A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle
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to_find themselves once more upon their prairies . the coyote skulks among_the scrub, the buzzard flaps heavily through_the air, and_the clumsy grizzly bear lumbers through_the dark ravines, and picks up such sustenance as it can amongst the rocks . these are the sole dwellers in_the wilderness .

in_the whole world there can_be no more dreary view than that from_the northern slope of_the sierra Blanco . as far as_the eye can reach stretches the great flat plain- land, all dusted over with patches of alkali, and intersected by clumps of_the dwarfish chaparral bushes . on_the extreme verge of_the horizon lie a long chain of mountain peaks, with their rugged summits flecked with snow . in_this great stretch of country there_is no sign of life, nor of anything appertaining to life . there_is no bird in_the steel- blue heaven, no movement upon_the dull, grey earth -- above all, there_is absolute silence . listen as one may, there_is no shadow of a sound in all that mighty wilderness; nothing but silence -- complete and heart-subduing silence .

it_has_been said there_is nothing appertaining to life upon_the broad plain . that_is hardly true . looking down from_the sierra Blanco, one sees a pathway traced out across the desert, which winds away and_is lost in_the extreme distance . it_is rutted with wheels and trodden down by_the feet of many adventurers . here and there there_are scattered white objects which glisten in_the sun, and stand out against the dull deposit of alkali . approach, and examine them ! they_are bones: some large and coarse, others smaller and more delicate . the former have belonged to oxen, and_the latter to men . for fifteen hundred miles one may trace this ghastly caravan route by_these scattered remains of_those who had fallen by_the wayside .

looking down on_this very scene, there stood upon_the fourth of may, eighteen hundred and forty-seven, a solitary traveller . his appearance was such that he_might_have_been the very genius or demon of_the region . an observer would_have found it difficult to_say whether he_was nearer to forty or to sixty . his face was lean and haggard, and_the brown parchment- like skin was drawn tightly over the projecting bones; his long, brown hair and beard were all flecked and dashed with white; his eyes were sunken in_his head, and burned with an unnatural lustre; while the hand which grasped his rifle was hardly more fleshy than that of a skeleton . as he stood, he leaned upon his weapon for support, and yet his tall figure and_the massive framework of_his bones suggested a wiry and vigorous constitution . his gaunt face, however, and_his clothes, which hung so baggily over his shrivelled limbs, proclaimed what it was_that gave him that senile and decrepit appearance . the man was dying -- dying from hunger and from thirst .

he had toiled painfully down the ravine, and on to_this little elevation, in_the vain hope of seeing some signs of water . now the great salt plain stretched before his eyes, and_the distant belt of savage mountains, without a sign anywhere of plant or tree, which might indicate the presence of moisture . in all that broad landscape there_was no gleam of hope . north, and east, and west he looked with wild questioning eyes, and then he realised that his wanderings had come to an end, and_that there, on_that barren crag, he_was about to die ." why_not here, as_well as in a feather bed, twenty years hence," he muttered, as he seated himself in_the shelter of a boulder .

before sitting down, he had deposited upon_the ground his useless rifle, and also a large bundle tied up in agrey shawl, which he had carried slung over his right shoulder . it appeared to_be somewhat too heavy for_his strength, for in lowering it, it came down on_the ground with some little violence . instantly there broke from_the grey parcel a little moaning cry, and from_it there protruded a small, scared face, with very bright brown eyes, and two little speckled, dimpled fists .

" you've hurt me ! " said a childish voice reproachfully .

" have I though," the man answered penitently, "I didn't go for to_do_it ." as he spoke he unwrapped the grey shawl and extricated a pretty little girl of about five years_of_age, whose dainty shoes and smart pink frock with its little linen apron all bespoke a mother's care . the child was pale and wan, but her healthy arms and legs showed that she had suffered less_than her companion .

" how is_it now ? " he answered anxiously, for she was still rubbing the towsy golden curls which covered the back of her head .

" kiss it and make it well," she said, with perfect gravity, shoving {19} the injured part up_to him ." that's what mother used to_do . where's mother ? "

" mother's gone .I guess you'll see her before long ."

" gone, eh ! " said the little girl ." funny, she didn't say good-bye; she ' most always did if she was just goin' over to Auntie's for tea, and now she's been away three days . say, it's awful dry, ain't it ? Ain't there no water, nor nothing to eat ? "

" no, there ain't nothing, dearie . you'll just need to_be patient awhile, and then you'll be all right . put your head up agin me like that, and then you'll feel bullier . it ain't easy to_talk when your lips is like leather, but I guess I'd best let you_know how the cards lie . what's that you've got ? "

" pretty things ! fine things ! " cried the little girl enthusiastically, holding up two glittering fragments of mica ." when we goes back to home I'll give them to brother Bob ."

" you'll see prettier things than them soon," said the man confidently ." you just wait a bit . i_was going to_tell you though -- you remember when we left the river ? "

"Oh, yes ."

" well, we reckoned we'd strike another river soon, d' ye see . but there_was somethin' wrong; compasses, or map, or somethin', and it didn't turn up . water ran out . just except a little drop for_the likes of you and -- and ----"

" and you couldn't wash yourself," interrupted his companion gravely, staring up at his grimy visage .

" no, nor drink . and Mr Bender, he was_the fust to_go, and then Indian Pete, and then Mrs McGregor, and then Johnny Hones, and then, dearie, your mother ."

" then mother's adeader too," cried the little girl dropping her face in her pinafore and sobbing bitterly .

" yes, they all went except you and me . then i_thought there_was some chance of water in_this direction, so I heaved you over my shoulder and we tramped it together . it don't seem as_though we've improved matters . there's an almighty small chance for_us now ! "

" do_you_mean that we_are going to die too ? " asked the child, checking her sobs, and raising her tear- stained face .

