PROLOGUE	O
I	O
A	O
FACE	O
haunted	O
Cameron	O
--	O
a	O
woman	O
's	O
face	O
.	O

It	O
was	O
there	O
in	O
the	O
white	O
heart	O
of	O
the	O
dying	EVENT
campfire	EVENT
;	O
it	O
hung	O
in	O
the	O
shadows	O
that	O
hovered	EVENT
over	O
the	O
flickering	EVENT
light	O
;	O
it	O
drifted	EVENT
in	O
the	O
darkness	O
beyond	O
.	O

This	O
hour	O
,	O
when	O
the	O
day	O
had	O
closed	O
and	O
the	O
lonely	O
desert	O
night	O
set	O
in	O
with	O
its	O
dead	O
silence	O
,	O
was	O
one	O
in	O
which	O
Cameron	O
's	O
mind	O
was	O
thronged	O
with	O
memories	O
of	O
a	O
time	O
long	O
past	O
--	O
of	O
a	O
home	O
back	O
in	O
Peoria	O
,	O
of	O
a	O
woman	O
he	O
had	O
wronged	O
and	O
lost	O
,	O
and	O
loved	O
too	O
late	O
.	O

He	O
was	O
a	O
prospector	O
for	O
gold	O
,	O
a	O
hunter	O
of	O
solitude	O
,	O
a	O
lover	O
of	O
the	O
drear	O
,	O
rock-ribbed	O
infinitude	O
,	O
because	O
he	O
wanted	O
to	O
be	O
alone	O
to	O
remember	O
.	O

A	O
sound	EVENT
disturbed	EVENT
Cameron	O
's	O
reflections	EVENT
.	O

He	O
bent	EVENT
his	O
head	O
listening	EVENT
.	O

A	O
soft	O
wind	EVENT
fanned	EVENT
the	O
paling	EVENT
embers	O
,	O
blew	EVENT
sparks	EVENT
and	O
white	O
ashes	O
and	O
thin	O
smoke	EVENT
away	O
into	O
the	O
enshrouding	O
circle	O
of	O
blackness	O
.	O

His	O
burro	O
did	O
not	O
appear	O
to	O
be	O
moving	O
about	O
.	O

The	O
quiet	O
split	EVENT
to	O
the	O
cry	EVENT
of	O
a	O
coyote	O
.	O

It	O
rose	EVENT
strange	O
,	O
wild	O
,	O
mournful	O
--	O
not	O
the	O
howl	O
of	O
a	O
prowling	O
upland	O
beast	O
baying	O
the	O
campfire	O
or	O
barking	O
at	O
a	O
lonely	O
prospector	O
,	O
but	O
the	O
wail	O
of	O
a	O
wolf	O
,	O
full-voiced	O
,	O
crying	O
out	O
the	O
meaning	O
of	O
the	O
desert	O
and	O
the	O
night	O
.	O

Hunger	O
throbbed	O
in	O
it	O
--	O
hunger	O
for	O
a	O
mate	O
,	O
for	O
offspring	O
,	O
for	O
life	O
.	O

When	O
it	O
ceased	EVENT
,	O
the	O
terrible	O
desert	O
silence	O
smote	O
Cameron	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
cry	EVENT
echoed	EVENT
in	O
his	O
soul	O
.	O

He	O
and	O
that	O
wandering	O
wolf	O
were	O
brothers	O
.	O

Then	O
a	O
sharp	O
clink	EVENT
of	O
metal	O
on	O
stone	O
and	O
soft	O
pads	EVENT
of	O
hoofs	O
in	O
sand	O
prompted	O
Cameron	O
to	O
reach	EVENT
for	O
his	O
gun	O
,	O
and	O
to	O
move	EVENT
out	O
of	O
the	O
light	O
of	O
the	O
waning	EVENT
campfire	EVENT
.	O

He	O
was	O
somewhere	O
along	O
the	O
wild	O
border	O
line	O
between	O
Sonora	O
and	O
Arizona	O
;	O
and	O
the	O
prospector	O
who	O
dared	O
the	O
heat	O
and	O
barrenness	O
of	O
that	O
region	O
risked	O
other	O
dangers	O
sometimes	O
as	O
menacing	O
.	O

