The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1894-01-20

There was no dust. rs he had said; what
had at first half suffocated her seemed
to be some stimulating aroma Of crea.
ton that filed the narrow green aisles,
and now impaired q strange vigor and
excitement to her rs she walked along.
Meantime her guide was not converse
tionally idle. Now, no doubt she had
never seen anything like this before. II
was the ordinary wheat. only 1t was
grown ON adobe soil--the richest in the
valley. These stalks. she could see her
self, were ten and twelve feet high. That
WAS the trouble. they all ran too much
to stalk. though the grain yield was
'sutben powful." She could tell that
to her friends. for he reckoned she was
the only young lady that had ever
walked under such growth. Perhaps
she was new to Californy? He thought
so from the start. Well, this was Cali
forny, and this was not the least Of the
ways it could LAY over" every other
country on Gods yearth. Many folks
thought it was the gold and the climate;
but she could sec for herself what it
could do with wheat. He wondered il
her brother had ever told her Of it. No?
The stranger wasn't her brother-nor
cousin-nor company-no, only the
hired driver from a San Jose hotel,
who was takin her over to Mai.
Randolph's. Yes. no knew the old
major: the ranch was u pretty place.
nigh onto three miles further on. Now
that he knew the driver was no relation
Of hers, he didn't mind telling her that
the buggy was q rather old consarn"
and the driver didn't know his business.
Yes. it might be fixed up SO rs to take
her over to the majors. There was ono
of their own men-a young fellow-who
could do anything that could 10 done
with wood and irou-a regular genius
and he'd tackle it. 1t might take an
hour, but she'd find it quite cool waiting
in the shanty. 1t was a rough place.
for they only camped out there during
the season to look after the crop, and
lived at their own homes the rest Of tho
time. Was she going to stay long at
the majors, He noticed she had not
brought her trunk with her. Had she
known the majors wife long? Perhaps
she thought OF settling in the neighbor-
hood?
All this naive, good humored question
ing-so often cruelty misunderstood as
mere vulgar curiosity. uut as often tho
courteous instinct Of simple. unafYec ted
people to entertain tho stranger by in
vitins him to talk Of what concerns him
self rather than their ownselves-was
nevertheless, fear. met only by mono
syllables from the young lady or an i'm
patient question in return. She scarcely
raised her eyes to the broad. jean shirted
back that preceded her through tho
grain until the man abruptly ceased
talking and his manner, without losing
its half paternal courtesy. became grav-
er. She was beginning to be conscious
Of her incivility and was idly trying to
think OF something to say when he ex-
| claimed, with a slight air OF relief Here
we are, and the shanty suddenly ap-
peared before them.
IL certainly was very rough-a mere
she'll Of Imprinted boards that scarcely
rose above the level OF the surrounding
grain, and few yards distant was invisi-
BILE. It's slightly sloping roof, already
warped and shrunken into long assures
| that permitted glimpses Of the steel blue
sky above, was evidently intended only
as a shelter from the cloudless sun in
those two months Of rainless days and
dewless nights when i. was inhabited.
Through the open doors and windows
she could see a row Of hunks" or rude
sleeping berths, against the walls,
Furnished with coarse mattresses and
blankets. As the young girl halted. the
man, with an instinct of delicacy, hurried
forward. entered tho shanty, and drag
ging rude bench To the doorway,
placed it 50 that she could sit beneath
the shade Of the roof. yet with her back
| to these domestic revelations. Two or
three men who had been apparently
lounging there rose quickly and unob-
trusively withdrew. Her guide brought
her tin cup Of deliciously cool water,
| exchanged few hurried words with his
companions, and then disappeared with
| them. leaving her alone.
| Her first sense Of relief from their
company was, | fear. stronger than any
| other feeling. After a hurried glance
| around the deserted apartment she arose,
| going into the darkest corner supported
herself with one hand against the wall,
| while with the other she drew of one
| by one her slippers from her slim, strip
ell stocknged feet. shook and blew out
the dust that had penetrated within and
| put them on again. Then perceiving a
| triangular fragment OF looking glass
nailed against the wall, she settled the
| strings Of her bonnet by the aid Of its
reflection. patted the fringe Of brown
hair on her forehead with her separated
FIVE fingers. IA If playing an imaginary
tune on her brow. and came back with
maidenly abstraction to the doorway.
Everything was quiet and her seclu-
| sion seemed unbroken. A smile PLAYED
for an instant in tho soft shadows Of her
eyes and mouth as she recalled the
| abrupt withdrawal Of the men. Then
her mouth Strengthened and her brows
slightly bent. 1t was certainly very IN
mannerly in them to go of in that way.
Good heavens! couldn't they have
stayed around without talkingp Surely
1t didn't require four men TO 70 and
bring up that wagon" She picked up
her parasol from the bench with an i'm
patient little jerk. Then she held out
her ungloved hand into the hot sun.
shine beyond the door with tho gesture
she would have used had it been raining,
and withdrew it as quickly-her hand
quite scorched in the burning rays
Nevertheless, after another impatient
pause she desperately put up her parasol
and stepped from the shanty.