Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1924-05-10
CHAPTER XV--Continued.


outlines Of hills. II occurred TO him
that De Witt might have been making
for these And be might as well 60
forward as turn back.
He trudged on endiessly leading the
horse, the sun grilling fire above
him. His boots were burned through
from contact with the hot stones.
Loose shale and 1ints slipped under
his tread.
The sun, even in its descent seemed
to grow hotter Winton was half
dead from thirst The painting horse
was becoming a burden. At last Il
stood still and dropped slowly upon
It's knees. Ii looked at him and
whinnled.
AS Wluton glanced hopelessly over
the plain his eyes were arrested by
the sight Of a dark object lying an
indefinite distance away. II was too
large for a man-too black for rock.
And there were no rocks anywhere,
for the whole plain seemed to have
been crushed fiat by a giant steam
roller
Winton made his way toward It. II
began 10 take form. II was dead
horse II had dropped In It's tracks,
and It's sufferings had been ended by
a bullet through the head But there
were no signs OF a rider. and It was
impossible 10 distinguish any foot
tracks on the stones.
II was no doubt the horse that had
been ridden by one Of the three. It
was not De Wits. Probably 1t was
the Hottentots.
Wiuton's spirits scared upward. He
set his teeth grimly and went back
to his animal. He must go on now,
even II he had to leave tile beast be-
hind him.
He stood looking az H. II had fallen
upon It's stomach, and crouched thus
with its legs bent under It. II raised
Its head and whnned again family
1t was past saving, unless water could
be procured immediately.
Wnton drew his revolver, took care
ful aim behind the ear, and fired The
beasts head went down--lt quivered,
rolled on its side, ana died,
And he went on. BY degrees his
Journey became automatic, SO that he
was hardly conscious Of his surround
ings He saw only the distant hills
and the western sun descending with
tantalizing slowness. His tongue,
swollen and numb, seemed 10 distend
his cheeks. Sometimes the stony
desert yielded for few steps to
sparse patches Of nlnty earth. indlcat-
ing the hope Of some fertile region
beyond, but II always began again.
The sun dipped into the west, and
still the man staggered onward The
significance OF the patches Of thorn
scrub was lost to him, Of the rugged
and broken terrain, of the foothills
about him. with their struggling mi.
mosas. But suddenly Winton stopped,
trembling.
Green grass was at his feet. and
out OF a assure in the ground there
dubbed a little spring ungueSsed at
by the mapmakers. II was tiny
unknown oasis IN the vast wilderness.
DE witt had evidently possessed the
secret ana had planned to make this
MS hee"quar'ers unti the nue. and
cry had heen dropped
Wiuton flung himself upon the
earth beside tie spring, and, burying
his race IN the water drank until his
suFi'tleo VEINS seemed 70 pulse win
ne" blood
The sun had set and the intense
neat was changing TO the ley cold Of the
desert night when he arose, rested
ana WIN all the gFl~aeSS Of his reso-
iu'ion herN'as nan TO action. lie knew
that siielia eoa'd not lac ior away lie
IooNeo AT nus revolver 10 ms con-
S1efhalloh ne discovered that only two
Sho's remained. however these
Sp'ula or 'o"osh--"ae. ~ least would
save ''''''' i'0''' l'e "'''' ''e OTHER
lie ""N'l hol lace tue possibilities
'""' ""'''"eu themselves eeiote nun,
'''N wv "''o was "''0t 'o
o'''N ,"s l't.'7 '''o9-" 'a"e} MIC
u nus "'.," something iS'o- Hpon