Figures	O
darker	O
than	O
the	O
gloom	O
approached	EVENT
and	O
took	EVENT
shape	O
,	O
and	O
in	O
the	O
light	O
turned	O
out	O
to	O
be	O
those	O
of	O
a	O
white	O
man	O
and	O
a	O
heavily	O
packed	O
burro	O
.	O

"	O
Hello	O
there	O
,	O
"	O
the	O
man	O
called	EVENT
,	O
as	O
he	O
came	O
to	O
a	O
halt	EVENT
and	O
gazed	EVENT
about	O
him	O
.	O

"	O
I	O
saw	EVENT
your	O
fire	EVENT
.	O

May	O
I	O
make	O
camp	O
here	O
?	O
"	O

Cameron	O
came	EVENT
forth	O
out	O
of	O
the	O
shadow	O
and	O
greeted	EVENT
his	O
visitor	O
,	O
whom	O
he	O
took	EVENT
for	O
a	O
prospector	O
like	O
himself	O
.	O

Cameron	O
resented	EVENT
the	O
breaking	EVENT
of	O
his	O
lonely	O
campfire	O
vigil	EVENT
,	O
but	O
he	O
respected	O
the	O
law	O
of	O
the	O
desert	O
.	O

The	O
stranger	O
thanked	EVENT
him	O
,	O
and	O
then	O
slipped	EVENT
the	O
pack	O
from	O
his	O
burro	O
.	O

Then	O
he	O
rolled	EVENT
out	O
his	O
pack	O
and	O
began	O
preparations	EVENT
for	O
a	O
meal	O
.	O

His	O
movements	EVENT
were	O
slow	O
and	O
methodical	O
.	O

Cameron	O
watched	EVENT
him	O
,	O
still	O
with	O
resentment	O
,	O
yet	O
with	O
a	O
curious	O
and	O
growing	O
interest	EVENT
.	O

The	O
campfire	EVENT
burst	O
into	O
a	O
bright	O
blaze	EVENT
,	O
and	O
by	O
its	O
light	O
Cameron	O
saw	EVENT
a	O
man	O
whose	O
gray	O
hair	O
somehow	O
did	O
not	O
seem	O
to	O
make	O
him	O
old	O
,	O
and	O
whose	O
stooped	O
shoulders	O
did	O
not	O
detract	O
from	O
an	O
impression	O
of	O
rugged	O
strength	O
.	O

"	O
Find	O
any	O
mineral	O
?	O
"	O
asked	EVENT
Cameron	O
,	O
presently	O
.	O

His	O
visitor	O
looked	EVENT
up	O
quickly	O
,	O
as	O
if	O
startled	O
by	O
the	O
sound	O
of	O
a	O
human	O
voice	O
.	O

He	O
replied	EVENT
,	O
and	O
then	O
the	O
two	O
men	O
talked	EVENT
a	O
little	O
.	O

But	O
the	O
stranger	O
evidently	O
preferred	O
silence	O
.	O

Cameron	O
understood	EVENT
that	O
.	O

He	O
laughed	EVENT
grimly	O
and	O
bent	O
a	O
keener	O
gaze	EVENT
upon	O
the	O
furrowed	O
,	O
shadowy	O
face	O
.	O

Another	O
of	O
those	O
strange	O
desert	O
prospectors	O
in	O
whom	O
there	O
was	O
some	O
relentless	O
driving	O
power	O
besides	O
the	O
lust	O
for	O
gold	O
!	O

Cameron	O
felt	O
that	O
between	O
this	O
man	O
and	O
himself	O
there	O
was	O
a	O
subtle	O
affinity	O
,	O
vague	O
and	O
undefined	O
,	O
perhaps	O
born	O
of	O
the	O
divination	O
that	O
here	O
was	O
a	O
desert	O
wanderer	O
like	O
himself	O
,	O
perhaps	O
born	O
of	O
a	O
deeper	O
,	O
an	O
unintelligible	O
relation	O
having	O
its	O
roots	O
back	O
in	O
the	O
past	O
.	O

