Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1894-01-25
ICopyright AL rights reservedl
CHAPTER |.


santa Clara valley, stretching to the no
rlzon line unbroken. The meridian sun
shone upon 1t without CLINT or shadow.
Out at times when stronger gust of the
trade winds passed over it there was n
quick, slanting depression of the whole
surface that was, however, as unlike a
blllow as itself was unlike sea. Even
when a lighter zephyr played down its
long level the agitation was superficial.
and seemed only to momentarily lift n
veil of greenish mist that hung above its
lmmovable depths. Occasional puffs of
dust alternately rose and fell along an
imaginary line across the field, as if a
current OF air We're passing through it,
but were otherwise inexplicable.
Suddenly faint shout, apparently
somewhere in the vicinity of the line,
brought out a perfectly clear response,
followed by the audible murmur of
voices, which it was impossible to local
lze. Yet the whole field was so devoid
OF any suggestion of human life or
motion that it seemed rather as if the
vast eApanse itself had become sud
denly articulate and ineligible.
"Wot say"
wheel off,"
"Whar?"
"'N 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 a broad and dusty
avenue.
With his presence three things became
apparent. First, that the puffs of dust
had indicated the existence of the in
visible avenue Though 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
passing vehicle, and third that vehicle
had just passed, had lost a 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 hyster-
les, and evidently convinced that the Or
dinary buggy behind him had been
changed into some dangerous and appall-
ing 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, un-
hitched the traces, drew back the vehicle,
and glancing at the travellers dusty and
disordered clothes said with curt sym
pathy:
"Spilt, too-but not hurt-eh!"
mo, neither of us. went 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 second figure-a
young girl standing beside the grain
from which he had emerged, embracing
a few stalks of wheat with one arm and
a hand in which she still held her para
sol, while she grasped her gathere
skirts with the other, and trying to find
a secure foothold for her two neat, mar
row slippers on a crumbling cake of
adobe above the fathomless dust of the
roadway. Her face, although annoyed
and discontented, was pretty, and her
light dress and slim figure were sug-
gestive of certain superior condition.
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 country ball room. IL 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. "rll send round by the road
for your hoss, and have one of mine fetch
up your wagon"
"Is it far? asked the girl, slightly ac-
knowledging his salutation, without wait
ing for her companion to reply.
"Only step this way" he answered,
to the field of wheat beside
her.
what! In there? | never could 90
in there" she said decidedly.
"It's heap shorter than by the road
and not 50 dusty. I'll go with you and
pilot you"
The young girl cast 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 feminine shrek, ejacu-
lated, "Well, OF all thingsr and then
fixing her annoyed blue eyes on the
stranger asked impatiently: "Why
couldn't | go there by the road in the
wagon. could manage to hold on and
keep in"
Because reckon you'd find it too
powlful hot waitin' here till we got
round TO ye.
There was no doubt it was very hot,
the radiation from the baking roadway
beating up under her parasol and prick
ing he. cheek bones and eyeballs like
needles. She gave a fastidious little
shudder, furled her parasol, gathered
her skirts still tighter. faced about and
said, "Go on then" The man slipped
backward into the ranks Of stalks, part
ing them with one hand and holding out
the other as il to lead her. But she
evaded the invitation by holding her
tightly drawn skirt with both hands and
bending her head forward as II she had
not noticed Il. The next moment thu
road, and even the whole outer world,
disappeared behind them, and they SEEM
ed floating in a choking green trans
lucent mist.
But the effect was only momentary; q
few steps further she found that she
could walk with little difficulty between
the ranks Of stalks, which were regu-
lnrlr sr,aced and the resemblance now