Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-31
CHAPTER XXv-Continued.

ShaI EN- A<A t--SSuI4huCos
Right in the heart of this forest there's
a bunch of dead volcanoes, called the San
Francisco peaks, lifting their frosty heads
into the sky, and round the skirts of lava
at their feet lies broken country Curly
showed good judgment in making camps
but hereabouts thought she had lost her
wits for she led me over broken lava flows,
heart-breaking ground for the horses. where
we hid to dismount and climb. Then all
of sudden we dropped down, hid from all
the world, into a meadow walled around
with lava. This tract had escaped when
the rest was overflowed; so happened there
was grass among the bull pines, and right
at the head of the field little cave, with
space of floor for camping beside a DUO
bling spring. We struck the place at noon
and camped, my partner concluding to lie
over until she could make a night scout IN
search Of news. She slept through the aft
ernoon, while 1 stood guard outside.
Up to that time we had been scared TO
make fire ut night or show a smoke by
day, except for the minutes we needed
boiling coffee. Besides that, we could
never camp within ten miles of water
hole, but had to ride on after drinking TO
win the nearest grass, this country being
all ate up around the pools. Here we had
grass and water, the cave to hide our hre,
and certainty besides of not being caught
without warning. 1t was mighty fine TO
set around the fire after supper.
You Chalkeye"-Curly lit up a cigarette
and broke into silence which had lasted
days-"what does it feel like being safer
We're safe enough here, III partner.
It'll hit the trail for this scouting. But
I mean to live safe day after day without
nobody ever wanting to kill you. Amt it
some monotonous?"
mot to hurt"
1T must feel sort of-neglected. l read a
book onced about folks in England, which
l KEEP on readin' and readin' to see If any
thing happened 'cept meals and go-to-bed
and get-up-in-the- mawning. The girl was
a sure enough fool, and as to the boy
well, he wore government socks and didn't
love the Lawd. Then he married widow
by mistake, which she had a forked tongue,
bad eye, and parted her har on one side
lookin rather cute. That boy just aimed to
cut his throat for seventy-three pages, then
didn't after all, which was plumb dlscour-
aging Stead of that he got government
Job tnspectin' the clouds and DRAWN sal
airy. Then the WILDLY she talked herself to
death, and quit out. Afterwards that boy
took siXty-one pages to get kiss from the
heroine. Thar was a deanery in 1t and a
funny parrot reckon that's all the story.
'They maried2"
Sure and nothin' happened ever after
wards, 'cept kids. Them characters was
awful safe from gettin excited. VIII 1t be
that away when / get tame enough to
mary JIM"
Feeling that said Jim was a lot unworthy
of her, 1 strayed out to study how much
our camp was visible. 1t seemed like we
couldn't be attacked without our visitors
cussing around first in the lava. They'd
bark their shins, and we'd hear gentle pro-
tests.
When I came back, Curly was brooding
still about her jim
HELL be a dock like the old patrone,"
says she, land sure I'm a lady I'll be
tired of life. Robes goes with that job,
and a golden crown such as the angels
wear"
II reckon that's only for Sunday best" 1
told her.
ITO go to church? Wall. now, amt that
Jest fine? And how my wolves would laugh
to see"' She stood up staggering before
the fire, her hand on her revolver, her
laugh ringing echoes round the cave. Jest
you think" says she "of me-a lady! Foot
man at the church door to announce us,
Lord and Lady Balshannon!' and Jim and
me goes buttin along to our pew. Then
the preacher he rears up to talk his ser
mon. My lord, my lady, and you common
or nary brethren Caynt you see Jim spit
on his crown and give it rub with his
sleeve, and me snarled up in my~robe like
a roped haWss2 Then we ride off home to
the castle and Jim says, 'Beshrew thee! go
TO, thou varlet, and wrastle the grub pie
fore shoot the cook! Then the valet
says there's a deputy marshal come to ar
rest US both for stealth cows, so Jim has
him hung in the moat. Afterwards we put
in the hull afternoon shootin' foxes, and
other British sports, until it's time for sup
per, then play stud poker beside the parlor
stove You're to come and stop with US,
Chalkeye."
Sing to me, Curly" says 7, because her
voice was sweet enough to gentle a griZ-
ely bear, and it always smoothed my fur.
1t seems to me | can see her now, her eyes
green and flame in the freight, her face
l can't describe her face.
Here's a moccasin track In the drifts,
It's no more than the length Of me hand,
An her instep-just see how it lifts
II that amt jest the best in the land!
For the maid ran as free the wind,
And her foot Light the snow.
Why, as follow In find
Me kiss whar her red bushes grow.
'Hare's two small little feet and skirt,
Here's soft little heart all Aglow.
See me trail down the dear little iirt
BY the sign which she left in the
Did she run? Twas hint to make haste,
An why, bless her, I'm she won't mindi
If she's got any kisses to waste,
Why, she knew that man was behind.
''Dd she run cause she's only afraid?
No. for sure, twas the pace!
And I've fallen in love with maid
When | amt had sight of her face.
There she Is! And ! knew she near.
VIII she pay kiss to be free?
VIII she hate, Will she love, Will she fear?
Why, the darling, she's waiting to sect"
In all the thousands of eampfires dotted
along the tran of my life that one is best
to think of. Surely / believe that the Big
Spirit sent us poor little spirits loose on
the earth to be kicked and educated, not
to have nice times. Looking around at
present facts, we see how life is a cold,
hard business proposition, SO we have to
keep a mighty sharp lookout for fear of
being kicked off the premises The future
glows with hope gay as a sunrise, the past
is full of memories shining glorious like
!, %f,-r - hot t.,