Some time during Adams slumbers a nightmare
possessed him.
The only surebanishment of it came through action,
with its attendant exercise of hisfaculties. Those mountains are giant sand dunes an
they change their shape with theshiftin of the winds.
The afternoonwaned, the sun sank, the heat
declined, and Jinny began to show signs ofweariness.
I didmeet desert men who could have helped me.
Yesterday Id not have gambled much on your chances.
When a burro intends to liedown he humps his back
an wriggles his tail. Burros are seldomresponsive to affection. Youcan always trust
Indians to go to the freightin posts for you.
But theyre long, heavy bones, an if you ever get
anyflesh on them youll be a darned big man.
His eyes, big, dark, rolling, resembled those of an
ox. Adam stared out into thenight where Dismukes had vanished.
Sometimes youd run, an again youd wag along, an
then youd fall ancrawl. Some blackened utensilslay on the ground near the charred
remains of his canvas. If I had met a man likemyself, as I am now, I might have been
spared a hell of sufferin.
I fed youwater a spoonful at a time, an every
little while I emptied a canteenover you. But when he glanced athis shrunken hands
be believed the incomprehensible fact.
No danger of any white men runninacross you there.
Well, its no matter what a man calls himself in this country, he said.
Then Ill take what the burro an grub
cost.
It did seem to glare menace into Adams
face.
An out of all these, ifthey stay in the desert, but
few survive. Then Ill take what the burro an grub cost. The prospector had the faith
togive out of his lesson of life on the desert.
Not until he felt a drag in his steps did he think
of his weakenedcondition.
How do you know its going to be as hot as
yesterday?