Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-07-15
W wnere george was s1Et1ng.

again, about what we were speaking of.
/ think you'd f:,d 'twould pay, after
ALL" and he swung his quirt with re-
port like pistol and went whirling
down the street, leaving cloud of fine
white dust hanging in the air along his
trail.
George laughed to himself as Mr..
Daily rode away. "He's queer speci-
men, he mused. IT was foolish to
talk to him so freely. However, I shall
probably never see him again. He has a
long business head, though, and if all
I wanted was to get rich should take
his advice.
The street was broad and perfectly
straight, and George could look out
to the horizon in either direction. II
like street that's open at both ends, -
he thought, and tipped his chair back
and watched the dust which marked
Mr.. Daly's path across the desert like
smoke from a locomotive.
GAS far as I can see," Georges
thoughts ran OIL, ''it rests with me to
float this scheme or not as please, and
even aside from the profits to me I
should like to do it. I haven't doubt
it would be great benefit to the inhab-
itants Of this benighted land. -
The plain before him glimmered
dreamily in the heat. Mr. Dsly Of Crys-
tai Canyon had dwindled to speck
which George saw come to the top of a
swale, waver for a second Or two in the
heat waves and fade out A vision Of
the knoll overlooking the bend of the
peaceful New England river rose to his
mind, the spot where his new house
was to stand He thought Of the two
big oaks before the door and the beauti-
full pines on the point opposite. Then
the front legs of his chair came to the
ground with decisive thud.
"No, STRIP he thought. eff watering
this abandoned country means two
years more of waiting before settle
down, the country can go dry. I can
find plenty of investments which will
pay quicker than that Well keep
things moving by putting in the fumes.
They look we'll and don't cost much.
Then if the desert can't blossom, it can
wait till it is ready to pay me for the
use Of my money
A little barefooted girl came toward
him, wading along the ditch and look.
ing intently down at her little brown
feet George watched her as she ap
preached, absorbed in her childish fan
cies. ga child Of the desert, was his
| thought.
She was slender little figure, the
face, hands and little bare legs Drowned
by the sun and warm winds i'll which
she lived. She stopped when she came
| into the shade, and took off her sunbon
net to put into it some pebbles which
she selected with care from the ditch
George noticed that her eyes wer'
brown, clear and dark.
II WONDER lie thought with amused
interest, "whether she selects them TO
color or shape or just the right combina
ton of both?"
He took from his pocket d rounded
bit of moss agate which he had picket
up the day before and placing it on tn
palm of his hand held it before her a
she would have passed him. She drew
back quickly at this intrusion into he
little world, glanced up shyly at Georg
an instant, then backed of a step o
two.
Chow do you like that one?' he in
quired gravely.
She stopped and looked up at hin
again, searchingly this time at his fac
and outstretche1 hand. twas the crit
ical moment, but George did not smile
he extended the pebble toward her. Sh
looked at it moment, then held up
tiny palm on which George laid th
agate. She examined it carefully.
''Do you think it is pretty?" he asked
"Yes," she said, looking up at hi1
with little quick smile, then dow
again. The battle was won.
"Would it go well with the others?'
asked George.
She sat down On the grassy bank {
the irrigation ditch and ranged he
treasures before him. He moved b.
chair back and leaned forward with h
forearms resting on his knees. Thel
were only five, and she laid the agat
first beside one, then another.
cit goes beside this one, ;" she al
nounced finally, laying it beside bit
dark feldspar.
"Should you like to keep it?"
asked.
eyes she said. "May I?'
ffyrry-- 0I thin
could spare it. -
sI never found one like this on OF
ranch, - she said, turning it over al
over on her palm and bending the lit
brown head over it.
"Where is your rancho querit
, George
: cover in the Taman prairies, . 81
replied, noddirg toward the sout
George knew the place. IIe had bee
i down there the day before to- see no
the land lay for water.
, "Do you like to live there?" he aske
! "No" she replied, dropping her pc
. bles one by one into her sunbonne
"but it will be better when we get Il
ranch under water. -
George thought of the gray, gr'
= land he had ridden across the day b
fore. "And when will that be?'
4 asked.
.sThey began to build the fumes Ia
| summer" she replied. 'Then they sto
t ped, but think they're going to peg
again this summer.
IS "But what if they don't?' ne su
g gested.
sNThen there won't be any water
. she said.
: "What would happen then?'' he p'
L sued
d "I don't know" she answered, Gu
a ing the bare feet under the little gu
u ham skirt which she pulled down oN
d them. "We couldn't stay any ions
and father says he doesn't see how
u could get away. :" %
p "Why did you go there IN the Il
IT placer" George went on. :,
because they told us, she repl
II earnestly, '.that we should have wa
st in year, and it has been a year an
to half already, and father says they ca
ID get the water on now before anot
YEAR unless they put 200 men at w
ID right off. You see, they've got 20 pu
a great big dam way up in the toI
,e Brush Creek canyon, and fumes y
. ont round the hill and lots ana lots