The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-10-01
'LISH OF ALKALI FLAT.
BY FRANK B. M1ILAKD.

the shack, and scratched its Imprinted
side when the wind blew hard. But Ii
was not blowing a. all now, and the same
heat that throbbed over the desert and
warped the skyline was curling the
shakes top the shack and sending every
breathing thing on AlkaIi Flat, even to
the lizards, into the shade
There were just three rooms In the
shack, and 'Lish's was the end one, next
to the kitchen. The little house was
closed as tight as a drum to keep in what
ever of the nights GOODNESS remained in
1t, which was little enough.
Iish-the whole OF 1t 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 1t had been
said, 20 they had been going over IL all
again. 1t was pap's big strike.
It amt dead sure, ye know, 'Lish, /"
wound mp the mother; but 1t looks as
near Like It as one jack-rabbit looks like
erno&hef."
aOP pap's workin' awful hard, amt he,
mawf"
reckon he is."
'Lish looked out through the small
window. Her glance shot past the two
rails that glimmered under the angry sun,
down there by AIkaH Flat Station, past
the two scnrrying dust demons that
showed that there was air in motion
somewhere, even though sporadically,
and away over to the blue buttes. There
was . notch In the far butte-6crub
Canon, they call it. Pap was working
there In that notch, under that awful
sun, in the restless way that pap always
worked. He was there alone, digging his
pick into the dry ground and scanning
each clod Of broken rock for the yellow
specks that meant 80 much to him, and
that were to put something better than q
shake roof over their heads.
She felt for him that horrible heat; she
saw the drops of sweat triclle from his
brow and splash upon the rocks, making
their dark mark there for an instant and
drying mp another; she felt, as she put II,
the spring goin' out Of her." just ~ 1t
was going out of "op pap"
"But he wouldn't let me help him
never would, even ef he was aworkin' his
two hans OF !" she sighed.
Then she went and set the table for
"maw." There was no good talking 1t
all over again. It would not do to count
too much on it, anyway. Other strikes
had been in promise year after year, and
nothing had come OF them, absolutely
nothing.
The afternoon wore on. The glare had
house to let in the growing GOODNESS out
rk0t EAli ~1ssyD 4
meantime, and wondering what news he
would bring. He was late, but he had
been late before. They sat on the door
step and glued their eyes to the notch in
the butte, which had begun to blur as
the sun had gone TO MAKE an oven Of
some other part Of the world.
There he comes" 'Lish would say:
but 1t was only dust demon trying to
trick them.
Aid so the night grew on; but the
horn of an early moon shown down, and
still theywatched.
"Guess I'd better go over an see ef
KANT raise him." said 'Lish. "An' ef
he's a-goin' ter stay out all night, he'll
need a blanket. pll take him one, and come
back with the news, whatever it ia. Git
the blanket out, NAV, an Pill go IAN
buckle the sheepskin onto or jim"
The desert night told its secrets to the
girl as she rode the slow mustang over
the trail to the buttes. And the desert
night holds many secrets for those who
care to hear them; but it 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
We're from low, hot plain or frigid mount
ain top. old Jim was so slow. He minded
no more the ficks from the strap end
than he did the brushing of the grease
wood past his lean form. He did make a
plunge now and then; but that was when
a cactus spine pricked his side.
At last the girl. reached the canon,
which seemed to be done in black and
white, SO light did the moon make the
exposed parts and so inky were the
shadows. 1t was frightfully quiet in here.
As she went along she heard the whinny
OF her fathers horse, tethered beside the
wall of rock. She left Old Jim to MUNICH
the mesquite near by, while she tripped
upa steep trail, and came to the cash her
father had made with pick and shovel in
the lone canon side.
There he was, sitting on the ground and
leaning against rock. The moon shone
dusty shirt; but she could not see his face,
for his head was bent forward and hidden
by the brim of his sIouch hat. @
Pap" her sharp voice stabbed the
quiet, :" came upter see ef you was ever
comm home, brung blanket, pap, case
yer wanted to stay Knight. You oughter
ia come home hours and hours ago, stead
o WORKMAN workin' till you was all
tagged OUT y pr
He did not lift his head. A puff Of cold
wind came down the canon and, striking
thetgirl's breast, made her shiver.
"Sleepin' on the rocks. Wal, swunI
Tux too much outen the black bottle, I'll
bet.''
She stepped nearer,
Z auIlo, papi YouAain't drunk agin, be
you? Pap, pap, Pm clean 'shamed %
you!p
She Ieaped to theAEpck, gave him dig
IN thesid of his leg With her stoutly
leathered toe, and then shook his
shoulder.
"Pap, wake upl Yon,ll catch yer death
1 ". u - 4.