The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1922-12-01
Comrades in Dead
:,".. Valley l.. .
By CHARLES E. BAXTER
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSScSSSSSSS
Ip, 1927, western Newspaper Union.


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 10 his
own logged viii power. The will
burned as unquenChably as ever, but
the luck was Out-dend out. II was
twenty-fOur hours since he had tasted
wafer.
Twenty.four hours under Dead
Valley sun! II he could go on twenty.
four hours longer, he could reach
safety. But the blood in his veins had
turned to strip and cinders, and he
had staggered to the thin shade OF a
cactus and fallen there.
al guess this Is all, Bill" he said.
The great wolfhound stood beside
him. painting. its tongue hanging from
It's month. In It's appealing eyes old
Mike. too, read the nrrs"ntim"nt of
death.
Mike stretched out his hand 1--WE
been good friends these fonr ar five
years. Bill" he said Its kinder
hard
Suddenly thought flashed through
his mind that made him vince with
shame and humiliation. But 1t re-
turned unhidden.
As ii sensing 1t, the great hound
lcapPd back with a whine and laid its
ears forward.
Old Mike had one bullet left in his
revolver He had planned thnt for
himself. In case he failed to win out
in his fight with Dead Valley. Now
another use for II had occurred to
him.
After all. II death for both was GER
tain, was II NOT more merciful 10 end
the hounds sufferings quickly-and 10
restore his own life by the sacrifice
of the animars7
In lonely places thoughts become al.
most MS things As Old Mike drew the
loaded revolver. from its holster and
called the animal. Eli snarlcd and be
gan running In circles round and
round him, just out OF revolver range
He might suddenly have gone mad.
for he was swapping and snarllng. nnG
showing a marked inclination to dash
In upon his muster. o..
Hes gone mad" thought Mike
"Thnt fixes that" lie drew aim and
fred. %
A few hairs flew from the hOnn1's
tail. Mike Maloney had missed And
like an arrow, Bill darted AT his
throat.
Mike was Just In time to spring to
his feet and greet the animal with n
vicious kick that hurled II. snnrlinC
and whimpering. dozen feet away.
And then Mike knew that the same
awful thought that had come tn him
had come to the dog too. And like
primitive man he had 10 face his IN
nine foe unarmed, trusting in his wits
against it's superior speed and the
grip OF It's fangs.
Hours must have gone by. while the
two cIrclcd about each other. watch
ing each other. Mike still had his
jackknffe. If It came to close quar-
ters he felt confident that he could
plunge through the shaggy hide into
the heart-pruvided his strength held
our. But already the first coma Of
Inconsistencies was overcoming him,
and the brilliant alkali desert swan
before his eyes.
The dog seemed TO have become q
pack of six. ever circling round and
round him. sometimes utterinG n
feeble yelp from the parChed throat,
out Of which the tongue. swollen to
friGhtful size. protruded. .....
Mike lay down at last. his jack
knife in his hand, waiting. Slowly
the hound came nearer. Its bloodshot
eyes cleaned wickedly. II showed an
almost human cunning in the way II
approached, fawning, whimpering->
Mike thrust. He missed The hound
leaped back with a yelp. But It had
been almost too cunning for him. Mike
had been half unconscious without
knowing It. 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 it, He must make
nm end before Inconsistencies super.
vened Then he would be refreshed,
to take up his terrible journey. He
walked with hand ontstretched.
Good ole Bill - he said thickIy.
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 alkall. '-s.. ..
-
Water! .. j..
II was trickllng into his throat, the
sweetest drink that he had known In
all his life. Mike opened his eyes. A
tent was over him. And beside him
stood Jim Lavery, his old partner.
"Lie still, We burned old fool. Yell
be all right now" said jim.
"You-where am To-
fright in the middle Of Dead Val
ley. We got up search party out in
Larrabee, Guessed we'd find you
purity nigh finished. But we'd never
have found you II that hound of yours
hadn't found u.s."
A soft tongue caressed Mikes hand