West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1906-10-18
CHAPTER v


WITHIN the house the trayel-
VA ers had disposed themselves
WV In repressed and melan-
choly circle that suggested
the suspended animation OF a funeral
gathering. The Cat lady had turned
back her skirt to save her travelling
dress. The stage was late, and there
was no good and sufficient reason for
wearing 1t out. A similar considera-
ton OF economy led her TO flrt Off
hies with her second best pocket hand
kerchief. krs. OAK presided over the
gathering with awful severity.
"Chuggs never ben so late as this
said Mrs. OAK, rocking herself furi-
ously. Leander the fat lady and Miss
Carmichael meekly murmured assent
and condemnation.
And there amt sign of him." said
Mrs. OAK, 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
VarlaDiy decipher herd OF antelope.
an elk or two or horseman.
judith had continued her unouiet
pacing In the binding glare while the
group within doors, somnolent from the
heat and the incessant shrilling of the
Iocusts, 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 unstlnted share of admiration
Tor the courage with which she faced
her difficulties and who had been seek
Ing an opportunity to signify her
friendship, now that she saw the last
or the gallants depart, inquired OF Ju.
dith If she might Join her.
They walked without speaking for
several minutes, enjoying n sense OF
coinradeshlp hardly In keeping with
the brevity OF their acquaintance. A
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 palpltatIng
beneath the monday glare. and from
the outermost rim OF desolatlon came
dancing dust devils" whlrllna 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 I'm the
desert"
Mary shuddered imperceptlbly. How
do you stand II with never glimpse
Of the seaP
you'll love Il or hate H. The desert
Is too jealous for half measures. As
for the sea"-Judith shrugged her fine
shoulders-"from all I've heard OF Il. it
must be very wet"
Each felt a reticence about broach-
Ing the subject uppermost IN her
thoughts-Judith from the instructive
tendency toward secretiyeness that
was part OF the heritage OF her Indian
blood Mary because the subject 40
closely concerned this girl for whom
she felt such genuine admiration.
Judith hnally brought up the matter
with an abmptness that scarce con-
sealed her anxiety.
You saw my brother yesterday at
Mrs Clarks eating house. VIII you
Do good enough 10 tell me Just what
happcncdW
Mary related the incident in detail.
judith cross examining her infinitely as
10 the temper Of the men az table to-
ward Jim. Did she know n any cattle
men were PRESENT. Did she hear where
her brother had gOnol
Mary had heard nothing further after
be had LETT the eating house. The only
ono She had talked 20 had been Mrs
Clark, whose sympathy had been en-
tIrely with JIM Judith thanked her
but Do reality she knew no more now
thon sho had heard from Major At
kius
judith now stopped ia their walk and
stood facing the rond aa Il rolled over
tbe foothills skeln Of yellow silk
RImmering in TIE sun Then Mary
cav that the object spinning across lt
in the distance, hardly bigger than n
dolls carriage. was The long delayed
stage She spoke 90 The pOstmlstreas.
but apparently she did not bear--Ju-
fcoET1EUED.1 "A