irsty, and water did not satisfy him. He wanted a real
drink. He wanted alcohol. Suddenly he wanted all the liquor in the
world. The craving came on at dawn, and after that he kicked his weary
horse on recklessly, so that it rocked and stumbled down the trail. He
had only one thought after the frenzy seized him, and that was to get to
civilization and whisky. It was as though he saw in drunkenness his only
escape from the unbearable. In all probability he would have killed
both his horse and himself in the grip of that sudden madness, but
deliverance came in the shape of a casual rider, a stranger who for a
moment took up the shuttle, wove his bit of the pattern and passed
on, to use his blow-pipe, his spirit lamp and his chemicals in some
prospector's paradise among the mountains.

When Dick heard somewhere ahead the creaking of saddle leather and the
rattle of harness he drew aside on the trail and waited. He had lost
all caution in the grip of his craving, and all fear. A line of loaded
burros rounded a point ahead and came toward him, picking their way
delicately with small deliberate feet and walking on the outer edge of
the trail, after the way of pack animals the world over. Behind them was
a horseman, rifle in the scabbard on his saddle and spurs jingling. Dick
watched him with thirsty, feverish eyes as he drew near. He could hardly
wait to put his question.

"Happen to have a drink about you, partner?" he called.

The man stopped his horse and grinned.

"Pretty early in the morning for a drink, isn't it?" he inquired. Then
he saw Dick's eyes, and reached reluctantly into his saddle bag. "I've
got a quart here," he said. "I've traveled forty miles and spent nine
dollars to get it, but I guess you need some."

"You wouldn't care to sell it, I suppose?"

"The bottle? Not on your life."

He untied a tin cup from his saddle and carefully poured a fair amount
into it, steadying the horse the while.

"Here," he said, and passed it over. "But you'd better cut it out after
this. It's bad medicine. You've got two good drinks there. Be careful."

Dick took the cup and looked at the liquor. The odor assailed him, and
for a queer moment he felt a sudden distaste for it. He had a revulsion
that almost shook him. But he drank it down and passed the cup back.

"You've traveled a long way for it," he said, "and I needed it, I guess.
If you'll let me pay for it--"

"Forget it," said the man amiably, and started his h