Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-12-27
CHAPTER XVII.

4lOOcTdte. lDSledu the WIu6 VdLey De-
came a channel for winds that were
weighted with numbing sleet. Then
April returned angrily, bringing cold
rains and blows to check all yegeta-
ton.
But April half gone, tardy thaw
set in. The icy covering of the river
split into whirling blocks, the snow
grew soft and bally, the crust rotted
and picked up. Soon the tempering
sun drove the drifts from south ex-
posures, when freshet coursed down
the coulee and the low spots ON the
prairie filed until they were broad
ponds, around which the migrating
wild fowl alighted with joyous cries.
Now caves dripped musically, slushy
wagon ruts ran like miniature Nilsson
ris and were travelled by horny frogs,
prairie cocks made each dawning
weirdly noisy, and far and near where
showed the welcome green blue eyed
anemones sprang bravely and tossed
their fuzzy heads in the sharp air
Throughout this season the shack
had but one visitor-SquawC Charley. He
0AVA6hL AdCA anu OuCC u WICK "a Dd6kGG
Of supplies from "B troop" Occasion
ally he came swinging a brant by the
neck or carrying a saddle of fresh ven
1son; but, though his manner was as
friendly as ever and he seemed no less
grateful and devoted, he was always
strangely worried and distraught The
evangelist called by once or twice
aRyhnVr OF hn Hn~
In the river did not prevent his cross
ing. AS for Lounsbury, he traversed
the bend often on his way to Brannon,
and If he saw a face at a window
waved his hand in pleasant greeting,
but he kept to the road.
Since the morning Of the aurora the
little family had ceased to speak of
him. That silence was neither de-
manded by the section boss nor agreed
upon by the three. On Lancasters
part 1t grew out of the sneaking con-
seriousness Of the ingratitude he did
not regret. On the part of Marylyn 1t
arose from two causes-a sense of. girl
tsh shame at having confessed her at
fachment and fear that her father
would discover 1t. With Dallas, con-
sideration for the feelings of her sister
made her shrink from mentioning
Lounsbury. Yet there was another rea-
0on, and one no less delicate-she, as
well, had secret to guard.
But in the mind of the elder girl the
thought Of Marylyn's happiness was
the uppermost. There were dread mo-
ments when it seemed to her as If that
happiness were to be shattered.
During all the past weeks Marylyn
had carefully harh@red her fancies
about Lounsbury. Certain of the calico
covered books on the mantel had no
little part In this. Their stories of un-
dying affection-of bold men, lorn
maidens and the cruel villains who
gloried in severing them-helped her to
ut her little circle into proper roles.
She loved and must crush out her pas
sion. Lounsbury, whom she loved,
mad been sent away by her father, and
she lived up to the play consistently.
She saw the storekeeper anguished over
his Punishment; saw depths of mean
ing in the good natured salutes he gave
the shack. With herself, she accepted
loneliness as sign of deeper suffering
She was tortured by self pity, by the
doubt she had flung at Dallas, by the
6rm belief that her heart was hopeless
~ fettered. Gazing into a piece of
looking glass that served her for mir
ror, she marked with sorrowful pride
her transparent skin and lusterless
eyes. She sighed as she watched from
The windows. Patiently she listened
for footsteps, her face half turned to
the door.
And yet what she took so tragically
was nothing but failing health. What
was not fact the night of her admis-
sion to Dallas, was almost come to
pass. The few days of great cold and |
hunger In February, coupled with long
confinement in the dirt f1oored house, !
were having their effect. She was on
he verge of illness.
Lancaster, whenever he noticed her |
was inclined to poohpooh 1t. /
she looks as eff she'd jes' been slap |
ped" he declared, AN is expectin' an |
Other lammin' any minnit. Eff she'd cry
she'd shore weep lemon juice" Again, |
Be reckoned that she had picked up !,
some notion" Jealous and suspicious
Is he was, however, he got no nearer
he truth.
But Dallas-she was misled far more
han either Marylyn or their father.
She fought away from the idea that
eer sister might be breaking physical
y and tenderly as a mother yearned
OveR her. Anxious eyed, she noted the
paIloe OF the childlike face the melan-
choly expression that had come to be
habituai. She fretted over the spare
Aess Of the younger girl, who ate only
when she was urged. If, stated with
deep, Marylyn moved In the night,
Dallas aroused on the instant and hoy
lred beside her.
At last thoroughly alarmed, the elder
Eirl determined to follow out the idea
hat had occurred tO heP I'm unt6uzip