
ridge, to keep the animal In view with.
out exposing themselves. The after.
noon was waning. The wind slacken.