The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-11-24
ODE BLACK WATER

WHAT was it killed the white heifer
two weeks ago?"
WAL" replied Jimmy rejecting a
little, 81 cal'Iate t'war a cat"
1T maught be a bar" said Buck, Il
seed one daOwn to brakes clearin' last
week come Sabbath"
"ShO," drawled Ellis, returning to his
blankets.
Il understand" said l. that Ezra
Field found a thirty-pound trap miss
ing last week"
Wharf" asked Hanson.
Back of the gum-camp on Swift riv-
err l replied.
Ellis looked cynical and Hanson
laughed, the silent confiding laughter
of the honest.
''Ezry was scairt hat tn deth by a
Bob-cat. onct, into Swift River Forks. -
said Ellis;- he sees things whar there
hain't nawthin'."
do you think" said 1. after a long
pull at my pipe, that panthers ever
attack? l mean, when you let their
cubs alone"
"Hain't never seed no panther" re-
You saw Mr.. Sutherland when he
was brought in three years ago"
yes sir-yOu and Cy Holman toted
him in"
well. you saw the panther we
brought in also, didn't your"
Yes sir-but that was daid pan
Their" replied Buck. prosaically.
I laughed and walked toward the
piazza.
"An ! want to know is whether
you fellows have heard that
these creatures are bothering
honest people who mind their bust
ness" said over my shoulder; and
both the big guides laughed. and an
swered mo fear o. that, sir.'
Half an hour later we were on the
trail to the Black Water.
The morning was perfect, the air
keen as September breezes on the
moors, and the notified sunlight spot
ted our broad trail which twisted and
carved through the tangled underbrush
along the bank of mountain stream.
BIylock and Ysonde were well
ahead. the latter swinging a light
steelshod mountain stick; next came
Lynda, beautiful and serene, approving
the beauty of the forest in pleased
little platitudes. 1 followed close be-
hind, silent, spellbound by the splen-
dor OF the forest, charmed by the soft
notes of the nesting thrushes and the
softer babble of Lynda and the brook.
Broad dewy leaves slapped our faces,
filmy floating spiders meshes crossed
our chins and cheeks and tickled
YsOndes pretty nose.
You may walk ahead" she said TO
Blylock. land break the spiders webs
for me-"
with pleasure" said Blylock, ser
iously. and 1 saw him. take the lead,
MS single eyeglass cleaning in the
sunshine.
TT is written" said I. fippantly.
that the first shall be last, and the
last shall be first;-I believe that /
should take the lead"
please do" said Ysonde, coolly, cit
is your proper place"
Now YsOnde had never before said
anything to me quite as sharp as that,
do you want me to go?" 1 asked in
anely.
If you care to clear the path, I
would not object" said Ysonde.
For you and Lynda" said I, feel
ing that l was speaking regardless of
either sound or Sense.
And for Mr.. Blylock." added
Ysonde, quietly.
With pleasure" said l, vaguely
wishing my tongue might stop wag-
ging before 1 said something hopeless
ly foolish. 4 shall clear the way for
yCU-and Mr.. BlylOck."
I had said it; even Lynda raised her
lovely eyes to me in disapproval. AS
for Ysonde. her face wore that panied
expression that l dreaded to see-I had
never seen il before but once-in the
l felt that my proper place
was among the wits of a country store
A boor in the kitchen of the Rosebud
Inn would have had more instructive
tact-unless he was tealousl-that is
the world was jealous-vulgaTly
jealous of Blyiock. Perhaps Ysonde
read the shame in my face. perhaps
she had OWNED my thoughts as she
did when she chose, but she saw that
was miserable, disguised with myself,
and she raised me to her own level
with a smile so sweet and chiValrOus
that | felt there was manhood left in
me yet.
Bobby she said. you promised to
show me how to blaze a trail. Have
you forgotten"
1 dropped out OF the path to the
right. she TO the left; Lynda passed us
to join Blylock, who was waiting, the
two big guides tramped by, their boots
on the trodden leaves. II
drew the light Ratchet from my belt,
the leather blade-cOver. and
started on
This is all it isl I said. and struck
light shaving from the bark of a
leTplock, cutting it at the base with
he next stroke so that the bit of bark
ELL, leaving a white scar on the tree
-runk.
Always on both sides" said /, re- |
)eating the stroke on the other side !
If the tree. "Will you try it, Ysonde?" |
She took the Ratchet in her small I
sloved hand, and the chips flew along |
he trail until 1 begged her to spare |
he forest
But the trees don't dier' she ex-
.laimed. "Oh. Bobby, you're joking; |
I'm / overriding it?" i
"A little" said 1, IA blind man |
'Ould follow this forest boulevard"
You are blind she said calmly.
"Blind?" l cried with a start
To your own interests, Bobby. |
unit Lynda likes you, but she doesn't /
ike to hear you speak flippantly. If /
'ou destroy her trust in you, she will /
Tot let us walk together when we
please"
We moved on in silence for a while,
until Ysonde, tired of blazing, handed
ne the Ratchet.
Yes" said I, It am blind-I cannot
cad yOu-On any trail"
Nor ] you" she said simply.
l did not reply, for who but l should
NOW that through the fragrant for
st, bathed in sun and dew, the blind
ed on the blind
You have formed habit" said