The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-06-29

Svtss = ovsr.. he Ma ~ 49, Co.,
moaasnt. and with eravsr voiss sontinus4.
Ton havs done II verywsll-do veu know
vsry wsllr 49,
In the slight embarrassment produced By
his sudden change Of manner. she felt that her
thanks seemed awkward and restrained
Don't thank mo" he laughed with prompt
return Of his former levlty. that's my trade.
only advised. You have saved yourself IKE a
plucky womnn-shail say like Blue 0rAss
Good.byi" He mounted his horse but, =. !.
struck by an after thought wheeled ana drew
ny by her side again. III wore you wouldn't
go many changers for day or two. and listen
70 ~ little news ~ q woman possibly can" He
laughed again. waved her q half eAllsnt. half
military salute. and was gone. Tho question
she had been trying to frame. regarding tho
probability Of Communication with her hus-
band. remained unAsked. At least she had
saved her pride before him.
Addressing herself to the care Of her narrow
household she mechanically put away the
few things she had brought with her. and be-
gan to reAdjust tho soant furniture. She was .
little discomposed nrst by the absence OF bolts.
looks. and even window fnstsnings. until a..
sured by Concha's evident inability to COM
prehend her concern that they wore quito I'M
known - Los Cusrvos. Her slight knowledge
Of Spanish was barely sufficient TO make her
wants known. 50 that the relief Of conversation
with her only companion was debarred her.
and she was Obliged to content herself with the
sapless. cracking smiles and withored genu-
Elections that the old woman dropped like dead
leaves In her path. It was staring noon whom.
the house singing like an empty shell In
the monotonous wind. she felt she could stand
the solitude no longer. and. crossing the glsr-
ing patio and whistling corridor, made her way
to the opon gateway.
Butthe view without seemed to intensity her
desolation. Tho broad expanse Of the shadow.
less plain reached apparently to the Coast
range. trackless and unbroken save BY ono or
two clusters Of dwarfsd oaks. which at that
distance were but mossy exorescences on the
surface. barely raised above the dead level. On
the other side the marsh took MP the monot-
opy and carried 1t. scarcely Interrupted by I'M
defined water courses. to the family marked
out horizon limo Of the remote bay. Scattered
and apparently motionless black spots on
tho meadows that gave q dreary signin-
cameo TO the title Of The Crows" which the
rancho bore. and sudden gray clouds OF
sand plpers on the marshes. that rose ond
vanished down the wind. were the only signs
Of life. Even tho white sail Of the early morn
ing was gone.
She stood there until tho aching Of her strain
ing eyes. and the stifrening OF her limbs in the
cold wind. compelled her to seek the sheltered
warmth Of the courtyard. Hero heendesvored
to make friends with bright-eyed lizard who
was summing himself in the corridor-a grace
ful little creature in blue and gold from whom
she felt at other times she might have fed, but
| whose beauty and harmlessness SOLITUDE had
made known to her. With misplaced kindness
she tempted 1t with bread crumbs. with no
other effect than to stiffen 1t into stony as
| constituent She wondered II she should be-
| come like the prisoners she had read OF In
| books. who poured out their solitary affections
| on noisome creatures, and she regretted even
| the mustang which with the buggy had disap-
| peared under the charge of some unknown re-
| tniper on her arrival. Was she not a prisoner ?
| The shutterless Windows. yawnipg doors. and
| open gate refuted the suggestion; but the
| encompassinc solitude and trnckless waste still
held her captive. Poiudextor had told her II
was four miles to the shanty: she might walk
there. Whv had she given her word that she
would remain at the rancho until he returned
The long day crept monotonously away. and
she welcomed the night which shut out the
| dreary prospect, But 1t brought no cessatio on
of the harassinr wind without, nor surcease OF
| the nervous irritation its perpetual and even
activity wrought upon her. It haunted her
| inflow oven In her exhausted sleep and seemed
to impatiently beckon her to rise and follow 1t.
1t brought her feyerish dreams OF her husband,
| footsore and worry. staggering forward
| under its pitiless lash and clamorous out
cry; she would have gone to his assis-
lance. but when she reached his side
and held out her arms to him. 1t hurried her
past with merciless mower. and bearing her
away. left him hopeessy behind. 1t WAS broad
day when she awoke. The usual night showers
of the waning rniny season had left no trace
in sky or meadow the fervid morning sun had
already dried the patio; only the restless har-
rying wind remained.
Mrs. Tucker arose with a resolve She had
learned from Concha on tho previous evening
that a part Of the shanty was used as u tiealia.
or shop for the laborers and rancteros, Under
the necessity of purchasing some articles. she
would 20 there and for a moment mingle with
those people. who would not recognize her.
Evan ~ thav Ala hor ipetipct told bor n xrould