Middletown transcript., 1911-09-23
THE MOUNTAIN THAT HET
BY JOSEPH NOEL

\ her little bundle of clothing. The
| warden, who was counting out
the five dollars prescribed BY
law, turned his head for an in.
slant, and she whipped the
revolver into the bosom of her
drab gown. Later, she took it
in her palm, and fondled it like
the hand of a lover. 1t was the
EN- bodiment of her hope to repay
and it was not against the
Tonopah dive keeper who had
sent her to.-two years of living
death that she felt any bitter
ness. She, the woman scorned,
went back TO earlier causes. The
captains blue steeled IA was for
Karrick.
Now began the search in ear
nest. Echoes Of Karrick reached
her from every spot on the
blistered sands where the gold
hungry moles Of human shape
| were grubbing for fortune.
Through the Humboldts. the
Toyabees, as far south as the
Funeral range, she went; then
back to the Carson sink, to join
in that first rush to Rawhide.
Her purpose served to feed her,
to clothe her and to find her
shelter. AS she stalked through
the camps, her jaw set, a hint Of
| far horizons in her whole being,
she looked the spirit of the
wastes conceived by time.worn
god in evil humor.
Unrecognized by the men who
had crowded the Home of Joy to
watch her gyrations when her
body was young and fresh, or to
drink to the mystery that lay in
her unfathomable eyes, she
bowed her head meekly to oathed
| refusals of a lift from the drivers
of the Fallon stage, who had had
a seat for Romance when on the
heaven envied side of twenty one.
Two days out she knew that
she was lost. She should have
made Salt Wells early early that
morning; and now through the
spirals of sand that whirled
across the desert, bearing threats
of a storm, she could see no
house. There was sign of life
off against the hills to the right.
She had glanced indifferently at
this camp during the day. Now,
with night near at hand and the
full knowledge of her plight
breaking in en- her, she swerved
through the sage toward it.
Darkness had fallen when she
reached the fire. The wind sent
the sand in gusts up the draw.
For a minute she stood in the
gloom, which hid her like cur.
tain; and watched a woman,
young, well. formed, beautiful, if
the fitful flames did not lie, who
was busy!ng herself with a
bundle taken from tho back of
the one burro that accompanied
the outfit.
Romance stepped into the arc
of light. A man looked up
quickly from a pan of bacon he
was frying. Instinctively, his
hand sought his gun. A glance
at his face, and her hand was
dominated by the same instinct.
When he spoke, the past, con.
| verted into a microscopic drama,
rushed by her mental sight, as if
the machinery were being turned
by Time pledged to overtake
Eternity.
Who are you? What do you
want? questioned Karrick, saw
agely.
Who am I?-Oh, I am yester-
day! she answered. I want
never mind what I want. She
swallowed hard. Her nerveless
fingers became loosened from the
revolver hidden in the folds of
her dress. She sat down in the
sand beyond the rim or light and
watched the little figure; the
neck and shoulders that told Of
strength; the well shaped head
that belied every drop of profit
mongering blood in him.
Presently, the man turned to
the younger woman. They whis-
peled together for a moment,
while Romance brushed the tears
off her faded cheeks, at the
vision of reincarnated self DUR
ing the days when there was
wildness in the Zingara dance.
Karrick placed his hand pro-
tectingly about his companion,
and the soft moment of tears
was displaced by one of hate.
Red spots jumped up and down
before the eyes of the wrinkled
4 4Is. lit l.. u L.-~- Aa~.al i. II l.