The Irish standard., 1908-05-30

Billy's train out from w1nnemucca.
Through all the years she had written
him at intervals, sending her letters
ut first through Sally B.
She wished to surprise him. He was
therefore quite unprepared for the tall.
elegant young woman who waited I'M
patiently at the rear end of the car
to greet him. She saw him glance to-
ward her as soon as he entered. and
her heart leaped. But he came calmly
on. from passenger to passenger stop
ping here and there for question or
direction. He looked her way inQuir-
ingly once. or twice but blankly.
When he was yet few seats away.
recognition came. He sprang to her,
his face transhgured. Thought of
stranger eyes, of official dignity, fed.
He caught her hands in his own.
Honey! Stella!" he cried softly as
he kissed her on the cheek, the years.
hunger for her shining in his misty
eyes, Where undeh the canopy did
you come from, honey?"
She smiled her Joy, but said no
word.
He still held her hands. her rings
cutting under the pressure neither
marked till later. his eyes searching
her glowing face. Her mask had
dropped: her soul was open to him.
He made her as comfortable as pos
sible In the rough car that did duty as
sleeper, coach. parlor and emigrant
car all in one When the meager bust.
ness after leaving each infrequent sta
ton was dispatched he came to her
time enough for the tale OF Esther's
eventful life. every detail questioned
and appreciated by her rapt listener
Esther opened her eyes the next
morning upon strange life. new, yet
old. The Wizard Desert wrapped her
again with the mantle of his enchant.
ment. AS of old, the hills walked out
of their spaces to meet her. She was
back in her own world, back to Sally
BIS loving arms, to Uncle Billy's ten.
der solicitude.
"Are you happy, Mrs. Sally?" Esther
asked, following her from one to an
other Of the rough rooms, as the mis-
tress deftly touched each chaotic spot
to order.
Lord love ye, child! didn't know
how powerful pestered I was there in
Oakland an the city till got back
here where b'long. There's folks of
course that's made for totin' society's
pack; some of ems soft, squashy crit
ters, an some Of ems plumb good like
Freddy Bryan; but the plains, an
work, an men with blood in 'em, an
freedom-that's what l was born to;
an it's what I'm fit fur" She was
tearing an unspeakable bed to pieces
with merciless scrutiny. Gosh! The
way a man runs hotel without no
woman is 'nough to make a skunk
sick!"
Esther marveled at Sally BIS rever.
sion. Nothing Of her violent effort at
culture remained; and her old speech
and manner seemed doubly vigorous
for the long rest.
"If only Bill was-was right peart
agin-" Sally B. began. but stopped
abruptly and shook pillow danger.
ously near to its undoing.
Did you hear about Blowhard Cad?"
she asked little later.
Il overheard his name in the car
yesterday, but learned nothing def.
mite"
Hes arrested for stealing from the
company"
ooh, surely not for stealing!" In.
stantly Esther's mind flew back to the
desert station, the overland journey,
the scene on the hillside, to many
lesser visions of him, even to her last
meeting at Judge Harmon's. Always
the same aversion to him, the same
wonder that the company trusted him.
"Yes. stealin'. They gave him pas
senger out OF Sacramento. an he didn't
run 1t three weeks till they caught him.
The boys say there's something back
Of that, too, an it'll 60 hard with him.
Pore devil! He was bright 'nough fur
meanness; pity he couldn't a. tried be-
in white. Come on. got to go to
the kitchen"
Here again reigned Vic Wah, the i'm
perturbable.
do you like 1t here?" Esther asked
him.
He grinned. "You bettee! Heap
geod. One dollah man out here; no
two bittee man. Heap plenty loom.
You likee say DAMN all light. No
matter"
"Yic got converted down in Oak
land" Sally B. said when out OF his
hearing. "It1l give ye crick in yer
side to hear him singin' Sans. He's
the best hollerer Charley Crocker's
got McLane's comm through tonight.
The boys has stuffed Vic with a lot
about Mac, told him Macs goin' to do
up Crocker's railroad; and I'm power
full Yraid YicIl sass Mac" There was
a trife of worry in Sally BIS laugh.
How can he hinder our company
now?"
~ l.: L IL