A	O
long-forgotten	O
sensation	EVENT
stirred	O
in	O
Cameron	O
's	O
breast	O
,	O
one	O
so	O
long	O
forgotten	O
that	O
he	O
could	O
not	O
recognize	O
it	O
.	O

But	O
it	O
was	O
akin	O
to	O
pain	O
.	O

II	O
When	O
he	O
awakened	EVENT
he	O
found	O
,	O
to	O
his	O
surprise	EVENT
,	O
that	O
his	O
companion	O
had	O
departed	EVENT
.	O

A	O
trail	O
in	O
the	O
sand	O
led	O
off	O
to	O
the	O
north	O
.	O

There	O
was	O
no	O
water	O
in	O
that	O
direction	O
.	O

Cameron	O
shrugged	EVENT
his	O
shoulders	O
;	O
it	O
was	O
not	O
his	O
affair	O
;	O
he	O
had	O
his	O
own	O
problems	O
.	O

And	O
straightway	O
he	O
forgot	EVENT
his	O
strange	O
visitor	O
.	O

Cameron	O
began	EVENT
his	O
day	O
,	O
grateful	EVENT
for	O
the	O
solitude	EVENT
that	O
was	O
now	O
unbroken	O
,	O
for	O
the	O
canyon-furrowed	O
and	O
cactus-spired	O
scene	O
that	O
now	O
showed	O
no	O
sign	O
of	O
life	O
.	O

He	O
traveled	EVENT
southwest	O
,	O
never	O
straying	O
far	O
from	O
the	O
dry	O
stream	O
bed	O
;	O
and	O
in	O
a	O
desultory	O
way	O
,	O
without	O
eagerness	O
,	O
he	O
hunted	EVENT
for	O
signs	O
of	O
gold	O
.	O

The	O
work	EVENT
was	O
toilsome	O
,	O
yet	O
the	O
periods	O
of	O
rest	O
in	O
which	O
he	O
indulged	EVENT
were	O
not	O
taken	O
because	O
of	O
fatigue	O
.	O

He	O
rested	O
to	O
look	O
,	O
to	O
listen	O
,	O
to	O
feel	O
.	O

What	O
the	O
vast	O
silent	O
world	O
meant	O
to	O
him	O
had	O
always	O
been	O
a	O
mystical	O
thing	O
,	O
which	O
he	O
felt	O
in	O
all	O
its	O
incalculable	O
power	O
,	O
but	O
never	O
understood	O
.	O

That	O
day	O
,	O
while	O
it	O
was	O
yet	O
light	O
,	O
and	O
he	O
was	O
digging	EVENT
in	O
a	O
moist	O
white-bordered	O
wash	O
for	O
water	O
,	O
he	O
was	O
brought	EVENT
sharply	O
up	O
by	O
hearing	EVENT
the	O
crack	EVENT
of	O
hard	O
hoofs	O
on	O
stone	O
.	O

There	O
down	O
the	O
canyon	O
came	EVENT
a	O
man	O
and	O
a	O
burro	O
.	O

Cameron	O
recognized	EVENT
them	O
.	O

"	O
Hello	O
,	O
friend	O
,	O
"	O
called	EVENT
the	O
man	O
,	O
halting	EVENT
.	O

"	O
Our	O
trails	O
crossed	EVENT
again	O
.	O

That	O
's	O
good	O
.	O
"	O

"	O
Hello	O
,	O
"	O
replied	EVENT
Cameron	O
,	O
slowly	O
.	O

"	O
Any	O
mineral	O
sign	O
to-day	O
?	O
"	O

"	O
No	O
.	O
"	O

They	O
made	EVENT
camp	O
together	O
,	O
ate	EVENT
their	O
frugal	O
meal	O
,	O
smoked	EVENT
a	O
pipe	O
,	O
and	O
rolled	EVENT
in	O
their	O
blankets	O
without	O
exchanging	O
many	O
words	O
.	O

In	O
the	O
morning	O
the	O
same	O
reticence	O
,	O
the	O
same	O
aloofness	O
characterized	O
the	O
manner	O
of	O
both	O
.	O

