The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-07-08

SPRINGS, sue SIIu8GlGd WIFI Tile problem a
little while, hopelesSlY, and then let it lanse
into the ineyita Die. Very likely, with her aim
intelligence, she could have Compromised
even If she had known the nafneless horror
that logged her fathers footsteps. that sat
with him at meat, and stared at him from
every clump of sage on the mountain side
the dread, overshadowing terror that invested
the canon with a loathesome fascination and
made him leave the sunlight, and grow weak
and terror-stricken as night came on. Jaaey
knew that he was changed; that he dad NOT
work and wandered aimlessly in the mountains
with his dog and gun. She heard him start
and mutter in his sleep, and learned to dread
the eager restlessness OF his eyes even more
than his curses. He bad never been kind but
he used to jest with her roughly sometimes
and smoke his pipe at the kitchen door in a
sort of rugged comfort while she went about
her evening work. There was little to do
now. The store of provisions in the rude CUP
board was growing very small. She met him
at the door one night, with blank, helpless
face.
81 can't make any bread; there amt no more
-four"
Her voice had borrowed a more HELPLESS
monotone from uncertainty. She never knew
now whether he would turn upon her in sud
den outburst of rage, or listen in sulleA, angry
silence. She watched him anxiously as he
walked across the floor to a box in the cor
ner.
"If you want anything at the store why
don't you go an git ita'' he said, sullenly,
keeping his back toward her; "there amt
nothing to bender; We kin go to-morror."
He laid some money on the table and went
out. Janey gazed after him in a half stupor
of amazement.
Could he mean for her to go down and face
the people in the valley alone? She had been
there sometimes, sitting in the wagon while
the horses were shod, or her father made his
purchases and talked with the men ahois
blacksmith's shop. But no one had ger
spoken to her. She lay in her bed that night,
with wide, sleepless eyes, and watched the
stars through the holes in the cabin roof.
Was it some awful, waking dream, hat would
vanish when morning cames She slipped her
hand under her pillow, and felt thecold pieces
of silver. They, at least, were zeal. Their
chill certainly seemed to penetrateto her poor
flutteriug heart.
She looked from the window st daybreak,
aud saw that the wagon had ben drawn out
of the shed. Luke was sitting on the door
step, mending the harness. Tothe very last
she thought he would relent amigo with her;
but he let her climb up to the sat alone, and
stood still, with one foot on the hub. He had
kept his face aVerted in grim silence all
through the morning, but he l,oked up now,
and met her weak, terrified gaz.
''I'm agoin' to prune the vineyard" he said,
w udb lC SCdlcN dDOub, SIl!--
nobody'S goin' to hurt We. WANT ye to git
me some tobacker, au'-an'--he lowered his
voice to hoarse whisper, he leaned forward
until his haggard, threatening face was close
to hers-"don't We let 'em gf nothing out o.
you-don't We answer no questions"
Perhaps it was the touch " appeal in his
eyes, and in the hoarse, quiveing voice, that
kept her from crying out in be bitterness of
her misery and desolation. 1t least he had
not cursed her. She took up the lines and
drove slowly down the road, no daring to look
back lest her courage fail her een then.
If you had been driven downthe mesa that
autumn morning, my friend, LEAVING the brown,
shadowy mountain behind you and looking
out on the ocean of mist that lay over the
valley, You might have amused yourself by
imagining that the end Of all things had come,
and having turned your back OF the known,
you were venturing out into chaos.
Janey was not born to prettYfancies, and
yet her thought was not unlike what yours
might have been, except that it eaveloped her
a chill and unrelenting certainty-iust as the
mist settled down upon the valley md shut out
the sun. The beauty Of fog is SO much a
matter of ones elevation.
Meadow larks slid through the subtle as if
ashamed of their tuueless throat. Drowsy
grasshopperS began to stir and cfirp in the
dusty weeds by the roadside. TIL, sun rose
higher and the mist loated away in white,
shining clouds. She could see the houses in
the valley now; pyramid of blue smoke was
curling up from the forge in the blacksmiths
shop. Janey kept her eyes on it, and shud-
dered as she drew nearer.
At the store group of men were standing,
talking idly. They separated as she came up,
and one OF them helped her out of the wagon
with smile and good-natured word. The -four
merchant talked to her kindly as he busted
himself among his brown paper bags. A woman
came in and set her baby on the counter. The
tiny creature crept along and laid its pink,
vefvety hand on Janey's wrist. Some of the
warm, coafding little life thrilled through her
arm, and got into her sluggish blood. 1t
might be that people were not cruel. Two Of
the men sauntered in from the platform and
seated themselves behind her.
They're wantin' girls over to the cannery
bad" said one of them leisurelv: " Swiggart's
packin' raisins this week; he's offerin' dollar
day.n
The merchant warmed up and grew garru-
lous with the sudden metropolitan rush of
trade.
"There's letter for your pa. Pemberton
was up Saturday; he says them rascals have
hauled off about the springs. Pm glad of it;
it'll ease your pa up good deal. 1t was a
nasty job, anyway"
The girl looked up at him, wistful and dumb
He counted out the change to her carefully.
- guess that's all right; there was three
cents due on the letter; it's good big one i;
you'll be careful not to lose it,"
The mau followed her cut to put the pack
ages in the wagon.
ITS Luke Delmar's half-witted girl" he
said, when he came back. cpd q good deal
sooner be his dog-poor thing!"
Safe in the wagon again, Janey drew long,
gasping breath of relief. Possibly she was
nearer happiness than she had been before in
all her short, stagnant life. If she had known
what she would probably know, that her
father had missed her, and longed for her re-
turn with blind unreasoning sense Of pro-
lection in her presence, sense OF which van
ished the instant she came in sight, the day
might have passed into Janey's calendar as
even more noteworthy than it was
Luke had watched the wagon crawling
homeward like leisurely insect across the
plain below, and the time dragged intermin-
ably, until the limp, faded sun-bonnet. with
its encircling cloud of dust, appeared above
the line of grease-wood near the home.
81 thought you am the mare had fell asleep
it's been more'n an hour sence We got to the
brush, " he said gruffiy, as the creakng vehicle
stopped before the door. Involuntary JaneI
looked toward the vineyard. 1t lay there lust
as she had left it, a brown, irregular network
on the hillside; the struggling summers
growth still untouched. Luke followed he,
glance with his restless, blood-shot eyes,
"What We lookin' at the vineyard fer?n he
said, angrily. "The knife was dull an
couldn't find the milestone. Gi' me the to-
hacker" ..... ...
She gave him the package and got dowr
from the seat YEARLY. Beyond vague won
der that he should think Of accounting to he,
for his actions at all, the girl was conscious Of