San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-09-01

Santa Clara valley, stretching to the hori-
Zon line unbroken. The meridian sun
shone upon it without CLINT or shadow, but
at times when a stronger gust of the trade
winds passed over it there was quick,
slanting depression of the whole surface
that was, however, as unlike billow as it
self was unlike sea. Even when lighter
zephyr played down its long level the agi
tation was superficial, and seemed only to
momentarily lift veil of greenish mist
that hung above its immovable depths.
Occasional puffs of dust alternately rose
and fell along an imaginary line across the
field, as if current of air were passing
through it, but were otherwise inexplic-
able
Suddenly faint shout, apparently some
where in the vicinity of the line, brought
out a perfectly clear response, followed by
the audible murmur of voices, which it was
impossible to localize. Yet the whole field
was so devoid of any suggestion of human
life or motion that it seemed rather as it
the vast expanse itself had become sudden
ly articulate and Ineligible.
"Wot say?"
wheel off,
Wharf"
I'm the road"
One Of the voices here indicated itself in
the direction of the line of dust and said
Comm" and man stepped out from
the wheat into broad and dusty avenue.
With his presence three things became
apparent. First, that the puffs of dust had
indicated the existence of the invisible ave-
nue. through the unlimited and unfenced
field of grain; second, that the stalks of
wheat on either side of it were so tall as to
actually hide a passing vehicle, and third
that vehicle had just passed, had lost
wheel and been dragged partly into the
grain by its frightened horse, which
dusty man was trying to restrain and
pacify.
The horse, given up to equine Mysteries,
and evidently convinced that the ordinary
buggy behind nirn had been changed into
some dangerous and appalling creation,
still plunged and kicked violently to rid
himself of it, The man who had stepped
out of the depths of the wheat quickly
crossed the road, unhitched the traces,
drew back the vehicle, and glancing at the
travellers dusty and disordered clothes said
with curt sympathy:
"Spilt, too-but not hurt-eh?"
"No, neither of us. Invent over with the
buggy when the wheel cramped, but she
jumped clear"
He had made a gesture indicating the
presence of another. The man turned
quickly. There was a second fgure-a
young girl standing beside the grain from
which he had emerged, embracing a few
stalks of wheat with one arm and hand
in which she still held her parasol. while
she grasped her gathered skirts with the
other, and trying to find a secure foothold
for her two neat, narrow slippers on
crumbling cake of adobe above the fathom-
less dust of the roadway. Her face, al
though annoyed and DISCONTINUED, was
pretty, and her light dress and slim figure
were suggestive of a certain superior con-
dition.
The mans manner at once softened with
western courtesy. He swung his broad
brimmed hat from his head and bent his
body with the ceremoniousness of the coun-
try ball room. II reckon the lady had better
come up to the shanty, out O. the dust and
sun, till we kin help you get these things
fixed" he said to the driver. IN send
round by the road for your boss, and have
one of mine fetch up your wagon"
els it far?" asked the girl, slightly &C
knowledging his salutatiGn, without wait
ing for ner companion to reply
"Only step this way" he answered,
motioning to the field of wheat beside her.
WHAT In there? never could go in
there" she said decidedly.
cts heap shorter than by the road
and not so dusty. I'll go with you and
pilot you"
The young girl cast a vexed look at her
companion as the probable cause of all
this trouble and shook her head. But at
the same moment one little foot slipped
from the adobe into the dust again. She
instantly clambered back with a little fem
mime shrek, calculated, "Well, of all
things" and then fixing her annoyed blue
eyes on the stranger asked impatiently:
"Why couldn't l go there by the road in
the wagon? could manage to hold on
and keep in"
Because reckon you'd find it too pow
full hot waitin' here till we got round
to ye."
There was no doubt it was very hot, the
radiation from the baking roadway beat
ing up under her parasol and pricklng her
cheek bones and eyeballs like needles. She
gave fastidious little shudder furied her
parasol, gathered her skirts still tighter,
faced about and said, GO on then" The
man slipped backward into the ranks of
stalks, parting them with one hand and
holding out the other as if to lead her. But
she evaded the invitation by holding her
tightly drawn skirt with both hands and
bending her head forward as if she had not
noticed it, The next moment the road,
and even the whole outer world, disap-
peared behind them, and they seemed float
ing in a choking, green, translucent mist.
But the effect was only mOmentary; a
faw steDS :GTLhar she tound that she cnnid