Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-12
Drawing by c. E. Chambers

(ANFIELD showed in: there could be no
Z : manner of doubt about that. He wondered at
times if ever in the history of the world a hui
man being had been more consummately snowbound.
Often he stood just outside the door Of the winter
cabin and con ectured upon the approximate depth
of that blanket of snow which rose tier upon tier
toward every fractional point of the compass And
the silence of it, 1t awful There times
when it oppressed him almost beyond endurance.
He had grown into the habit of quoting to himself.
Silence is the law of Nature: sound the breaking of
the rule" and-oh, how at times he did wish some
thing would happen to break the rule!
He was in of the Bitter Root Range. He
called it cup. instead of saucer: it was deep
enough surely. He had STAYED and with the
one who to take winter charge of the mine
and its appurtenances; and then SIX weeks ago. he
had sent that one man on an errand to the nearest
postoffice. which sixty miles away. And then
the had come the second day after Idaho
Pete's departure. 1t had come with vengeance,
too. and it had kept on coming for solid week: not
the way snow falls in the East, but Just as 1T has
fallen time after time among those same Bitter Root
Mountains. Garfield knew. before the end of the
first twentyfour hours of storming that Pete would
not be able return to him and that he was himself.
hopeless prisoner but he made the best of it. just
he had made the best of everything in life, always.
There times when he chucked over the pre-
dicament in which he found himself, and then the
majesty of that profound silence by which he was
surrounded oppressed him anew. Mountain peaks
lowered above him everywhere he looked. He knew
that beyond them. somewhere, there was life and
laughter; that making love to women, and
that women were responding there would arise
before his vision face that lured him with pleading
ewes He would imagine that he could hear the soft
tones of her voice murrnurlng sweet messages OF
love and faith and hope, of confidence and of 10y
atty. But she was three thousand miles away from
him. as the flies: mion-ten million-miles
away whenever he considered the utter impossiblty
of getting to her.
A Nd tomorrow will be Christmas Day. he told
4 himself aloud continuing the thought that had
brought him outside the door of his cabin, = and |
promised to eat my Christmas dinner with her. and
+ tell abr he #
and promises! And she will be looking for me. ex-
pectng me- longing for me! Curse that silence |
million pieces 1t has taken upon itself shape and
form, outline and substance. Silence? Huh |
never knew the meaning of the word before. never
did, Then, in desperation, he lifted up his voice
and yelled ''Whoop- EEEeeeE-ah! and the hills
seemed to tremble under the weight of that terrific
sound, the distant peaks to totter beneath it, mag
nified it was. by the frozen air in which parti-
Gle of moisture remained. Garfield dodg ID into the
cabin and closed the door. He put his thumbs into
his
That's what get for meddling he muttered as
he emerged again upon the open. Il sure can't
grub with Katherine tomorrow; that's cnch,
Pete would say. I've got to cook my dinner,
eat it alone make solloquy speeches to myself hang
up my stocking beside chimney that even Santa
Claus couldn't find if he tried-and do the whole
blessed Christmas show in solitudel Gee! but wish
could transport about six people OF my acquaintance
to this place in balloon something Now, if l
were only a theosophist might prestidgitate with
their astral bodies, and Eth? Why not? What's to
A PLAN, suggested by his thoughts, had taken
form. He yelled another Whoopee!" and for
got to dodge the thunder of it. The Great Dane,
which until then had remained curled up beside the
fire, strolled majesticay through the doorway and
gazed soemnly and reproachfully into his eyes
Poor old Royal Garfield said, fondlng the sat
my of his faithful companion The silence has
got your nerves too l haven't heard you let out
much zip in three weeks and you are rather
proud of your voice, too Speak, Royal, speak,"
he commanded. The dog yawned. Speak, l tell
you" The dog reentered the cabin. Garfield