Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-09-14
CHAPTER KIN.
The Ford Of the Arkansas.

The Ford OF the Arkansas.
They were still in the midst OF the
yellow featureless plain, but the weary
horses had slowed down TO a walk,
the heavy sand retarding progress. 1t
was gloomy, depressing scene in the
spectral gray light, a wide circle Of
intense loneliness, unbroken by either
dwarfed shrub or bunch of grass, a
barren expanse stretching to the sky.
Vague cloud shadows seemed 10 fit
across the level surface, assuming fan
tastic shapes. but all OF the same dull
colorlng, imperfect and unfinished.
Nothing seemed tangible or real, but
rather some grotesque picture OF de-
lirium. ever merging into another yet
more hideous. The very silence OF
those surrounding WASTES seemed bur
densome, adding UNNECESSARILY to the
horror They were but specks crawl
ing underneath the sky-the only liv.
ins. moving objects IN all that i'm.
mense circle Of desolation and death.
Keith turned In his saddle looking
back past Neb-who swayed in his
seat, with head lolling on his breast
as though asleep, his horse plodding
after the others-along the slight trRN
they he'd made across the desert. SO
far "a eye could reach nothing moved,
nothing apparently existed. Fronting
again to the north he looked upon the
same grim barrenness. only that far
of, against the lighter background OF
distant sky, there was visible q faint
blur, a blush haze, which he believed
to be the distant sand dunes border
Ing the Arkansas. The intense dreari-
ness Of 1t all left feeling ofdepression.
His eyes turned and regarded the girl
riding silently beside him. The same
look of depression was visible upon
her face and she ives gazing of into
the dull distance with lack luster eyes,
her slender form leaning forward. her
hands clasped across the pomnel.
The long WEAKNESS of the night had
left traces on her young face, robbins
1t Of some of It's freshness, yet Keith
found it more attractive in the grow.
ing daylight than amid the lamp shad.
ows OF the evening before. He had
not previously realised the peculiar
clearness of her complexion. the rose
tint showing through the olive skin,
or the soft and silky flneness OF her
hair. which. disa,anged, was strange.
ly becoming under the broad brim OF
the hat she wore, drawn low until II
Swallowed her eyes. II was not face
to be easily associated with frontier
evil; the ohm round and Arm, the lips
full yet sufficiently compressed; the
whole expression that of pure and
dignihed womanhood She puzzled
him, and he scarcely knew what TO
believe, or exactly how to act toward
her.
Our friends back yonder should be
turning out from the corral by now"
he said finally, anxious to break the
silence, for she had not spoken since
he ended his tale. 1T win not be
long until they discover Hawlsy's
predicament and perhaps the weikin
already rings with profanity That
may even account for the blue haze
cut yonder."
She turned her eyes toward him,
and the slightest trace Of smile ap-
peared from out Of the depths Of their
WEAKNESS,
III they would only remain satisfied
with that. VIII they follow US. do
you think? And are We far enough
away by this time to be safe?"
III IA hardly ltksly they. VIII lst Va