The Delta independent., 1898-01-28

one letter OF dOuol-
'He be sick, she asserted with sad
conviction. eth long heat. it be aller,
bringin fevera" Then she stretched
ont her hands, and. though she did not
know that bending the knee meant
anything. she knelt. Her eyes covered
themselves with q mist Of tears and re-
fused TO $50 even her beloved mountain.
The next day passed without his COM
ing. Her thoughts grew somber. Her
bright manner intermitted In the late
afternoon she called the youth to her.
II be goin & see him." she said.
He was filled with an undehned sense
unly insisted the more strenuously that
ne must 30. At last. grown premature
iy old already. he grew prematurely
wise because he saw that Laurel was in
trouble. He went 70 the grandfathsr
and wheedled him into letting them
take the beasts and 60 for long ride
over the old desert trail
They rode swiftly into the "scabby
desert" with its alterations Of clayey
and sandy soil. On through the gray
agebrush and the greasewood-hypo-
critic Of another and better shrub. The
rocky hollows were dry and empty rs II
winter SHOWS had never melted in them
TO serve a. drink for thounands Of cattle
which the herder turns in winter upon
the desert to crop the bunch grass that
lives for few short monthsL
The gray and dismal ride was in har-
mony with the thoughts Of both. Laurel
was impelled by new feeling in which
no thought Of herself stirred. and which
grew into terrible certainty that some
unknown evil encompassed her beloved.
holding him In thrall.
When they reached McAlvord's fer
tile land, they rode more slowly until
they came upon . stream. Here they dis
mounted. and the youth staid to water
the beasts and to tether them behind .
clump Of bushes, where they could
browse the juicy grass upon the borders
Of the stream.
Laurel went swiftly forward along
the shaded drive. The sun was gone,
but the afterglow spread its radiance
over the earth. As she neared the ranch
iera the sound Of happy voices greeted
her. She stopped suddenly as il deter
red from her purpose, bent her head
and peered between the branches Of .
thick shrub.
foee greeted her eyes. nor had It enter.
ed her happiest dreamA She caught her
breath - she looked At the long veran-
da, gay with fringed hammocks and
great lounging chairs and dainty will
low rockerA Bright rugs were strewn
over the noor. Baakets Of flowers do
psnded from the outer roof line. Long
vlaes swung slowly in the evening air.
Human forms were the jewels in this
enchanting scene-strong men and
graceful women. Her swift glance found
the one she sought. ''Th' tall un" was
not there to divert her attention.
She read with anxious eyes. but saw
NO limo Of care OF illness upon the gay
features she had learned % we'll. He
was Tie csntee a tho group and leaned
Lastly back In . great armchair. look
ing up with . amils into tho facc Of .
girl who stood beside him and who wors
. gown ~ soft and whitc as the one
worn by the NOW mountain.
He seemed to assent to something
this enc asked Of him, for she went
through . doorway, upon either side Of
which hung fieecy curtains. and re-
turned with . strange something IN her
nand-somethins that Ane neid out 70
him and that ne TOOK with another
miie into her iace ana lew words
which Laurel could not near tney were
% low. =,
Tho ono she had come TO SEQ toyed
cArelessly with the strange instrument
and, moving his fingers across it, drew
!oetn . sendef souna suon ~ nso never
before been heard by the unseen listen
q. 1t WAS not like birds voice. nor .
choir OF birds. IL was not IKE the ngn-
ing OF the WIND through the mrs II wM
better and sweetcr. ior IL seemed tho
spirit OF each blending and interchane-