The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-16
CHAPTER III.

PLANS FOR THE JOURNEY EAST.
Until late in the afternoon they rode
through land that was bleak and barren
of all grace or cheer. The dull browns and
grays of the landscape were unrelieved by
any green freshness save close by the
banks OF an occasional stream. The vivid
blue of cloudless sky served only to light
up its desolation to greater disadvantage.
1t was grim unsmiling land hard to like.
This may be Gods own country said
Percival once. looking out over a stretch of
gray sagebrush to mass of red sandstone
jutting up, high, sharp and ragged, in the
distance-"but it looks to me as if He got
tired of it himself and gave up before 1t
was half finished"
"A man has to work here a few years to
love it," said Uncle Peter, shortly.
AS they left the car at Montana City in
the early dusk, that thriving metropolis had
never seemed so unattractive to Percival:
so rough, new, garish and wanting so many
of the softening charms of the East
Through the wide, unpaved streets, lined
with their low, wooden buildings they
drove to the Bines mansion, landmark in
the Oldest and most fashionable part of the
town. For such distinctions are made in
Western towns as soon as the first two
shanties are built. The Bines house had been
a monument to new wealth from the earli-
est days of the town, which was a fairly
decent antiquity for the region But the
house and the town grated harshly now
upon the young man. He burned with fe-
yer of haste TO be off toward the East
over the far rim of hills and the farther
higher mountain range, to land that had
warmed genially under three hundred years
of civilized occupancy-where people had
lived and fraternized long enough to create
the atmosphere he craved so ardently
While Chinese Wung lighted the hall gas
and busted himself with their hats and bags.
Psyche Bines came down the stairs to greet
them. Never had her youthful freshness so
appealed to her brother. The black gown she
wore emphasized her blonde beauty. AS to
give her the aspect of mourning one might
have tried as reasonably to hide the radi-
ance OF the earth in springtime with that
trifing pail.
Her brother kissed her with more than his
| usual warmth. Here was one to feel what he
| felt. to sympathize warmly with all those
new yearnings that were to take him out of
| the crude West. She wanted, for his own
| reasons, all that he wanted. She understood
him; and she was his ally against the aged
and narrow man who would have held them
to life in that physical and social desert.
well, sis, here we are!' he began. How
| fine you're lookingI And how is Mrs.
Throckmorton? Give her my love and ask
! her IL she can be ready to start for the
| effete East in twenty minutes"
1t was his habit to affect that he con-
| stantly forgot his mothers name He had
discovered years before that he was some
! times able thus to puzzle her momentarily.
| why, Percival!' exclaimed this excel
lent lady, coming hurriedly from the kitch-
| Twenty minutes Goodness! do deciare!'
1t was an infirmity of Mrs. Bines that
| she was unable to take otherwise than liter
| any Whatever might be said to her; an in
| nrmity known and played upon relentlessly
"Oh. well!' he exclaimed, with a show OF
| irritation. i suppose We'll be delayed then
That's like woman. Never ready on time
| Probably we can't start till after din
| ner. Now hurry! You know that boat leaves
the dock for Tonsilitis at S:23-I hope you
| ''Boat-dock-" Mrs. Bines stopped to con.
vince herself beyond certainty that nc
| dock nor boat could be within many hun
dred miles OF her by any possible chance.
| Never mind" said Psyche; give ma hall
an hours notice and she can start for any
old place."
Can't she thought and Percival, seiz-
| ing his astounded mother, waltzed with hel
down the hall, leaving her at the far END
| with profusely polite assurance that he
would bring her Immediately a lemon ice
an ice pick and cold roast turkey with
Never mind, Mrs. Cartwright" he called
| back to her-"Oh, beg pardon-Bines? yes
| yes, to be sure-well, never mind, Mrs
Brennings. Wen give you time to put your
| gloves and bottle of horseradsh and q
nail file and hammer into that neat travel
| ing bag of yours.
Now let me go up and get clean again
| That lovely alkah dust has worked cleal
| into my bearings so I'm liable to have a hot
box just as We get the line open ninety
miles ahead.
and the old aligned themselves into hostile
camps, as of yQre. The young people chatteC
| with lively interest OF the coming change
of the New York people who had visited tbs
mine, of the attractions and advantages oil
life in New York
Uncle Peter, though he had long sine,
recognized his cause as lost, remained dog
gedly inimical to the migration. The home
| was being broken up and he was depressed
Anyhow, you'll soon be back" he warned
them. You won't like ii a mite. L tried Il
myself thirty years ago. III Jest camp here
| until you do come back. My! but you'll b,
| glad to get here again."
why not have Billy Brue come stay will
you," suggested Mrs. Bines, who was hurt
| ing herself with pictures of the old man.
| loneliness. lin case you should want a plas
ter on your back or some nutmeg tie,
brewed. or anything? That Wung is 81
trifling."
"but Billy Brue amt exactly broke to
shack like this. know just what he'd d,
all his spare time; he'd set down to tina
new-fangled horseless piano and play it IL
death"
Uncle Peter meant the new automatic pi
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