Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-05-17

DIT the bases or the 1rreg ulal
low cliffs that bounded the
Il arrnyo on every hand. Bare
red rocks they were, which
during the day had emitted a baking
heat and now still poured out a per
ceptible radiation into the cooling air
The sun was almost gone. Its golden
rays still tinted the top of single
peak that could be seen from the
level floor between the cliffs. but the
little clump of struggling, parched
willows that clustered about the
water hole were long since lost in a
dusky obscurity.
came feebly from the jagged chimney
OF the hut. Everything was desola'
ton. Even the kindly veil of gather
ing darkness could not hide the dry,
starved nature of all the ground
within the red stone barriers. A
wagon stood neglected, partly I'M
loaded. horse cropped hungrily at
the thin vegetation nearest the water
hole. Bits of household furniture
were scattered about on the earth-a
chair, a bureau. a part of bed.
Darkness had interrupted the process
of taking possession.
Within the house a woman sat in
a rocking chair. She was moving I'M
easily back and forth, her hands fold
ing and unfolding as she waited. She
had been crying. Not a young
woman, her face was marked by
struggles long past and now seemed
TO become older as she contemplated
struggles yet ahead.
The man stumbled up on the porch,
shaking In a terrible combination of
uncomprehending despair and chok-
ing, binding rage that was the more
bitter because helpless. He was a
huge figure of a man. six feet and
more, broad of shoulder and with
wiry muscles that stood out like
cords. And vet the very distinctness
OF his muscles proved that he was
past his youth, had not the begin
ming flecks of gray in his roughened
beard told the fact more patiently.
His eyes were full of bitterness. He
came heavily into the room, the
flimsy floor trembling under his
weight.
We're swindled"' he cried hoarsely.
Eight thousand dollars! All we've
got-for nothing"
The woman was silent, her hands
twisting and untwisting. Her eyes
were oddly dulled. She had not need
ed to look as closely as the man. The
wife of a farmer, fighting ever-pres-
ent drought, learns much. She bad
seen the ground they had bought and
went sick within her. The man had
had to go over every foot, exhaustive
Iy, before he could give up hope.
Six hundred acres" said the man.
again hoarsely, land not a drop of
water. Swindled! Fooled We've lost
everything"
EOR 10 years the man and woman
had fought together against bit
ter want. Barren acres had been built
up to a certain fertility by terrible
struggle. They had been close TO
starvation that the land might wax
fat And at the end they wanted rest.
They were desperately weary of
grudging, greedy "Jii. They had
dreams of rich c. h, just little land.
but bountiful. rhe place they had
made fertile had worn them out. They
were grow tlE old, and men offered
then what seemed a fortune. Eight
thop;aud dollars.
=. b. had sold, and now that $4,000
had i ZEN spent for yet more grudginG
acres. Too much preoccupied with
their fight against barrenness to have
become intent upon the wiles of the
world, they had bought what seemed
10 be the place of their dreams. They
were shown photographs, and the pho
tographs showed a sparkling stream,
winding between willow-lined banks.
Fat cattle grazing. Fields that were
unculitvated, but yet were thick with
lush grass. And dull, red sandstone
cliffs all about for background.
The man had found the bed of the
stream. 1t was a stretch of wind
smoothed sand. And he had seen
where the wollows had been. They
were dried and dessicated stumps.
And he had even found the natural,
bubbling pool of cool and mineraliZed
water, coming up from the depths of
the earth, that had fed that stream.
The pool was now a quiet and turgid
pond, perhaps 10 feet by %. All that
the seller had claimed had once been
true, but now no more.
a huge vein was standing out on the
mans forehead. Black killing wrath
was written on his face. A rumble
came from his throat.
His eyes roved about the room,
tensely. They fell upon a shotgun,
laid against the wall when brought in.
His muscles stiffened.
Eight thousand dollars" he growl-
cd choking upon his rage. And
swindled. Ample water
He stood up. his muscles standing
out like ropes beneath his skin.
IN give him his chance" he said.
hoarsely. "Ill give him every chance.
But he lied. and he's got to make his
lie good"
His wife put her arms about his
shoulders.
You know. Harry" she said anx-
iously, I'VE had to work to build UP
the other place. Maybe this will be
still better, with water. And-and
don't springs get low sometimes. only
10 come out again full once more?
Maybe this one"
No" he said, savagely, his voice
shaking with a terrible, all-pervading
rage. He said there was ample water
here; why" he roared. suddenly, "he
said that if he were a beef critter
he'd ask nothing better than to be
pastured on the banks of the stream
here. And the streams sand, He
knew he was lying He paused, and
his eyes were flaming. But l shall
give him his chance to make good"
He strobe to the door, gazing out
at the night that had fallen. 1t was
glamorous and beautiful The low
cliffs were lurking places of mystery
Now, the starlight Softened the harsh
ness of the Sun-baked earth The
place could have been paradise.
with water. But all the water within
many miles was shallow, turgid
pool with a winding, twisting pas
saSeway leading down into the bowels
OF the earth, whence the water came
A wild rabbit crept beneath the
starveling willows and to the edge of
the pond. His big ears alert, he
listened. His nostrils twitching, he
scented the wind Then, cautiously,
he dipped his head and drank The