The Argosy, June 1904 — page 51: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

IN THE DRAGON’S CLAW. | 587 tor along until they reached a skort stretch of irrigation ditch—the remains of Mexican work, all but destroyed by time. “When that tramp thinks things over, hell hesitate to put the officers on until he knows where you are, for fear they will beat him out of the re- ward. And he won’t be able to see very well fora while.” Romeo chuckled. “ Another. ‘thing, he won’t reckon on your stopping so-tear the shanty; if he knows the groum@/he’ll head for the old marble quarry- “Arst.” While he talked, he covered the ditch artfully with sage ‘brush. The morning air assisted Holden’s recovery; his head grew clearer, and he realized that in his present state it would be impossible for him to reach Santa Anita alone. There was only one thing to be done. Tle must make Romeo his messenger to the sheriff. The country between was thickly settled, and open except for orange groves, whose straight rows of trees afforded little concealment for a fugitive who must keep moving. But by waiting until nightfall, he might get across the county line and surrender there. The little man at first strenuously ob- jected to the editor’s program. He was, however, obliged to confess that the lat- ter could not hope to remain long un- detected in his present situation. ‘Then there was the Fiesta. He yield- ed to these considerations, and having made Holden as comfortable as the cir- cumstances permitted, sét off with the message. Before entering the car from which he was so soon ejected, Romeo had laid in a supply of food for the journey, which he turned over to Holden. It was not much of a banquet—merely bread and cold bacon—but the fugitive, who was nearly starved, ate ravenously, and presently paid the penalty, A fine dust sifted down from the withered sage brush that covered him, acrid and pungent. It filled his threat and nostrils, and his thirst, stimulated by the bacon and aggravated by this powder, waxed with the heat of the day. The sun blazed, and the hilltops and vallevs shimmered. Near the grotnd the air was dead and saturated with heat. He lay choking. The blow inflicted by the tramp had broken his scalp, and a slight fever soon developed. He strove to put aside the thought of water, which Romeo, with characteristic improvidence, had failed to provide. But it would not do; Nature claimed her rights—clamored for them. His tongue was parched when he touched his dry lips. He pulled out a nugget of gold and tried to stimulate the salivary glands by mouthing it. For a while this afforded bim a little relief, but it failed in the end. A few hundred yards away there was water, and, what was worse, he knew it. If he could but wade into it up to the chin, and then draw it into himself until he was full to repletion, he thought he would willingly die. Hours would pass before Romeo could return to help him to the county line where he had promised to meet Thatch- er, the sheriff. Not until nightfall would it be prudent to venture “forth, and before that he felt that he would be delirious with fever. In the latter event, he was sure he would break cover and seek water with- out precaution. It struck him that it would be better to take the risk while he had his wits about him. His brain was perhaps already af- fected, for he presently found himself crawling upon his hands and knees through the sage brush toward the canal. The sun beat down upon his bare head; he was stifled by the clouds of vegetable dust which his progress through the sage brush raised. He was dimly conscious of a great shouting and the braving of a brass band afar off. His heart beat hollow against his ribs. Te had left his coat at his hiding-place, and his shirt sleeves were torn to rib- bons. | Dirty, emaciated, smeared with blood, with eyes burning with fever, the zanjiro of the new ditch saw him as he dragged himself to the edge of the canal. The zanjwo had been warned to keep a sharp lookout by the officers who had Punk in charge; they had gone to the ~ PRODUCED BY UNZ.ORG Comniclo@ao® ELECTRONIC REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED S C@