The San Francisco call., 1897-11-07

! past, and I'll tell it as twas told me. She
won't tell it at all, and l can't really un-
derstand what use there is in her having
it." And he laughed pleasantly.
| ''She came here years ago, and her hus-
band with her, and they builded this
house and lived comfortably. For some
reason or other the husband went out one
night and did not come in, and i'll the
morning when the wife started about her
| housewifely duties and opened the front
| door to let in the sunlight and fresh air
| she discovered man hanging by the
neck to one of those trees, and on rushing
out discovered it to be the body of her
husband. They had always been happy
together and IL was certain that he must
have done it while temporarily insane,
because his property was in good condi-
tion and there was nothing apparently
that could account for the rash act. After
ward the woman married again-a
strange man, much older than herself
and with nothing in looks or worldly pos
sessions TO attract. They lived together
numb of years-he used to come in
town, but she never did, and doesn't come
now, although he's been dead nigh onto a
year.
''And did he die natural death?'
Il don't know" he said. Some say lie
did and some say he did not, and he can't
come back and tell us, and the woman
can't"
"Can'tP' said. "You mean won't"
No" He shook his head gravely. mo,
l think the shock of finding the body of
her first husband was too much Tor her,
and her minds never been right since.
She lives in Mad Canyon, as you call it,"
And what nextP'
"Let me see. Up by Panorama farm
there's an idiot girl, and then down below
here there's a crazy man. and that's all
that live in this canyon; but you can find
some more In the next, scattered about"
She sat on the steps, her pretty hair
coming partly down and her hands
clasped in the lap of her dark calico
gown.
And what a face she had. One that
would send an artist mad for his paints
and brush and cause hm to conjure for
months the right colorings for lips and
cheeks and hair and eyes-large, deep
eyes, with a wealth of color and no ey-
preston, saving that of a patient ami
malls that has learned to trust by sight.
Surely" l said, "she knows some
thing"
go and speak with her," he said.
So l clin bed down from the buggy ana
went up to the place where she sat. And
she watched ne, neither with curiosity
nor interest, but simply b cause ] was a
moving object and caught her attention.
/ l spoke to her, and she made no sign
excepting to nod her head bit, and then
l asked her for her mother, but she paid
no heed, only she crept over near to where
Istood and passed her hand back and forth
! over the soft satin surface of the night
hued ribbon about my neck.
Ana so L stood there silent while the
small and prettiIy shaped hand passed
back and forth and the large, beautiful
eyes rested on the color, and she made no
sign. feared to move much as one breads
to take toy from a be in arms lest il
should cry out at the deprivation.
But she made no sound when l finally
moved away She folded her hands again
as llstlessly as before, and scarcely noticed
us as We drove away down the hill and out
OF sight.
"Has she always been soP'
II think not" the guide said. 81 think
it was sickness or something of the sort.
She's lived here ali her life, and we towns
people don't know much a bout her,
"All her life? Oh, then it's the air" I
said. II should be mad, know, if 1 were
here a week."
The man laughed slightly. "May be you
would" he said. MAYBE you would.
May be we all would" MURIEL BA1LY.