Thats a hardcomparison, an its
justified.
Im glad theyre not goin tobleach white on the
desert, where Ive seen so many these last tenyears.
I poured a canteen of water over your head anthen
packed you over here where theres wood an water.
The frequent bends in the road were atonce a relief
and a dread. I tell you all this, Wansfell, because it maybe your salvation. They
sink tothat fierce level in order to live.
But this must be a deceit of the desert or a
madness of his sight.
And hehad long hours of the cool night to travel.
But Adam had scarcely credited that; certainly he didnot believe it applicable to
himself.
He strode swiftly, oppressed by the dust and
intolerant of theconfining borders of yellow brush.
You see, the body is most allwater, an on this
desert in summer a man just dries up an blows away. His skin became as dry as dust
and began to shrivel. Still he cautioned Adam not to eat too much.
The huge oblong silver moon hung low overthat vast
heaving stretch of desert.
You cant last on this desert without the things
tosustain life.
It was a full moment before he could rally his
forces.
The hot day closed without Adam ever venturing out
of the shade of thetree.
They are trained by the eternalstrife that
surrounds them. On every side what interminabledistances!
He was on theopen gravel ridges, like the ridges of
a washboard, up and down, and justas bare.
It was day before yesterday I run across you, began
Dismukes, after acomfortable pull at his pipe. Guerd,who hated water and had to be
made to wash, when they were little boys!
Then, gazing keenly, he saw that his pursuers were
still miles away.
Again there seemed flung in his face a hotglare of
space. The hot day closed without Adam ever venturing out of the shade of
thetree.
An out of all these, ifthey stay in the desert, but
few survive. And with no sense of direction, with no use of reason,he ran on till he
dropped.
He must take risks to get away with thisnecessary
outfit.