Mexico Missouri message., 1903-08-13


tory chimneys drifted around to the
settlement and tangled in the pines
like gray specteTs waving their shad-
owy banners above the scattered
houses down toward the valley, Many
time Dolores had watched these
smoke wreaths, and her mind had
gone to the place from whence they
came, and she wove from them fan
tastic shadows born of dreams, and
she clothed them in garments of the
living, and they brought her many
many fancies of the life pulsing Just
beyond the piny peaks.
Now her mind was filled with the
one subject SO much discussed; she
turned it over and over, viewing Il on
all sides; now reasoning with herself
as to this or that possibility, this or
that decision, but eventually return
ing to the first conclusion which was
to her so convincing that it sent her
over the mountain to the town to dis
cover If possible the truth, and at the
court was the place to learn what she
wished to know--if there were any
place to learn it ere the whole world
should know.
AS she passed over the mountain
and down on the other side the town
lay out, before her; a thriving town;
smoke arose black from the towering
chimneys. the whir OF machinery, the
rSttle of wagons and din on everyday
life were borne up to her as sounds
OF strange land. The knowledge be-
gan to grow in her mind that the life
in the slow little settlement beyond
the mountain was too narrow too
shut into itself, too lacking in energy
and growth. But this was a new
world to her and she shrank from 1t,
not from any foolish feeling of inferi-
GRITTY; such 4 thought could hold no
room in her mind, but as a wild anil
NAL instfnctively shrinks back to it's
natural world. Then the feeling left
her; the old thought drove every fear,
every other feeling away; she had
come for purpose and as yet it was
not accomplished.
She passed steadily down the road
looking neither to right nor left. The
court house was at the farther end of
the town; she had heard them say so.
A long, low, white building with wide
steps and Bell in the tower.
At length she came to it; she knew
she was right; a long, low, white
building with wide steps and a bell in
the tower.
She walked up the steps and turned
the handle of the door, but could not
open it. This ending OF her journey
had not entered her head. For a mo-
ment she stood in doubt what to do.
People passing on the street looked
curiously at her. A boy who was
sitting sstride OF the fence called to
her that the door was locked; but IL
she wanted the lookup It was down
around the corner.
She did not know he was laughing
at her; she walked down the steps
end spoke to him. She asked him
where she could find the Judge. She
was looking at him with her straight,
level glance, and he was disconnected
The judge, he said, lived in the house
or the hlll; If she came down the
main street she must have passed 1t.
Not a bit of her resolution was
gone as she retraced her steps, but
she walked swiftly, for 1t was grow
ing late. She found 1t without trou-
bic; she mounted the steps and knock
ed at the big door. She did not know
she should ring the bell. No one
came. She knocked again and louder,
then again she waited. No one came.
If the judge were gone where should
she find him?
A step sounded on the gravel at the
side of the house; she turned and
faced the newcomer.
'Dolores!" exclaimed young Green.
in establishment.
A red flush crept in her face.
81 want to see the judge" she
said, gravely, and there was a visit
fulness in the large, dark eyes raised
to his for an instant that caused his
heart to throb strangely while a flush
also arose in his own face
my father? He is not at home.
When the court adjourned at three he
took the train to NJ II you wish
to see him am sorry. Will not | do
instead? Come in, Miss Johnson; my
mother would be pleased to meet
you"
She was unused to being called
Miss Johnson" and scarcely heard
the unfamiliar name
He opened the door, waiting for her
to pass in.
Il won't stay" she said. The judge
is not at home. came to see the
Judge,
She turned down the steps, and he
closed the door, following her
'If You win not 60 inside. may I
walk with you, Miss Johnson"
She bowed her head, and they pass
ed up the street together In silence,
That the people they passed. and
whom her companion greeted, turned
and looked curiousiy after them she
did not know; had she known It would
have affected her little She came on
an errand. and could not accomplish
Il; that thought was uppefmost In