"I guess that's about_the size of it ."

" why didn't you say so before ? " she said, laughing gleefully ." you_gave me such a fright . why, of_course, now as long as_we die we'll be with mother again ."

" yes, you_will, dearie ."

" and you too .I'll tell her how awful good you've been .I'll bet she meets us at_the door of heaven with a big pitcher of water, and alot of buckwheat cakes, hot, and toasted on both sides, like Bob and me was fond of . how long will it be first ? "

"I don't know -- not very long ." the man's eyes were fixed upon_the northern horizon . in_the blue vault of_the heaven there had appeared three little specks which increased in size every moment, so rapidly did they approach . they speedily resolved themselves into three large brown birds, which circled over the heads of_the two wanderers, and then settled upon some rocks which overlooked them . they were buzzards, the vultures of_the west, whose coming is_the forerunner of death .

"Cocks and hens," cried the little girl gleefully, pointing at their ill-omened forms, and clapping her hands to_make them rise ." say, did god make this country ? "

" in course he_did," said her companion, rather startled by_this unexpected question .

" he_made the country down in Illinois, and he_made the Missouri," the little girl continued ."I guess somebody else made the country in_these parts . it's not nearly so_well done . they forgot the water and_the trees ."

" what would ye think of offering up prayer ? " the man asked diffidently .

" it ain't night yet," she answered .

" it don't matter . it ain't quite regular, but he won't mind that, you bet . you say over them ones that you used to_say every night in_the waggon when we was on_the Plains ."

" why don't you say some yourself ? " the child asked, with wondering eyes .

"I disremember them," he answered ."I hain't said none since i_was half the height o' that gun .I guess it's never too late . you say them out, and I'll stand by and come in on_the choruses ."

" then you'll need to kneel down, and me too," she said, laying the shawl out for_that purpose ." you've got to_put your hands up like this . it makes you feel kind o' good ."

it_was a strange sight had there been anything but the buzzards to_see it . side by side on_the narrow shawl knelt the two wanderers, the little prattling child and_the reckless, hardened adventurer . her chubby face, and_his haggard, angular visage were both turned up_to_the cloudless heaven in heartfelt entreaty to_that dread being with_whom they were face_to_face, while the two voices -- the one thin and clear, the other deep and harsh -- united in_the entreaty for mercy and forgiveness . the prayer finished, they resumed their seat in_the shadow of_the boulder until the child fell asleep, nestling upon_the broad breast of her protector . he watched over her slumber for some_time, but nature proved to_be too strong for him . for three days and three nights he had allowed himself neither rest nor repose . slowly the eyelids drooped over the tired eyes, and_the head sunk lower and lower upon_the breast, until the man's grizzled beard was mixed with_the gold tresses of_his companion, and both slept the same deep and dreamless slumber .

had the wanderer remained awake for another half hour a strange sight would_have met his eyes . far away on_the extreme verge of_the alkali plain there rose up a little spray of dust, very slight at first, and hardly to_be distinguished from_the mists of_the distance, but gradually growing higher and broader until it formed a solid, well- defined cloud . this cloud continued to increase in size until it became evident that_it could only be raised by a great multitude of moving creatures . in more fertile spots the observer would_have come to_the conclusion that one of_those great herds of bisons which graze upon_the prairie land was approaching him . this_was obviously impossible in_these arid wilds . as_the whirl of dust drew nearer to_the solitary bluff upon_which the two castaways were reposing, the canvas- covered tilts of waggons and_the figures of armed horsemen began to show up through_the haze, and_the apparition revealed itself as being a great caravan upon its journey for_the west . but what a caravan ! when_the head of it had reached the base of_the mountains, the rear was not yet visible on_the horizon . right across the enormous plain stretched the straggling array, waggons and carts, men on horseback, and men on foot . innumerable women who staggered along under burdens, and children who toddled beside the waggons or peeped out from under the white coverings . this_was evidently no ordinary party of immigrants, but rather some nomad people who had_been compelled from stress of circumstances to seek themselves a new country . there rose through_the clear air a confused clattering and rumbling from_this great mass of humanity, with_the creaking of wheels and_the neighing of horses . loud as it_was, it_was not sufficient to rouse the two tired wayfarers above them .

at_the head of_the column there rode a score or more of grave ironfaced men, clad in sombre homespun garments and armed with rifles . on reaching the base of_the bluff they halted, and held a short council among themselves .

" the wells are to_the right, my brothers," said one, a hard-lipped, clean-shaven man with grizzly hair .

" to_the right of_the sierra Blanco -- so we_shall reach the Rio Grande," said another .

" fear not for water," cried a third ." he who_could draw it from_the rocks will not now abandon his own chosen people ."

" amen ! amen ! " responded the whole party .

they were about to resume their journey when one_of_the youngest and keenest- eyed uttered an exclamation and pointed up at_the rugged crag above them . from its summit there fluttered a little wisp of pink, showing up hard and bright against the grey rocks behind . at_the sight there_was a general reining up of horses and unslinging of guns, while fresh horsemen came galloping up_to reinforce the vanguard . the word `Redskins' was on every lip .

" there can't be any number of Injuns here," said the elderly man who appeared to_be in command ." we_have passed the Pawnees, and there_are no other tribes until we cross the great mountains ."

" shall I go forward and_see, brother Stangerson," asked one_of_the band .

" and I," " and I," cried a dozen voices .

" leave your horses below and we_will await you here," the elder answered . in a moment the young fellows had dismounted, fastened their horses, and were ascending the precipitous slope which led up_to_the object which had excited their curiosity . they advanced rapidly and noiselessly, with_the confidence and dexterity of practised scouts . the watchers from_the plain below could_see them flit from rock to rock until their figures

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