The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1926-10-07

After walking three hundred and
Afty miles without finding town
which pleased him, Oakley left the
railroad track and turned out into the
tawny desert.
He walked ten or a dozen miles far
Their, straight across the shimmering
sand, dashed by the thousand whips
Of the sun, and then stopped to think
the matter over.
Looking backward over the path he
had followed, he was pleased to see
that even the faint, blush. perpendi-
cular lines that had marked the loca-
ZION Of the telegraph poles We're no
longer Visible. There was nothing In
sight to remind him of human beings.
The sun was still high and the heat,
which had made the morning almost
uncomfortable. was yet oppressive.
After satisfying himself that he was,
indeed, beyond the probable reach OF
human eyes, Oakley stood for a few
minutes, meditating.
II don't really believe that they have
any idea where am, and / doubt If
they are still trying to, find me-" ne
said. But can't stay in town two
days without getting nervous. Every
policeman see appears to have diff
Guilty In keeping his hands off from
me, and just have to dig. feel safer
out ia the open, where there isn't any
thing but .animals-where everything
skulls, the same as me-"
He sat down In partially shaded
niche In one of the rain-gashed buttes,
and famed himself with his frayed
hat
Somebody says guilty conscience
doeth US up like a patent medicine"
he unused. wonder why consciences
aren't more appropriately distributed.
Some men, like me, who have out
grown the need OF one, have enough
to bother four men, and some who
need one badly are turned loose with
out any.
"One would suppose that when Eel
low gets to the point where he can
kill another man his conscience would
give him little trouble.
what was thatT"
He sprang up suddenly.
"Oh, / see. Go 1t. you long-eared
collection Of legs" he said, with re-
lief. as a jack rabbit FASTENED toward
q line OF trees across the valley.
Oakley followed slowly aloug the
path taken by the rabbit. He knew
the trees were greasewoods, and
thought there must be a stream near.
Upon approaching nearer he thought
he saw a man standing motionless un-
der tree. Therefore he turned quick
" and skunk back along the ragged
edge of dry dun
There was something suspicious. he
told himself, in the fact that man
was doing nothing. or anything, In
such a wilderness. and he could not
AFFORD to take any chances. He crept
to the top Of butte and cautiously
took position where he could watch
the row Of greasewoods.
Lying fiat on his stomach under the
bot sun was trying work. He thought
of something he had learned at school
something about earning bread by
che sweat Of his brow.
"Seems to me rye paid for about
ave good loayes already" he remark
ed. after half an hour had passed. But
where are they? never did believe
half OF those coDy-book fairy tales"
He shifted to one side, and continu-
Cd his reverie.
Nov. / can't see why that fellow
wants to stand there in the hot sun
hike an imitation Of Lots wife. 'Tain't
natural. nor even sensible. oh! You
ere coming over here. are your All
right. mister. Ny latch strings hang
ing out, and there's only one of you,
20 receiving callers rs not going to be
ak all tedious"
Oakley laid an old revolver in de-
preston in the sand.
~You aren't much Mke tho gun the
horse thief stole from nae" he said,
addressing 1t meditative1v. 1T amt at
all likely you'd shoot IL was to hitch
Wild horses to your trigger, but as far
as lucks go you're sight more Inn
presstve than none"
Several times the man straggilng
Aaross the cleaning sand stopped and
shaded his eyes with his hand. scan
ming the horizon in all directions. but
always completing the search with a
glance at the butte where Oakley lay
sweitering.
Oakley watched him curiously.
There was something familiar about
him. Was it his manner Of walkingf
Oakley could not determine. Suddenly
the man vanished from sight
Oakley rubbed his eyes and stared
out across the vibrating heat waves.
No one was IN sight. Absolutely no
living thing could be seen anywhere
And ye& Oakley could have sworn that
moment before man was coming
slowly toward him He stood up and
peered eagerly into the desert The
look Of wonder on his face changed
quickly to one Of alarm. ALL Now he
had it. It had suddenly dawned upon
Ran that the one he imagined he had
seen vac French. No one else walked
IKE Preach.
a. a. 49, rw-.. rs~....A 49, .---.