Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1894-03-15
himy she said dryly.


Yes he returned, without noticing
her manner. land think l can find that
water again. I've been studying it mp
all night. And do you know what lra
going TO do? am going TO make the
earthquake that lost it help me to find it
again" He paused and looked at her
w;.h a smile and u return of his former
enthusiasm. DO you remember the
crack in the adobe field that stopped you
yesterday"
"Yes," said the girl, with a slight
Shiver.
II told You then that the same crack
was split in the rock outcrop further
up the plain and was deeper. am sat
isfied now from what have seen that it
is really rupture of the whole strata
all the way down. That's the one weak
point that the imprisoned water is sure
to find, and that's where the borer will
tap it in that new well that the earth
quake itself has sunk"
1t seemed to her now that she under
stood his explanation perfectly, and she
wondered the more that he had been SO
mistaken in his estimate of Adele. She
turned away little impatiently and
looked anSiously toward the point where
Dawson had disappeared. Bent followed
her eyes.
Hell be here in a moment, Miss NAL
lory. He has to drive slowly through
the grain, but hear the wheels. He
stopped, and his voice took up its pre-
vious note of boyish hesitation. by the
way, I'll be going up to the rancho this
afternoon to see the-major. Have you
any message for Mrs. Randolph-or for
Miss Adele:"
NO" said Rose hesitatingly, "and"-
II see," interrupted Bent carelessly.
"You don't want anything said about
your coming here. won't"
1t struck her that he had no ulterior
meaning in the suggestion. But before
she could make any reply Dawson reap
peared, driving Il handsome mare har-
messed to light spider like vehicle. He
had also assumed, evidently in great
haste, black frock coat, buttoned over
his waistcoatleSs and cravatleSs shirt,
and tall black hat that already seemed
to be cracking iii tho sunlight. Uo drove
up, at once assisted her to the narrow
perch beside him and with u nod to Bent
drove off. His breathless expedition re-
Geved the leave taking of these young
people Of any ceremony.
II suppose" said Mr.. Dawson, giving
half glance over his shoulder as they
struck into the dusty highway-"I sup.
pose you don't care to see anybody be-
fore you get to San JOSEF"
"No-o-o," said Rose timidly.
"And reckon you wouldn't mind my
racin' bit if anybody KEN up?"
"No."
1.-THE mares sort of fastidious about
takin' anybody's dust"
sis she?" said Rose, with faint sm e.
awful" responded her companion.
"And the queerest thing of all, she can't
bear to have any one behind her either. u
He leaned forward with his expression
Of humorous enjoyment of some latent
joke and did something with the reins-
Rose never could clearly understand
what, though it seemed to her that he
simply lifted them with ostentatious
lightness-but the mare suddenly ap.
peared to lcngthcn herself and lose her
height, and the stalks of wheat on either
side of the dusty track began to melt
into each other, and then slipped like a
flash into one long, continuous, simmer.
ing green hedge. so perfect was the
mares action that the girl was scarcely
conscious of any increased effort; Sc
harmonious the whole movement that
the light skeleton wagon seemed only
a prolonged process Of that long
slim body and free, collarless neck
both straight as the thin shafts on eacl
side, and straighter than the delicate rib
bonlike traces which, in what seemed
mere affectation of conscious power
hung at times almost limp between the
whiffletree and the narrow breast band
that was all that confined the animals
powerful forequarters. SO superb was tn,
reach of its long, easy stride that Rose
could scarcely see any undulation in tn,
brown shining back, on which she coult
have placed her foot, nor felt the sof
beat of the delicate hoofs that took the
dust so firmly and yet so lightly.
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