Elbert County tribune and Elbert County banner., 1921-01-07
CHAPTER VI
Trespass.

y
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-
ton. Already. In Imagination, Con was
In need Of drink. The thought of
brandy was a horror now, and the idea
= of clear, cool water like knife In the
throat. Andrew March sat down and
studied the bottom OF his foot.
> How much do you think" Con in
! duired, -in mlles7"
Y "Oh. not so very far II we only
had one camel"
Y "Yes-one with milk in her."
7 Don't talk like that" said the elder
man, sharply.
The subject of drnkables was thus
dismissed by the veteran, and Con
y bowed his head In acknowledgement
: Late in the day the sand-storm pass
{ ed. and the air cleared. They went up
Z along the vanes of sand, fresh drifted,
I out of the gully, to gaze at large upon
their world-a prison as vast as the
!, horizon circle.
I "The white race could wander In
here and get lost" said Andrew
March.
Let's not talk about getting lost,
y 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
world monster showing through. AT
=. intervals were cuts, showing the deep
er layers of rocky blue and blood color.
Not so much as a dead twig anywhere,
or bird. The skyline was notched
with tilted rocks. Lexington could
not help wondering how soon he would
!, wither and dry up. to bleach beside
] some coiorful boulder.
Pain was gripping him. 1t was
neither grief nor illness, but the cur
] rent of life. deeper than many are
called to feel. He met 1t 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 matter of life.
Help me to keep sane" he said to
! March.
THAT is mutual" said his friend
But you nre not In any danger.
watched you long while before
choosing you for this task. You are
not a materialist, and only materialists
20 insane"
"Yes, / suppose all the others are
born with touch of some kind"
$50 I've heard" replied March.
They walked through the sand.
I thaI nj.
threw them backward, but perhaps the
next step would find smooth and solid
rock Progress was rack Of physical
( strain, and pltifully slow. The hills
Iahead, so hard to reach. were on
diagonal across their route. 1t star
4 tied Lexington to find that this diagonal
(stralghtened out every hundred PAGES.
This was simply the effect OF the
Landscape upon their eyes. The hills
were distinctly misleading. having a
tendency TO defect the course that
.should lie at an angle over them.
without strict attention TO their shad-
ows, the two pedestrians must GER
,tainly have wandered on into sandy
fobllvlon. The perennial hands of the
ages had wrought cunningly to con-
! fuse.
1 "Our path should lead across those
big Jumps to the southwest" said
4 March.
i They suffered the Illusion of grow
/ ing smaller. since there was nothing
to renew familiar associa-
/ tions and comparisons.
Night drew down before they had
smade any noticeable progress. They
sted upon the pink sands, and Con
ID pillow of proper shape. restful
the eye In its imitation. although