The San Francisco call., 1904-02-28

feeble to move or to speak beyond short
sentences The men watched and
tended her. Moreau with clumsy solicit
tude, Fletcher dutifully, but more
through fear of his powerful mate than
especial interest in Lucy as a woman
or human being
In his heart he still violently resented
Moreau's action in acquiring her ana
parting with the valuable horses. Had
she possessed any of the attractions OF
the human female. he could have un-
derstood and probably condcned. But
as she now was. plain, helpless, SICK
unable even TO cook for them, demand
Ing care which took from their work
and lessened their profits. his resent
ment grew instead of diminishing. Mo-
reau saw nothing of this. for Fletcher
had long ago read the simple secret OF
that generous but impractical nature.
and knew too much TO bring down on
himself wrath which, once aroused, he
felt would be implacable.
At the end Of two weeks Lucy began
to show signs Of improvement. The
fragrant air that blew through the
cabin, the soothing silence of the foot
hills, broken only by the drowsy pratt
tie Of the river or the sad murmuring
of the great pine, began it's work of
healing. The autumn was late that
year. The days were still warm and
dreamily brilliant, especially in the lit
tie canyon, where the sun drew the arO-
matte odors from the pines till at mid
day they exhaled a heavy. pungent
fragrance like incense rising to the
worship of some sylvan god.
Sometimes now, on warm afternoons,
Lucy crept out and sat at the root OF
the pine where she had found her first
place of refuge. There her dulled eyes
began to note the beauties that sur
rounded her, the pines mounting in
dark rows on the slopes, the glimpses
Of chaste white SUBMITS far above
against the blue. Her lungs breathed
deep of the revivifying air. clean and
untainted as the water in the little
spring at her feet. The peace Of 1t all
entered her soul. Something in her for
bade her to look back on the terrible
past A new life was here, and her
youth rose up and whispered that 1T
was not yet dead.
During the period Of her illness Mo-
reau had begun to see both himself and
the cabin through feminine eyes. Dis
crepancies revealed themselves. He
wanted many things heretofore regard
ed as luxuries. From the tin cup of the
table service to the towels made of
ripped flour sacks, his domestic ar
rangements seemed mean and made
quate They were all right for two
prospectors but not fitting for wo-
man and child. Lucy's Illness also re-
vealed wants in her equipment that
struck him as piteous. Her only boots
were the ones he had seen her in on
the morning after her arrival She had
no shawl or covering for cold weather
The babys clothes were a few torn
pieces of calico and flannel. Moreau
had washed these many times himself,
doing them uD in an old flour sack,
which was attached to an aspen on the
deepest parts Of the current. Here it
remained for two days. the percOlating
water cleansing its contents as no
washboaTd could.
One evening, smoking under the pine,
he acquainted Fletcher with a design
he had been some days formulating.
This was that Fletcher should ride into
HangtOwn the next day and not only
replenish the commissariat, but buy all
things needful for Lucy and the baby.
Spotty was now also recovered, and,
though hardly mettlesome steed, was
al least a useful pack horse. But the
numerous list of articles suggested by
Moreau would have weighted SpOtty to
the ground. So Fletcher was commits
stoned to bsly pack burro. and upon it
to bring all needful food stuffs for the
cabin and the habiliments for Lucy
and the baby.
She's got no shoes. You want to
buy her some shoes, one useful pair
and one fancy pair with heels"
What size do 1 git? 1 amt never
bought shoes for a woman before"
This was poser. and both men cog
itated till Moreau suggested leaving it
to the shoe dealer, who should be told
that Lucy was a woman Of average
size
But her feet amt" said Fletcher
spitefully, never having been able to
forgive Lucy her lack of beuaty.
Never mind; you'll have to make
bluff at it. Get the best you can. Then
I want a shawl for her. Itll be cold
soon, and she's got nothing to keep her
warm"
What kind of a shawl? I don't know
no more about shawls than 1 do about
shoes"
"A pink crochet shawl" said Moreau
slowly, and with evident sheepish re-
luctance at having to make this exhibi-
tion of unexpected knowledge.
"And what's thatE I dunno what
crochet is"
II dent, either"-and then with des-
perate courage-"well. anyway, that's
what she said she'd like. asked her
yesterday and she said that. You go
into the store and ask for it. That'n
be enough"
Fletcher grunted.
"And then 1 want some toys for the
kid Anything you can get that seems
the right kind. She's a girl, so you
don't want drum, or soldiers, or guns.
or things of that kind Get a doll If
you can, and a musical box, or any
thing tasty and that's likely to catch
a babys eye."
why. she can't hardly see yet. She's