New-York tribune., 1920-11-21

to the other. They huddlcd in the
scanty shade alongside the first
wagon. Both men were so powdered
and caked with alkali that their
features were indistinguishable.
Their red-rimmed, inhamed eyes
looked out as though from masks
The one who had been bringing up
the rear looked despairingly toward
tie mountains.
"We1l never get there" he cried.
"Not the way we are now" replied
the other. But intend to get
there"
How"
Leave your wagon, jim; it's the
heaviest. Put your team on here"
But l refuse!" cried the other.
81 won't do it. Go ahead with your
wagon. I'll get mine in. John Gates,
you can't bulldoze me-"
Gates stared him in the eye.
Get the pail" he requested,
mildly.
He drew water from one of the
kegs slung underneath the wagons
body. The oxen, smelling it, strained
weakly, believing. Gates slowly ard
carefully swabbed out their mouths,
permitted them each a few swallows,
rubbed them pityingly between the
horns. Then he proceeded to unyoke
the four beasts from the other mans
wagon and yoked them to MS own
Jim started to say something. Gates
faced him. Nothing was said.
Get your kit Gates commanded,
oriehy after a few moments. He
parted the hanging canvas and
looked into the wagon Built to
TRANSPORT much freight, it was near
ly empty. A young woman lay on q
bed spread along the wagon bottom.
She seemed very weak.
"All right, honey?' asked Gates,
gently.
She stirred, and achieved faint
smile
,"It's terribly hot. The sun strikes
through, she replied, Cant we let
some air in?"
THE dust would smother you
care we nearly therc?"
Getting on further every minute"
he replied cheerfully.
4 BOUT mid-afternoon he said
a abruptly:
Jim, you've got to walk"
The man demurred weakly, with &
touch Of panic
Every ounce counts. It's going
1 be close shave. You can hang
on TO the tail Of the wagon"
Yet an hour later jim, for the
fourth time, fell face downward, but
now did not rise. Gates, going to
him. laid his hand on his head
pushed back one Of his eyelids, then
knelt for fun half minute, staring
straight ahead Once he made a
tentative motion toward the nearly
empty water key, once he started
to raise the mans shoulders. The
movements we're inhibited. \ bref
agony cracked the mask Of alkali on
his countenance. Then stoidlv,
YEARLY, he arose. The wagon
lorched forward. After it had gone
hundred yards and was we'll un-
der way in It's painful forward
crawl Gates, his red-rimmed, b,ood
shot eyes fixed and glazed, drew the
revolver from Us holster and went
back.
At sundown ne began to use the
pad. The oxen were trying to lie
down. If one Of them succeeded it
you'd never again arise. Gates
knew this. He piled the long, heavy
whip in both hands. Where the lash
fell it bit out strips Of hide. 1t
was characteristic Of the man that
though heretofore he had not in all
this day inflicted single blow on
The suffering animals, though his
nostrils widcned and mis- terrible
rcd eyes looked for pity toward the
skies, yet now he swung mcrci-
lessly with all his strength.
Dusk fell, but The hot earth still
radiated, the powder dust rose and
chohed The desert dragged at their
foet, and in the twilight John Gates
thought To hear mutterings and the
soft sound II wings overhead as the
dread spirits If The wastes atoopea
tow. He had not stopped for near
ly two hours This was the last
push, he must % straight through
or fail.
And when the CLEAN Of the river
ans~ered The gicam Of the starlipht
re had again To rouse his drained
energies ~ the brake, by directing