The San Francisco call., 1905-01-22

talked with the same stately courtesy
that he addressed to any hanger-on
about Nina de Youngs stables; and
that she had a noble sweep of silvery
brown hair above a brow hardly
marked by time. The mountain air
heightened the delicate color of cheek
that grief could not hollow.
The widow stood long in silence at
Jack Frayne's grave. The committee
sat it's saddles outside the barbed-wire
fence. The Judge stood bareheaded in
the middle ground, between them and
the outlaws resting-place.
The mother knelt to clear away
rough lump from one of the tiny weak
lings that waved green among the sun
searched clods. Her handkerchief
cleaned the dust from the white-paint-
ed headboard, with it's Departed This
Life" in new black letters.
Per v. b. Judge Blountr' she
said. What does that mean?"
" Per V. b. madam" began the
Judge, impressively, iin the Territory
the law requires that tombstone
shall make plain what the deceased
died of. Per V. B.'-that Is virulent
black fever madam, I regret to say"
And the committee ranged along the
fence gazed at the Judge in such ad-
miration as no man may lightly win
in all the Southwest.
The widow was dreaming In the hot
sunlight. Her eyes : stole from the
finty hillside to the water-caked
mound with its brave array Of green
fighting the savagery of the land. Per-
I1A xryIro 81 nn
cost in care and labor under this
burned-out sky; it may even have come
to her that the water, "at two bits q
can," which had made the spot q
waste of dried mud, had come two
miles up the canyon through the solicit
tude of these same men who stood out-
side the fence to honor her presence
among them; perhaps she suddenly un-
derstood them as they could never
have understood themselves. She
plucked one OF the living symbols Of
Bull Creeks assembling chivalry.
kissed 1t and hid 1t in her bosom. Then
she faced them. the Judge and the row
Of horsemen patient in the sun.
II know how good you were to him."
she said, simply, IT understand-you
must have loved my boy. It will be q
precious memory that he was worthy
of you and that there are such men
herein such a wild country-as you.
1t is all so different-it is-is-beauti-
full! I thank you all for making me
see 1t as / do"
Bully Creek Is hono'ed," said the
Judge grandly. Its sorrow is yours.
We shall remember you longer than
you will us-our memory Is the sweet
er, madam, that you have been among
u.s.
A silent cavalcade clattered down the
canyon road behind the carryall The
Judge drove the camps guest down to
the Blue Aster mine and on to Starlight
Ridge and the picture rocks. The Pi-Ute
reported to an interested coterie at De
Young e. ingalls, that Judge Blount
took her again to Jack Fraynes grave
when the full glory of the desert day
was sdying over the mountains. that
were gray and opalescent In the dis
tance.
1t was midnight before the Judge
came into the place. He nodded to a
quiet trio before Nina de Young's lay
out. Presently the proprietor gave over
the Qcdl 10 HIS 6dnChCCQCh dAi0 S60h-
tered to the Judges chair.
Where have you been this afternoon,
Judge?" inquired the gambler.
81 was favo'ed with Mrs. Frayne's
company during a drive, as she is to
leave us on to-morrow's stage. From
Orc Blanco Hill we saw the sun SET
"The sun set?" muttered Nina.
Judge. how old are your"
IF 1t is of any particuleh interest.
am 81 years of age"
"A good sort Of man, and so years
DID," unused De Young. land owning a
half-interest in the Cotton Bell mine.
You ought to go East Amt there any
place on Gods earth you ever think of
more than another?''
The Judge appeared startled by the
idea Then he tapped his tjulep glass
lightly upon the table.
.In York State" he answered with
dignity, there is a. little church with
roses about the doeh and music steal
ing down from the dark way uD yon-
deh. 1 am told it is something like that
near a home spot where Jack Frayne
was BON. In June, next year, reckon
on seeing it,
sYou been invited?"