St. Tammany farmer., 1922-10-28

That's Good"
tsrized the manner Of both But Cam
eron's companion, when he had packed
his burro and was ready to start, faced
about and said: 1--WE might stay to-
gether, If it's all right with you"
II never take a partner" replied
Cameron.
you're alone; I'm alone" said the
other mildly. Its big place. If we
find gold there'll be enough for two"
Il don't go down into the desert
for gold alone" rejoined Cameron.
His companions deep-set, luminous
eyes emitted singular flash. It
moved Cameron to say that In the
years Of his wandering he had met
no man who could endure equally with
him the blasting heat, the binding
dust storms, the wilderness Of sand
and rock and lava and cactus, the ter
rible silence and desolation OF the
desert Il may strike through the
Sonora desert. | may head for Pima
You are an old man.
II don't know the country, but to
me one place is the same as another"
replied his companion. Then with
gentle slaps he drove his burro In be-
hind Cameron. "Yes, I'm old. I'm
lonely, too. It's come to me Just
lately. But, friend, l can still travel,
and for few days my company won't
hurt you"
"Have it your way, said Cameron.
They began slow march down
into the desert At sunset they camped
under the lee of a low mesa. Cam
eron was glad his comrade had the
Indian habit of silence. Another days
travel found the prospectors deep in
the wilderness. Then there came a
breaking Of reserve, noticeable in the
elder man, almost imperceptibly grad
ual in Cameron. And so, as Cameron
began to respond to the influence Of
desert less lonely than habitual, he
began to take keener note Of his COM
ra1e, and found him different from
any other he had ever encountered IN
the wilderness. This man never
grumbled at the heat, the glare, the
driving sand, the sour water, the
scant fare. He was tireless, patient,
broOding.
Cameron's awakened interest brought
home to him the realization that for
years he had stunned companionship.
In those years only three men had
wandered into the desert with him,
and these had left their bones to
bleach In the shifting sands. Cameron
had not cared to know their secrets.
But the more he studied this latest
comrade the more he began to suspect
that he might have missed something
in the others. In his own driving pas.
sion to take his secret Into the limit
less abode Of silence and desolation,
where he could be alone with 1t, he
had forgotten that life dealt shocks to
other men. Somehow this silent COM
rade reminded him.
One afternoon late, after they had
toiled up white, winding wash OF
s"rd and gravel they came upon
dry waterhole, Cameron dug deep
into the sand, but without avail. de
was turning to retrace weary steps
back to the last water when his com
rade asked him to wait. Cameron
watched him search In his pack and
bring forth what appeared to be
small. forked branch of peach tree.
He grasped the prongs OF the fork
and held them before him with the
end standing straight out, and then
he began to walk along the stream
bed. Cameron, at first amused, then
amazed, then plying, and at last Gu
rfous, kept pace with the prospector.
He saw a strong tension OF his COM
rade's wrists, as if he was holding
hard against a considerable force. The
end of the peach branch began to
culver and turn. FeE1s turning, ana q
length pointed to the Ground.
dig here" ~aie re prospector.
"Whatv' CALCULATED Cameron. Had
the man lost his mind7