Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-10-27
PROLOGUE


ans face. It was there In the white
heart of the dying campfire; it hung
in the shadows that hovered over the
fiickering light; 1t drifted in the dark.
ness beyond.
This hour, when the day had closed
and the lonely desert night set in with
its dead silence, was one In which
Cameron's mind was thronged with
memories of time long past-of
home back in Peoria, OF woman ne
had wronged and lost, and loved toe
late. He was prospector for gold
a hunter Of solitude, lover Of the
dread, rock-ribbed infinitude, because
he wanted to be alone to remember.
Then a sharp clink Of metal Son
stone and soft pads Of hoofs in sane
prompted Cameron to reach for his
gun, and to move out Of the light Of
the waning campfire ~.
y Figures darker than the gloom ap
preached and took shape, and in the
light turned out to be those of a white
man and a heavily packed Bdrr6.-
Hello there" the man called, az
he came to a halt and gazed7 7ahou,
him. II saw your fire. May, / make
camp here?" X HlA''
Cameron came forth out Of the
shadow and greeted his visitor whom
he took for a prospector like hipself
Cameron resented the breaking OF; his
lonely campfire vigil, but he respect
ed the law of the desert. ,.,..yT
The stranger thanked him. and then
slipped the pack from hls' bdrro.
Then he rolled out his pack ahdibegan
preparations for meal. The camp.
fire burst into bright blaze, and. by
its light Cameron saw man, whose
gray hair somehow did not SEEM to
make him old, and whose stopped
shoulders did not detract from an I'm
preston of rugged strengthH ht
: Another of those strange desert
prospectors in whom there was some
relentless driving power besides the
lust for gold! Cameron felt that be-
tween this man and himself there was
a subtle affinity, vague 'andiupdetiped,
perhaps born of the diyination that
here was a desert wanderep like him.
self, perhaps born Of deeper, an un'
Ineligible relation having its roots
back in the past. A long-forgotten
sensation stirred in Cameron's breast,
one so long forgotten that he could
not recognize it. But 1t was akin tc
pain.
When he awakened he found, to his
surprise, that his companion had de.
parted. A trail in the sand led of. to.
the north. There was no water In
that direction. Cameron shrugged his
shoulders; it was not his affair; he
had his own problems. And straight.
way he forgot his strange visitor.
Cameron began his day, grateful fol
the solitude that was now unbroken,
for the canon-furrowed, cactus-spired
scene that now showed no sign of
life. While it was yet light, and he
was digging In q moist white-bordered
wash for water, he was brought
sharply up by hearing the crack Of
hard hoofs on stone. There down the
canon came a man on burro. Cam
eron recognized them.
"Hello, friend" called the man, halt
Ing. "Our trails crossed again-that's
good"
Hello" replied Cameron slowly.
"Any mineral sign today?" .
mo"
They made camp together, ate their
frugal meal, smoked pipe, and rolled
in their blankets without exchanging
many words. In the morning the same
reticence. the same aloofness charac-
terized the manner of both. But Cam
erons 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,'h
~ 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"
. 81 don't go down into the desert
for gold alone" rejoined Cameron.
His companions deep-set, luminous
eyes emitted a singular fiasA.dI 1t
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 Pinl-
cate or north for the Colorado basin.
You are an old man."
~ 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-
bind Cameron. "Yes, I'm old. I'm.
lonely, too. It's come to me just
lately. =. But friend, I can still travel,
and for few days my company won't
burt you" X <'ssS;>@5s'><. -
"Have it your way" said Cameron.
They began a slow march down
into the desert. At sunset they camped