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Then his dull brain revived to a final shock.
Adams gaze encountered an
extraordinary-looking man. The pain now came from burn of the flesh underneath.
As it wasearly, but few people were to be encountered, and this fact lent
Adammore courage. This pursuer was staggering along, flinging his arms.
Dimcolumns of smoke scarce a mile away showed him that Yuma was close. Picacho
loomed to the right, acolossal buttress of red rock, wild and ragged and
rugged.
Every shadow was alie, every space of slope in the sunlight hid the
truth of its width. Somewhere between him andthere ran the river.
But as clear
perception failed these mirages of the desert did deceivehim. Then the tears
would flow and wash them clear again.
Every shadow was alie, every space of
slope in the sunlight hid the truth of its width.
Guerd sat at table, gambling
with Collishaw and MacKay and other men ofPicacho well known to Adam.
When he
awoke he felt better, though half smothered.
Yesterday Id not have gambled much
on your chances.
Into this Adam crawled like a wounded andstealthy deer.
This
puzzled him until at length herealised it was sand. You want tofight and you
make this debt of yours a pretence. But these rocks, hot as red-hot plates of
iron, permitted of no contact,even in a moment of horror.
Adam pushed
on,gaining strength as he recovered breath.
Itretarded his progress, and little
puffs of fine, invisible sand or dustirritated his eyes. You couldnt makea
sound, but all the same I knew you were ravin fur water. And his voice proved
tohim that he and his burden had not slipped into the oblivion of thebeyond.
It
could not be far to the level desertagain.
Dimcolumns of smoke scarce a mile
away showed him that Yuma was close.
Adam saw a quiver, run over thehuge frame.
A painful stab in his side spread and swelled to the whole regionof his
breast.
When he glanced up to see Adam, a light gleamed across his hotface.
Adam halted and, rubbing his eyes, peered hard ahead and all around.
Death from
thirstwas preferable to capture, but Adam was not ready to die. Ittook Adam a
moment to place the man in mind.
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