The Greeley tribune., 1905-11-16

NN IN a repreSSed and meIan-
choly circle that suggested
the suspended animation of funeral
gathering. The fat lady had turned
back her skirt to save her travelling
dress. The stage was late, and there
was no good and sufficient reason for
ton of economy led her to flirt off
flies with her second best pocket hand
kerchief. Mrs. OAK presided over the
gathering with awful severity.
"Chugg's never ben so late as this"
said Mrs. Dax, rocking herself furi-
ously. Leander, the fat lady and Miss
Carmichael meekly murmured assent
and condemnation.
"And there amt sign of him." said
Mrs. Dax, returning to the house after
straining the landscape through her all
observant eye and not detecting him
In any of the remote pin pricks on the
horizon in which these plains folk in
yariably decipher a herd Of antelope,
an elk or two or horseman.
Judith had continued her unquiet
pacing in the binding glare while the
group within doors, somnolent from the
heat and the incessant shrilling of the
locusts, droningly talked and dozed.
Each time she turned Judith would
stop and scan the yellow road, shading
her eyes with her hand, and each time
she had turned away and resumed her
walk. Mary, who gave the postmis
tress no unstinted share Of admiration
o.. ta1, r,J,
her difficulties and who had been seek
ing an opportunity to signify her
friendship, now that she saw the last
Of the gallants depart, inquired of Ju-
dith if she might join her.
They walked without speaking for
several minutes, enjoying sense of
comradeship hardly in keeping with
freedom from restraint spared them
the necessity Of exchanging small talk,
that frequently irritating toll exacted
as tribute to possible friendship.
The desert lay white and palpitating
beneath the MONDAY glare, and from
the outermost rim Of desolation came
dancing "dust devils whirling and
gliding through the mazes Of their
eerie dance. II think sometimes" said
Judith, ''that they are the ghosts of
those who have died Of thirst in the
desert"
Mary shuddered lmperceptibly. "How
do you stand it with never Il glimpse
Of the sea?'
you'll love it or hate it. The desert
L. <po Toe ho1f A-
for the sea"-Judith shrugged her fine
ahouIders-"from all I've heard of it, it
must be very wet"
Each felt reticence about broach
ing the subject uppermost in her
thoughts-Judith from the instructive
tendency toward secretiveness that
was part Of the heritage Of her Indian
blood; Mary because the subject SO
closely concerned this girl for whom
she felt such genuine admiration.
Judith finally brought up the matter
with an abruptness that scarce con-
cealed her anxiety.
You saw my brother yesterday at
Mrs. Clark's eating house. Will you
be good enough to tell me just what
happened"
Mary related the incident In detail,
Judith cross examining her minutely as
to the temper Of the men at table to-
ward Jim. Did she know If any cattle
men We're present? Did she hear where
her brother had gone?
Mary had heard nothing further after
be had left the eating house. The only
one she had talked to had been Mrs.
Clark, whose sympathy had been en-
firely with Jim. Judith thanked her,
but In reality she knew no more now
than she had heard from Major At
kins.
Judith now stopped in their walk and
stood facing the road as 1t rolled over
the foothills-a skein Of yellow silk
Siimmering in the sun. Then Mary
saw that the object spinning across II
IN the distance, hardly bigger than a
dolls carriage, was the long delayed
stage. She spoke to the postmistress,
but apparently she did not baar-Ju-
dfth was watching the nearing stag,
- II it might bring some message o.
H1e and death. She stood still, and tn,
dropping lines of her figure straight
ened, every fiber of her beauty kin
died. She was like fame paling thu
sunlight.
And presently was heard the un.
couth music Of sixteen iron shod hoofs
beating hard from the earth rhythmic
notes, which presently grew hollow
and sonorous as they came rattling
over the wooden bridge that spanned
the creek.
"Chuggw exclaimed Leander, rush.
ing to the door in a tumult. There
Was something crucial in the arrival
of the delayed stage driver. His de.
MnQuencies had detected the course OF
the travellers, left them stranded in q
remote corner of the wilderness, but
now they should again resume the
thread of things. Chuggs coming was
an event.
"Tain't Chugg," said Leander.
n-k-