But	O
Cameron	O
's	O
companion	O
,	O
when	O
he	O
had	O
packed	EVENT
his	O
burro	O
and	O
was	O
ready	EVENT
to	O
start	O
,	O
faced	EVENT
about	O
and	O
said	EVENT
:	O
"	O
We	O
might	O
stay	O
together	O
,	O
if	O
it	O
's	O
all	O
right	O
with	O
you	O
.	O
"	O

"	O
I	O
never	O
take	O
a	O
partner	O
,	O
"	O
replied	EVENT
Cameron	O
.	O

"	O
You	O
're	O
alone	O
;	O
I	O
'm	O
alone	O
,	O
"	O
said	EVENT
the	O
other	O
,	O
mildly	O
.	O

"	O
It	O
's	O
a	O
big	O
place	O
.	O

If	O
we	O
find	O
gold	O
there	O
'll	O
be	O
enough	O
for	O
two	O
.	O
"	O

"	O
I	O
do	O
n't	O
go	O
down	O
into	O
the	O
desert	O
for	O
gold	O
alone	O
,	O
"	O
rejoined	EVENT
Cameron	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
chill	O
note	O
in	O
his	O
swift	O
reply	EVENT
.	O

His	O
companion	O
's	O
deep-set	O
,	O
luminous	O
eyes	O
emitted	O
a	O
singular	O
flash	EVENT
.	O

It	O
moved	O
Cameron	O
to	O
say	EVENT
that	O
in	O
the	O
years	O
of	O
his	O
wandering	O
he	O
had	O
met	O
no	O
man	O
who	O
could	O
endure	O
equally	O
with	O
him	O
the	O
blasting	O
heat	O
,	O
the	O
blinding	O
dust	O
storms	O
,	O
the	O
wilderness	O
of	O
sand	O
and	O
rock	O
and	O
lava	O
and	O
cactus	O
,	O
the	O
terrible	O
silence	O
and	O
desolation	O
of	O
the	O
desert	O
.	O

Cameron	O
waved	EVENT
a	O
hand	O
toward	O
the	O
wide	O
,	O
shimmering	O
,	O
shadowy	O
descent	O
of	O
plain	O
and	O
range	O
.	O

"	O
I	O
may	O
strike	O
through	O
the	O
Sonora	O
Desert	O
.	O

I	O
may	O
head	O
for	O
Pinacate	O
or	O
north	O
for	O
the	O
Colorado	O
Basin	O
.	O

You	O
are	O
an	O
old	O
man	O
.	O
"	O

"	O
I	O
do	O
n't	O
know	O
the	O
country	O
,	O
but	O
to	O
me	O
one	O
place	O
is	O
the	O
same	O
as	O
another	O
,	O
"	O
replied	EVENT
his	O
companion	O
.	O

For	O
moments	O
he	O
seemed	O
to	O
forget	O
himself	O
,	O
and	O
swept	O
his	O
far-reaching	O
gaze	EVENT
out	O
over	O
the	O
colored	O
gulf	O
of	O
stone	O
and	O
sand	O
.	O

Then	O
with	O
gentle	O
slaps	EVENT
he	O
drove	EVENT
his	O
burro	O
in	O
behind	O
Cameron	O
.	O

"	O
Yes	O
,	O
I	O
'm	O
old	O
.	O

I	O
'm	O
lonely	O
,	O
too	O
.	O

It	O
's	O
come	O
to	O
me	O
just	O
lately	O
.	O

But	O
,	O
friend	O
,	O
I	O
can	O
still	O
travel	O
,	O
and	O
for	O
a	O
few	O
days	O
my	O
company	O
wo	O
n't	O
hurt	O
you	O
.	O
"	O

"	O
Have	O
it	O
your	O
way	O
,	O
"	O
said	EVENT
Cameron	O
.	O

They	O
began	O
a	O
slow	O
march	EVENT
down	O
into	O
the	O
desert	O
.	O

At	O
sunset	EVENT
they	O
camped	EVENT
under	O
the	O
lee	O
of	O
a	O
low	O
mesa	O
.	O

