Anadarko daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 1908-191?, 1909-12-06
BY MARJORIE L. PIcKTHALL
copyright, by Short Stories Co, Lad


uently over the shoulders of the hills,
as little spiders might crawl up a
mans coatsleeve. Twice or thrice the
winds had been minded 20 brush the
toiling insects away but had thought
better of Il; they we're so very insig
nifcant. these little black specks up
on the edges of the SHOWS.
At last the three men and the ponies
and the taciturn dog climbed up above
the clouds. and came out upon a bare
flank of mountain, upon a long slope
OF soft crumbled rock ending I'm a
thirty-foot wide ledge and clear
drop of nearly eight hundred feet
Wen, sirs." said Macavoy, tho tall,
brown man with the black beard. own.
er OF Taya the dog well, sirs. I've
brought you here safe. Now you have
but TO scratch T. the ground. for the
whole face o. the hills riddled wi
veins and pockets of gold I've done
my part so tomorrow, by your
leave. Taya and I'll be goin' our ways"
Stay with u.s." cordially entreated
Dalsworth. artist, journalist, and wan
derer to the ends of the earth. stay
with us. and work on shares When
you led rs to this place you fairly
laid fortune in our hands"
And was pal for so doin," an
swered Macavoy with his slow smile.
paid literally. accordin' to our agree
ment. I'm but the guide. Twice or
l I fnr. -
three years since was here. No. I'll
not stay. thankin you none the less
Wen be goin' our ways, me and Taya.
Eth, old lass?"
The dog laid her head on the mans
knee. and curled her lips back expect.
antly.
III you don't mind" said young
Urquhart abruptly. "Ill call that dog
Monna Lisa. She has the same bony
forehead and superior smirk. Oh, I
know it's heresy, Dial. but don't you
see the likeness? You could esteem
Monna Lisa, but you could never love
her. Give me a dog. likewise WON.
an, that you can chuck under the
chin"
Macavoy looked from one to the
other. puzzled crease on his wealth.
erbeaten forehead "Taya has wolf
blood in her." he ventured maybe
that's why she's different from 9th
ers."
ITO go back to what we were speak.
ing of when Urquhart cut in" said
Dalsworth. why won't you stay? oh.
our agreement doesn't matter Chip
in with us. When you came away
from this place before, you threw
aside fortune. Don't let It go a sec
ond time"
Il thank you very kindly" said
Macavoy with no hesitation, but III
be goin' in a day or so. ! mean no
offense to you who think different,
but to me. shadow and a sorrow
would go with this gold. Yes, I've
been here before. That's why I'll not
stay here now"
You limited of spooks before" said
Dalsworth with a friendly impatience.
but surely you weren't in earnest? &?
Go on with the story"
Macavoy bent his head, and absent.
ly fingered Taya's outstanding ears. II
know no story" he said in low
voice: "the story lies in what | do
not know, and can but guess atm
all that | shall never know for sure.
II Taya here could speak, she'd tell
you more than | can. Dogs at times
can hear and see more than men, and
she's VOLTS eyes and ears. I'd a
friend once. Frenchman. who said
that a wolf could hear the very foot.
falls o. the Angel OF Death. You'll
mind that. when ] told you o. this
place. / said there was a shadow over
1t? can but tell you what that
shadow may be.
1--WE thought much ON the matter,
fitting In fact with fancy, till at length
and at last, I've got a story that'Il
serve II may be far from the truth.
But there's naught left to verify t.,
save the rusty pick you saw, Mister
UrQuhart. lyin' In that little hole In
the hillside.
yes, I've thought so long on II, that
at last it's come TO seem as IL I'd
seen 1t all-seen the hill when there
was no little hole there. seen him
who owns the pick"
"Him?" said Dalsworth, him? Who?
A hermit in the wilderness?"
THE Siwashes have a name for
him." said Macayoy in very low
voice. (which we can best translate
as Who-Is-N Not"
He e-Who-IsNot?" asked DaIsworth
again with a rising infection on the
words.
Yes" said Macavoy simply, ''for
you see. sirs. he's been dead now
a matter O. three years, take II.
Macavoy dropped his hands heavily
on his knees. God rest his soul" he
said softly. God rest his soul, as the
Irish say. whoever he was. For, o
sirs. when he left Tsalekulhye like a
bright cloud behind him, and lifted his
face to the stars. he was doomed
l. -