The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1922-12-30
Comrades in Dead
Valley
B, CHARLES E. BAXTER



wild places during his sixty years ef
life. but Dead Valley seemed likely
to be the last Of them.
For Ave days he had set his face
steadily westward over the burning.
barren alknli lands, toward the myth
ical mine. In spite OF warnings thnt
no man had ever crossed Dead Valley
from end to end. And now Mike saw
his own end approaching.
He had trusted to luck and to his
own logged will power. The will
burned us unIuenchably ms ever, but
the luck was out-dead out. II WIS
twenty-four hours since he had TASTED
water.
Twcnty-four hours under Dcaa
Valley sun! II he could go on twcntr-
four hours longer, he could rcnch
safety. But the blood In his veins hud
turned to strip and cinders. and lac
had staggered to the thin shade OF
cactus and fallen there.
~ guess this Is nll, BILL" he said.
The great wolfhound stood beside
him, painting. Its tongue hanging from
It's mouth. In Its appealing eyes old
Mike too. read the prcsentiment Of
death.
Mike stretched out his hand. awe
been good friends these four or five
years. BILL" he said. ats kinder
hard"
Suddenly n thought flashed through
his mind that made him vince with
shame md humiliation. But 1t re.
turned unbidden.
As II sensing It. the great hound
icaped back with whine and laid Its
ears forward.
Old Mike had one bullet left in his
revolver. He had planned TINT for
nImself. in case he failed to win out
IN his fight with Dead Valley. Now
another use for It had occurred to
him.
After all. II death for both was ccr-
tain. was It not more merciful to end
the hounds sufYerIngs Quickly-nnd TO
restore his own life by the sacrifice
IF the animals?
In lonely places thoughts become nj
most MS things. As Old Mike drew the
loaded revolver from Its holster and
called the animal. Bill snarled and be-
gan running in circles round and
round him, just out OF revolver range.
lie might suddenly have gone mad.
for he was swapping and snarl'nx. and
showing a marked inclination to dash
In upon his master.
Hes gone mad" thought Mike
THAT fixes that" He drew aim and
Rted.
IA few hairs flew from the hounds
tail. Mike Maloney had missed. And.
like an arrow. Bill darted n, his
throat.
Mike wns just in time TO spring to
his feet and greet the animal with a
vicious kick that hurled 1t. snnrlinG
and whImpering. a dozen feet away.
And then Mike knew that the same
awful thought that had come to him
had come TO the dog too. And Ike
primitive man he had to face his On.
nine foe unarmed. trusting in his wits
against Its superior speed and the
grip Of its fnngs.
Hours must have gone by. while the
two circlcd about each other. watch
ing each other. Mike still Ind his
Iackknife. II II came to close quar-
tiers he felt confident that he could
plunge through the shaggy hide into
the heart-provided his strength held
out. But already the first coma Of
unconsciousness was overcoming him.
and the brilliant alkali desert swan
before his eyes.
The dog seemed TO have become 4
pnck Of six. ever clrcling round AMI
round him, sometimes uttering a
feeble yelp from the parched throat
out OF which the tongue, swollen te
n frA:htfuI size. protruded.
Mike lay down ut last. his jact.
knife In his hand. waiting. Slowly
the hound came nearer. Its bloodsh"t
eyes cleaned wickedly. II showed an
almost human cunning In the way II
approached fawning. whimperlnG-
Mike thrust. He missed. The hound
leaped back with yelp. But 1t had
been almost too cunning for him. Nike
had been half unconscious without
knowing 1t. Another instant and those
fangs would have been In his throat
The hound was lying In the distance,
painting. looking at him. Mike stole
cautiously toward 1t. He must make
nm end before unconscIOusncss super
vened. Then he would be refreshed
to take up his terrible journey. lie
walked with hand outstrctched.
Good ole Bill" he said thickly.
y The animal watched him; then. see
Ing the knife, It suddenly turned tail
and disappeared into the distance.
And Mike fell prone and uncon'
scious upon the alkali.
Water! $500
1t was trIckling into his throat. the
.,..anI nuI .lsInE 4hat ha Ind EnI,AI-l In