Cameron	O
was	O
glad	O
his	O
comrade	O
had	O
the	O
Indian	O
habit	O
of	O
silence	O
.	O

Another	O
day	O
's	O
travel	EVENT
found	O
the	O
prospectors	O
deep	O
in	O
the	O
wilderness	O
.	O

Then	O
there	O
came	O
a	O
breaking	EVENT
of	O
reserve	EVENT
,	O
noticeable	O
in	O
the	O
elder	O
man	O
,	O
almost	O
imperceptibly	O
gradual	O
in	O
Cameron	O
.	O

Beside	O
the	O
meager	O
mesquite	O
campfire	EVENT
this	O
gray-faced	O
,	O
thoughtful	O
old	O
prospector	O
would	O
remove	O
his	O
black	O
pipe	O
from	O
his	O
mouth	O
to	O
talk	O
a	O
little	O
;	O
and	O
Cameron	O
would	O
listen	O
,	O
and	O
sometimes	O
unlock	O
his	O
lips	O
to	O
speak	O
a	O
word	O
.	O

And	O
so	O
,	O
as	O
Cameron	O
began	O
to	O
respond	EVENT
to	O
the	O
influence	O
of	O
a	O
desert	O
less	O
lonely	O
than	O
habitual	O
,	O
he	O
began	O
to	O
take	O
keener	O
note	EVENT
of	O
his	O
comrade	O
,	O
and	O
found	EVENT
him	O
different	O
from	O
any	O
other	O
he	O
had	O
ever	O
encountered	O
in	O
the	O
wilderness	O
.	O

This	O
man	O
never	O
grumbled	O
at	O
the	O
heat	O
,	O
the	O
glare	O
,	O
the	O
driving	O
sand	O
,	O
the	O
sour	O
water	O
,	O
the	O
scant	O
fare	O
.	O

During	O
the	O
daylight	O
hours	O
he	O
was	O
seldom	O
idle	O
.	O

At	O
night	O
he	O
sat	O
dreaming	O
before	O
the	O
fire	O
or	O
paced	O
to	O
and	O
fro	O
in	O
the	O
gloom	O
.	O

He	O
slept	O
but	O
little	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
long	O
after	O
Cameron	O
had	O
had	O
his	O
own	O
rest	O
.	O

He	O
was	O
tireless	O
,	O
patient	O
,	O
brooding	O
.	O

Cameron	O
's	O
awakened	O
interest	EVENT
brought	O
home	O
to	O
him	O
the	O
realization	EVENT
that	O
for	O
years	O
he	O
had	O
shunned	O
companionship	O
.	O

In	O
those	O
years	O
only	O
three	O
men	O
had	O
wandered	O
into	O
the	O
desert	O
with	O
him	O
,	O
and	O
these	O
had	O
left	O
their	O
bones	O
to	O
bleach	O
in	O
the	O
shifting	O
sands	O
.	O

Cameron	O
had	O
not	O
cared	O
to	O
know	O
their	O
secrets	O
.	O

But	O
the	O
more	O
he	O
studied	O
this	O
latest	O
comrade	O
the	O
more	O
he	O
began	O
to	O
suspect	O
that	O
he	O
might	O
have	O
missed	O
something	O
in	O
the	O
others	O
.	O

In	O
his	O
own	O
driving	O
passion	O
to	O
take	O
his	O
secret	O
into	O
the	O
limitless	O
abode	O
of	O
silence	O
and	O
desolation	O
,	O
where	O
he	O
could	O
be	O
alone	O
with	O
it	O
,	O
he	O
had	O
forgotten	O
that	O
life	O
dealt	O
shocks	O
to	O
other	O
men	O
.	O

Somehow	O
this	O
silent	O
comrade	O
reminded	EVENT
him	O
.	O

One	O
afternoon	O
late	O
,	O
after	O
they	O
had	O
toiled	EVENT
up	O
a	O
white	O
,	O
winding	O
wash	O
of	O
sand	O
and	O
gravel	O
,	O
they	O
came	EVENT
upon	O
a	O
dry	O
waterhole	O
.	O

