Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-11-11
'LISH, OF ALKALI FLAT.


implanted side when the wind blew
hard. hut it was not blowing at all
now. aud the same heat That throbbed
over the desert and warped the sky
line was curling the shakes atop the
sha k and sending every breathing
thing on Alkall Flat even TO the, liz
ards into the shade.
There were .ust three rooms In tho
shack. aud 'Lish's was the end one
next 10 the kitchen. The little house
was ctosed as tight rs a drum 10 keep
in whatever of the nights GOODNESS
remained In it which was little
enough.
IL sh-the whole OF it was Alicia
sat in her room and talked with her
mother who was peeling potatoes in
the kitchen. Although IN separate
rooms their sharp Missourian voices
were clear enough to each other.
There was just one thing to talk
about and nearly everything on earth
that could be said about II had been
said 70 they had been going over it
all ayain. it was pap'S big strike.
Il ain dead sure ye know 'i.ish.
wound up the mother but IL looks as
near like it rs one Jack-rabbit looks
like ernOther."
''Ol' paD's workin awful hard.
Nin't he maw?'
Il reckon he Is "
'Li-h looked out through the small
window Her glance shot past the
two raiLs that glmmerei under the
angry SUM- down there by Alkali Flat
Station past the two scurrying dust
demons that showed there was air in
motion 20 uewh re even though
-sporadically. and away over 10 tho
blue buttes. There was n notch in
the far butte-Scrub Canon they
called it. Pap was working there in
that notch under that awful SUM- IN
the restless way that pap always
worked lie was there alone diggin g
his pick into the dy ground and
scanning each clod and broken rock
for the yellow speck5 that meant SO
much to him aud that were to put
something better than a shake roof
o err their heads.
she felt for him that horr BILE heat;
she saw the drops o: sweat trickle
from his brow and plash upon the
rocks making their dark mark there
for an instant and drying up in AN.
other; she felt as she put it the
spring goin' out OF her. just as 1t
WAS going out OF 'o' pap
''But he wouldn't let me help him
never would. even ef he was a-work-
in his two mans OH sue sighed
! hen she went and set the table for
hnu nj in al Ii
and ''maw." There wa no good
talking it all over again. 1t would
not do TO count too much on
It any way. Other strikes had been
in promise year alter year aud
nothing had come OF them absolutely
nothing
The IL ternoon wore on. The glare
had gone out OF the day They
opened the house 10 let in the grow
ing GOODNESS outside watching for
'or pap's" dusL meantime and won
deEing what nows he would bring.
He was late; but he had been late
before. They sat on The doorstep
ard gluod their eyes 20 tho notch n
the butte which had begun 10 blur
as the sun bad gone to make an oven
Of some other part Of the world
Il here he comes" 'Lish would
say; buJ it was only a dust demon
trying TO tricx them.
And SO the night grew on; but the
full horn of al early moon shone
down. ami still they watched.
Guess I'd better go over an see
ef l KANT raise him" sad 'l.ish.
':An'ef he a gOiu ter staJ out all
night he II need blan ct I'll take
him one, an come back with tho news
whatever IL is. cit the blanket out
NAV. an Ill 10 an buckle the sheep
skin onto OF Jim
The desert aht told its secrets tc
the girl as she rode the ow mustang
over the trail 10 he buttes. And the
desert night holds muny secrets iur
those who care To hear them but /,
did not whisper the darkest OF them
to 'LIsh that night The air came
warm and then chill as she passed
through the different strata that were
from low. hot plain or frigid mouu-
tain top. Old Jim was so slow. lie
minded NO more the ticks from the
strap nd than he did the brushing o.
the greasewOod past his lean form.
He did make u plunge now and then
but that WAS when a CACTUS Spine
pricked side.
Al last the girl reached the canon.
which seemed TO he done in black and
white so light did the moon make
the exposed parts an so inky were
the shadows IL was frightfuily GuieI
In there. As she went along she
heard the whinny OF her father
horse tethered beside the wall o.
rock. She left Old Jim TO MUNICH the
mesquIte near by while she lrIpped
up steep trail aud came 10 the cash
her father had made with p ok and
shovel m the lone canon side
There he was sitting on the ground
and lean ng against a rock The
moon shsue upon his patched over.
alls and upon his dusty shirt but sb q
could not see his face. for bis head
was bent forward and was hidden by
the brim of his slouch hat.
Pap" her stAarp voice stabbed the
M II a tnr II