St. Tammany farmer., 1922-10-28

Cameron.
They had scarcely covered mile
when a desert-wide, moaning, yellow
wall of flying sand swooped down
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 canteens,
and bound them rouna their faces,
and then covered their heads. The
steady, hollow below Of flying sand
went on. 1t flew so thickly that enough
sifted 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. It
left the prospectors heavy and stupid
for want of sleep. Their burros had
wandered away, or had been buried
in the sand Far as eye could reach
the desert had marvelously changed;
it was now ripping sea Of sand
dunes. Away to the north rose the
peak that was their only guiding
mark. They headed toward it, carry
ing a shovel and part of their packs.
At noon the peak vanished in the
shimmering glare Of the desert. The
prospectors pushed on, guided by the
sun. In every wash they tried for
water. With the forked peach branch
in his hands Warren always succeed
ed in locating water. They dug, but
1t lay too Deep At length, spent and
sore, they fell and slept through that
night and part Of the next day. Then
they succeeded In getting water, and
quenched their thirst and filled the
canteens, and cooked meal.
The burning day found them in an
interminably wide plain, where there
was no shelter from the fierce sun.
Mountain peaks loomed on III sides,
some near, others distant; and one,
q blue spur, splitting the glaring sky
far to the north, Cameron thought he
recognized as landmark. The ascent
toward 1t was heartbreaking. not in
steepness, but in its 1eague~and-league-
long monotonous rise. Cameron knew
there was only one hope-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
canteen by its weight. Evaporation
by heat consumed as much as he
drank. During one of the rests, when
he had wetted his parched mouth and
throat, he found opportunity TO pour
a little water from his canteen into
! Warren's.
At FIRST Cameron had curbed his
restless activity to accommodate tho
pace Of his elder comrade 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 appreciably d.
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 a kind Of stupor; but he COW
ertly watched Warren. The man ap-
peared far gone, yet he had cunning.
He cautiously took up Cameron's can
teen and poured water into It from
his own.
This troubled Cameron. He reflect
ed, and concluded that he had been
unwise not to expect this very thing.
Then, as his comrade dropped into
weary rest, he lifted both canteens.
II there were any water in Warren's,
It was only very little. Both men had
been enduring the terrible desert
thirst, concealing 1t, each giving his
water to the other, and the sacrifice
had been useless.
Instead Of ministering to the
parchn throats Of one or both, the
water had evaporated. When Cam
eron made sure Of this, he took one
more drink, the last, and poured the
little water left into Warren's can
teen. He threw his own away.
Soon afterward Warren discovered
the loss.
"Where's your canteen?' he asked.
'eThe heat was getting my water,
30 drank. what was left"
'My son - said Warren.
The day opened for them in a red
and green hell Of rock and cactus.
Like flame the sun scorched and
peeled their faces. Warren went
blind from the glare, and Cameron
had to lead him. At last Warren
plunged down, exhausted, in the shade
Of ledge.
Cameron rested and waited, hope
less, with not, weary eyes gazing
down from their height where he sat.
Movement on the part Of Warren at
tracted his attention Evidently the
old prospector had recovered his sight
and some Of his strength. For he had
arisen, and now began to walk along
the arroyo bed with his forked peach
branch held before him. He had clung
to that precious bit Of wood. Warren,
however, stepped In deep pit, and,
cutting his canteen In half, began to
uao ono 0fdn Of II ps a acO0n He