The Forrest City times., 1908-12-04
CHAPTER xxx. The Message of the Dancing Girl te
 Esther.

To Esther, restless, unoccupied, came Sally B.'s urgent invitation to visit her at Toano. Esther accepted it at once, deciding not to wait for the Harmons. Business had delayed the judge, and now fear of smallpox for his wife. A pitted face testified his own immunity. But Esther had no fear of the disease; Toano was free from the scourge; and the breath of the wide, free desert breezing from Sally B.'s letter reused the wings of Esther's spirit.
 She timed her going to catch Uncle Billy's train out from Winnemucca. Through all the years she had written him at intervals, sending her letters at 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 leapee. But he came calmly on, from passensrr 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 transfigured. Thought of stranger eyes, of official dignity, Bed. He caught her hands in his cwn. 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 r1ngu 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, parior and emigrant car all in one. When the meager busi- ness after leaving each infrequent star tion was dispatched he came to her again; and the long day was not half time enough for the tale of Esther's eyentful 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 B.'s loving arms, to Uncle Billy's ton, 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 spoe to order.
 Lord love ye. child, I didn't know how powerful pestered I was there in Oakland an the city till 1 got back here where I b'long There's folks of course that's made for totin society's pack; some of 'em's 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 I was born to; an it's what I'm fit fur" She was tearing an unspeakable bed to pieces with merciless scrutiny. "Gosh Ths way man runs a hotel without no woman is 'nough to make a skunk sick,"
 Esther marveled at Sally B.'s 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 a pillow danger ously near to It's undoing.
 Did you hear about Blowhard Cadf- she asked little later.
 Il overheard his name in the car yesterday, but learned nothing defl- nite."
 Hes arrested for stealing from the company"
 (To BE CoNTINuED.)