Show f 44 THE BEST MAN WON A TALE OF THE MOJAVE DESERT high noon on the desert the sun is fire that scorches that maddens that turns burns unto death aad and the waves of his fury beat highe and higher till e en the gray lizard Is gasping tor for breath the yucca no longer sets gray against gray the sagebrush has vanished the white poppy fled and the sand ocean stretches away and away 0 er the desolate leagues of a world that is dead white night on the desert the sol dmn moon glows 0 er the ands where two camp through the cool of the night right what matters the story of words and then while women are fair men will quarrel ands and fight now maggie mchenry was fairer by far than many a maid who Is known as a belle and duncan had vowed she should shine as his star while Don donovan s answer id I 1 d ashud der to tell gray dawn on the desert the sun sent a ray like a first altow arrow shot by a merel mere less foe and ane shades of the night time crept slowly away a and the sands were alight like a furnace aglow then duncan awoke rubbed his e eyes vs looked about no donovan there but a note in his place 1 ive I ve taken the water ill need it no doubt and the best man I 1 reckon 11 win in the race high noon on the desert high noon once again mid the dry bones of death shining white where they fell and duncan a victim to thirst and its pain with ane blood in his veins like the liquid of hell yet staggering on to and fro to and fro ran the white flames of heat in their devil sh play and the lying mirage Is mal ing its show of a green land of peace where the cool waters play at eve on the desert one found him at rest crushed down beaten low in that furnace of hell she found him and kissed him and held to her breast and laved him with water that soothingly fell and maggie he whispered as opened his eyes what matters the pain when the race has been run and I 1 j dge there is justice som where neath the skies for borne through deaths caldron the best man had won alfred J waterhouse in new york times |