Yet he believed that he was pursuing the right
direction; and, forgetting that Pat, no more than
himself, knew the route, he gave the horse loose
rein. Thus for an hour, two hours, three, he
rode slowly forward, when like a flash it.came to
him that he was hopelessly lost. He reined in
the horse sharply.

For a time he sat trying to place himself. Failing
in this, he raised his eyes, hoping for a break
in the skies. But there was no glimmer of light, and
after a while, not knowing what else to do, he
sent Pat forward again. But his uneasiness
would not down, and presently he drew rein again,
dismounted, and fell to listening. There was not a
breath of air. He took a step forward, his uneasiness
becoming fear, and again stood motionless,
listening, gripped by the oppressive stillness
of the desert. It crept upon him, this death-quiet,
seemed to close about him suffocatingly.
Suddenly he started. Out of the dense blackness
had come a voice, weak arid plaintive. He turned
tense with excitement and listened keenly.

"Hello, there! This -- over this way!"

He could see nothing; but he moved in the
direction of the voice. After a few strides he was
stopped by a consciousness of something before
him, and there was a constrained groan.

' Careful, man -- I'm hurt. Unhorsed this morning.
Been crawling all day for shade. Strike a
match, will you? God! but it's a night!"

Stephen struck a light. As it flared up he saw
prone in the sand a young man, his face drawn

[[263]]

p262 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p263w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p264

v?