Cameron	O
dug	EVENT
deep	O
into	O
the	O
sand	O
,	O
but	O
without	O
avail	O
.	O

He	O
was	O
turning	EVENT
to	O
retrace	O
weary	O
steps	O
back	O
to	O
the	O
last	O
water	O
when	O
his	O
comrade	O
asked	EVENT
him	O
to	O
wait	O
.	O

Cameron	O
watched	EVENT
him	O
search	EVENT
in	O
his	O
pack	O
and	O
bring	EVENT
forth	O
what	O
appeared	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
small	O
,	O
forked	O
branch	O
of	O
a	O
peach	O
tree	O
.	O

He	O
grasped	EVENT
the	O
prongs	O
of	O
the	O
fork	O
and	O
held	EVENT
them	O
before	O
him	O
with	O
the	O
end	O
standing	O
straight	O
out	O
,	O
and	O
then	O
he	O
began	O
to	O
walk	EVENT
along	O
the	O
stream	O
bed	O
.	O

Cameron	O
,	O
at	O
first	O
amused	EVENT
,	O
then	O
amazed	EVENT
,	O
then	O
pitying	EVENT
,	O
and	O
at	O
last	O
curious	EVENT
,	O
kept	O
pace	EVENT
with	O
the	O
prospector	O
.	O

He	O
saw	EVENT
a	O
strong	O
tension	O
of	O
his	O
comrade	O
's	O
wrists	O
,	O
as	O
if	O
he	O
was	O
holding	O
hard	O
against	O
a	O
considerable	O
force	O
.	O

The	O
end	O
of	O
the	O
peach	O
branch	O
began	O
to	O
quiver	EVENT
and	O
turn	EVENT
.	O

Cameron	O
reached	EVENT
out	O
a	O
hand	O
to	O
touch	EVENT
it	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
astounded	EVENT
at	O
feeling	O
a	O
powerful	O
vibrant	O
force	EVENT
pulling	EVENT
the	O
branch	O
downward	O
.	O

He	O
felt	EVENT
it	O
as	O
a	O
magnetic	O
shock	O
.	O

The	O
branch	O
kept	O
turning	EVENT
,	O
and	O
at	O
length	O
pointed	EVENT
to	O
the	O
ground	O
.	O

"	O
Dig	O
here	O
,	O
"	O
said	EVENT
the	O
prospector	O
.	O

"	O
What	O
!	O
"	O
ejaculated	EVENT
Cameron	O
.	O

Had	O
the	O
man	O
lost	O
his	O
mind	O
?	O

Then	O
Cameron	O
stood	O
by	O
while	O
his	O
comrade	O
dug	EVENT
in	O
the	O
sand	O
.	O

Three	O
feet	O
he	O
dug	EVENT
--	O
four	O
--	O
five	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
sand	O
grew	O
dark	EVENT
,	O
then	O
moist	EVENT
.	O

At	O
six	O
feet	O
water	O
began	O
to	O
seep	EVENT
through	O
.	O

"	O
Get	O
the	O
little	O
basket	O
in	O
my	O
pack	O
,	O
"	O
he	O
said	EVENT
.	O

Cameron	O
complied	EVENT
,	O
and	O
saw	EVENT
his	O
comrade	O
drop	EVENT
the	O
basket	O
into	O
the	O
deep	O
hole	O
,	O
where	O
it	O
kept	EVENT
the	O
sides	O
from	O
caving	O
in	O
and	O
allowed	EVENT
the	O
water	O
to	O
seep	O
through	O
.	O

While	O
Cameron	O
watched	EVENT
,	O
the	O
basket	O
filled	EVENT
.	O

Of	O
all	O
the	O
strange	O
incidents	O
of	O
his	O
desert	O
career	O
this	O
was	O
the	O
strangest	O
.	O

Curiously	O
he	O
picked	EVENT
up	O
the	O
peach	O
branch	O
and	O
held	EVENT
it	O
as	O
he	O
had	O
seen	EVENT
it	O
held	O
.	O

The	O
thing	O
,	O
however	O
,	O
was	O
dead	O
in	O
his	O
hands	O
.	O