The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1922-11-23
lll-Continued.


he returned Warren was sitting before
the campfire. and once more he ap-
pearcd composed. He spoke, and his
voice had deeper note; but other.
wise he seemed as usual.
They packed the burros and faced
the north together.
Cameron experienced Il singular eX.
altation. He had lightencd his com
rades burden. Wonderfully 1t came
to him that he had also lightencd his
own From that hour 1t was not tor
mcnt to think of Nell.
There came morning when the
sun shone angry and red through
dull smoky haze.
"Were In for sandstorms," said
Cameron.
They had scarcely covered mile
when q dcScrt-widc, moaning, yellow
wall Of flying sand swoopcd Lown
upon them Seeking shelter in the lee
of rock, they. covered their heads
and patiently waited. The long hours
dragged. and the storm Increased In
fury. Cameron and Warren wet
ScarfS with water from their cantcrns,
and bound them rouno their faces,
and then covered their heads The
steady. hollow below Of flying sand
went on. 1t flew so thickly that enough
sftcd down under the shelving rock to
weight the blankets ana almost bury
the men. They were frequently com
PEELED to shake off the sand to keep
from being borne to the ground And
IT was necessary to keep digging out
the packs. They lost the count OF time.
They dared not sleep, for that would
have meant being buried alive!
The storm finally blew itself out 1t
left the prospcctors heavy and stupid
for want of sleep. Their burros had
wandered away. or had been buried
in the sand. Far rs eye could reach
the desert had mnrvrlously changed
it was now a ripplng sea of sand
dunes. Away to the north rose The
peak that was their only guiding
mark They headed toward II, carry
Ing Il shovel and part Of their packs.
At noon the peak vanished in the
shimm"rng glare of the desert The
prospcctors pushed on. guided by the
sun. In every wash they tried for
water. With the forkcd peach branch
in his hands Warren always succeed
cd in locating water. They dug, but
1t lay too deep. AT length, spent ana
sore, they fell and slept through that
night and part Of the next day Then
they succeeded in getting water. and
Hucnchcd their thirst, and filled the
cantccns. and cooked n meal
The burning day found them in an
intcrminably wide plain, whore there
was no shelter from the fierce sun.
Mountain peaks loomcd on all sides,
some near. others distant; and orc,
a blue spur. splitting the glaring SKY
far to tho north Cameron thought he
recognized aS n landmark The ascent
toward 1t was hcartbrcaking. not in
StcepneSS. but in It's lcague.and-lrague-
long monotOnouS rise. Cameron knew
there was only ono hopc-to make the
water hold out and never stop to rest.
Warren began to weaken. Often he
had to halt
Cameron measured the water in his
cAntcrn by It's weight. Evaporation
by heat consumed rs much MS he
drank. During one OF the rests, when
he had wcttcd his pnrchcd mouth and
throat, he found opportunity to pour
little water from his cantcen into
WarrcnS.
At first Cameron had curbed his
restless activity to accommodate the
pace OF his elder comradc. But now
he felt that he was losing something
Of his instructive and passionate zeal
to get out Of the desert. The thought
Of water came to occupy his mind. He
began to imagine that his last little
store Of water did not apprccably di-
minish. He knew he was not quite
right in his mind regarding water;
nevertheless, he felt this to be more
Of fact than fancy, and he began to
ponder.
When next they rested he pretended
to be In n kind or stupor; but he COW
.'ertlv watched W~rren. The man ap.
pcarcd far gone, vet he. had cunning
lie cautiously. took up Camcron's can
teen and poured water into 1t from
his own
This troubled Cameron. He reflect
ed, ana concluded that he had been
unwfse not to expect this very thing
Ihen' as his conlrndc dropped into
weary rcsf. he lifted both cantcens
IL tilerc were any wafer in Warren's
II was only very little. Both men had
hreh enduring the terrible desert
thirst r"nccnIing it. each giving his
wafer |" me other. and the sacrifice
had been useless.
instead Of Ministering to the
I'ar"hed i'""@'s Of one or both, the
'Nialer hah cvaporatcd. When Cam
croH made sure Of this, he took one
Smort drirt th" last. and poured the