The San Francisco call., 1905-04-30
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q mat. Brand looked up. unable to
move or speak. as he came straight
to the fire with the air of an inquisitOr.
For a moment he stood erect before
it in silence that could be felt.
why are you here?" he asked, turn
ing suddenly.
IT was broke" answered Brand IT
thought If I came back to the noun
tains-." He halted. unwilling to re-
count his futile expectations
'.But"-returned the other. IT thought
II was told you'd made it,"
so / did" Brand raised his eyes
and dropped them again before the
searching ones that looked down at
him with. 1T seemed. very passion to
get at some truth. But lost 1t all on
the Comstock in IA"
In IA" repeated Gilbert. He
paused as though in search of some
knowledge that he feared. and with
averted face, moistened his dry lips
Then he breathed a name. at first
tinidly and softly. then as stern
Interrogation
"Juanita p"
"she died" said Brand. ''she died
in TO-
Some Of the tense look went out OF
Gilbert's face and he sat down on an
empty box near him He looked at his
old partner and his eyes were not
hard any longer-only doubtful and
troubled. Brand understood their
question. He answered it.
"Oh. no. I'd nothing but luck while
she was alive"
But maybe" said Gilbert, "there
was some trouble that kind of worried
her?"
'"Trouble" answered Brand reassur-
ingly, almost gladly "Juanita didn't
know what trouble was. She was as
happy as a bird Only she seemed TO
fade and wilt-the doctors couldn't tell
why. I'd money TO burn then. but
money couldn't save her. There was
nothing could"
Nothing could have saved herr" Gill
bert repeated "Ayi sometimes they
will go like that. She was happy. you
said?"
his poverty and rags II made her
happy. She had all the pretty things
she liked and baskets Of flowers all
the time. I can see her now-On her
couch-buried in fowers-smiling out
of them"
Gilbert also saw this picture. "She
was a flower herself" he said in tones
of relief. You don't want no harm to
come to a flower. That was why
helped you TO get away, he added as
though to himself.
Brand did not understand this last
remark. but feeling reinstated. he drew
a chair TO the fire for Gilbert and
proudly did the honors OF the cabin
"She was a flower" he echoed as
they reseated themselves. "and her
eyes"-he spoke earnestly in a sort
OF solemn self-justifcation-' only
a few women have eyes like that, and
when they have they drive man mad
He don't care for nothing else in the
world. pard-
Eyes. that's So" said Gilbert. He
stopped and threw log on the fire
In his old fashion. and as the sparks
few upward smiled to himself think
ing of certain events in the history OF
Juanita's fight that Brand did not
know.
THAT night when you took her
away" he said, II was in the garden.
almost as near as l am to you now"
when we went from Mariners
placer" asked Brand with a slow effort
OF memory
yes, I was there. I lay watching
a long time in the garden. I didn't dare
go in and speak TO her for couldn't
believe she'd forgotten what she'd
promised and / half thought the house
was empty. Then you came along the
lane at the back with horses. A match
hared at one of the windows. 1t was
for you. You came in and went past
me through the shrubs. AS I looked
into the house from the veranda saw
you both"
Yes" said Brand. and he too re-
membered as one remembers tale
that is told. 1T had to go in and help
her find something she had lost on the
stairs. She was always afraid OF the
dark
"Ah, poor thing, poor thing." said
Gilbert. thinking Of Juanita in that
darkness Whauc0 we come and whittier
we go.
II put out the light when we came
back said Brand. Il thought heard
something"
Yes" returned Gilbert. "a man is a
fine mark in a lighted ROOM" and he
smiled his strange smile again.
'And after that" Brand went on.
"a few minutes after-there was shot
somewhere near the front gate"
''I shot IT, said Gilbert. II met Mar
tinez there He had heard you were
In town TO see Juanita and was mad
to get at YOU. We went round and
round In the dark like two bulls. Then
1 got hold of his revolver and shot il
into the ground. I wanted you to get
away"
There was long silence
Her eyes made me mad" said Brand
once again. and at his partners nod
of complete understanding he vaguely
comprehended that Gilbert had known
the diviner madness in which the de-
sire for the welfare of the beloved IS
greater than the instinct OF possession
Gilbert pondered also. II he went into
partnership with Brand again and kept
him supplied with tools and provisions
so that he could go on prospecting the
neighbors would think he had taken
leave Of his senses. But that wouldn't
matter. 1t was worth so much to him
TO have the satisfaction OF knowing
that Juanita had been happy to the
last.
The dusk crept on. and the snow
; which had begun to fall again tapped
on the panes like soft fingers But the
two old men did not heed it. In the
, warm glow of the fire they chatted.
, with sagely nodding heads. OF the