The Washington herald., 1911-03-19
5B}URNING DAYLIGHT
~ By cAcA L0ND0N

span the canyon. until it was real before his ewes
Across the canyon the place for the mill and
there he erected it, and he erected also the endles,
chain of buckets suspended from cable and operated
by gravity that would carry the across the canyon
to the quartz crusher. Likewise. the whole mine
grew before him and beneath him-tunnels shafts
and galleries and hosting plants. The blasts of the
miners in his ears and from across the CANYON
he could hear the Of the stamps The hand that
held the lump of quartz trembling and there was
tired, palpitaon apparently the pit of his
stomach 1t came to him abruptly that what he
wanted was drink-wbiSkey, cocktails, anything a
drink. And even then, with this hot yearning
for alcohol him, he heard faint far drifting
down the green abyss of the canyon, Dedes voice
crying
Here. chick chick chick chick, chick! Here,
chick. chick. chick"
He astounded at the lapse of time. She had
left her sewing the porch and was feeding the
chickens preparatory to getting supper The after
gone He could not conceive that he had
been away that long
Again came the call:-"Here chick chick chick
chick. chick! Here. chick. chick chickr
1t was the way she always called-frst FIVE and
then three. He had long since noticed it, And from
these thoughts of her arose other thoughts that
caused great fear slowly to grow in his face For II
seemed to him that he had almost lost her Not once
that much, at least had she truly been lost to him.
He dropped the piece of quartz slid down the slide
and started up the trail, running heavily At the
edge of the clearing he eased and almost crept
to point Of vantage whence he could peer out him
self unseen. She feeding the chickens, tossing
to them handfus of grain and laughing at their
antics.
The sight Of her seemed to relieve the panic fear
into which he had been flung, and he turned and ran
oI-
this time he climbed higher carrying the pick and
shovel with him. And again he toIed frenziedIy but
this time with different purpose. He worked art
fully, oosing slide after slide of the red Ill and
sending it streaming down and covered up all he had
uncovered hiding from the light of day the
he had discovered. He even went into the woods and
scooped armfus Of last years fallen leaves which he
scattered the slide. But this he gave up as a
vain task, and he sent slides of soil down upon
the of his labor until sign remained of the
outiutting walls of the vein
Next he repaired the broken pipe gathered his tools
together and started up the trail. He walked slowly.
feeling a great weariness Of a who had
passed through a frightful crisis He put the tools
away took a great drink of water that again flowed
through the pipes. and down the bench by the
open kitchen door. Dede inside preparing sup
per and the sound Of her footsteps gave him vast
content.
like diver fresh risen from the sea. And, as he
drank in the air. he gazed with all his eyes the
clouds and sky and valley, if he drinking in
that, too, along with the air.
Dede did not know he had come back and at times
turned his head and stole gances in at herat her
efficient hands, the bronze of her brown hair that
smOudered with fire when she crossed the path Of
sunshine that streamed through the window at the
promise of her figure that shot through him a pang
mO He ri
her approaching the door, and kept his head resouey
toward the valley. And next he thrilled, he had
always thrilled when he felt the caressng gentleness
of her fingers through his hair.
Il didn't know you back" she said. Was it
serious?"
Pretty bad, that Slide" he answered. still gazing
away aud thrilling her touch. More serious than
l reckoned But I've got the plan. Do you know
what I'm going to do? I'm going to plant eucalyptus
all over it. They'll hold it I'll plant them thick
as grass that Il hungry rabbit can't squeeze
between them, and when they get their roots agong
nothing in creation will move that dirt again"
why, is it as bad that?"
He shook his head.
Nothing exciting. But I'd sure like to see any
blamed old slide get the best of me. that's all I'm
going seal that slide down so that it'll stay there
for million years. Ana wnen the last trump
sounds and Sonoma Mountain and all the other
mountains pass into nOthingness that old slide will
be still a-standing there, held up by the roots"
He passed his arm around her and pulled her
down his knees.
Say, little woman, you miss lot by living
here the ranch-musc and theatres, and such
things. Don't you ever have hankering to drop it
all and go back:"
so great his anxiety that he dared look
her, and when she laughed and shook her head he
was of a great relief. AlsO he noted the
undiminished youth that rang through that
oldtime boyish laugh of hers.
Say" he said, with sudden ferceness, don't you
go fOoling around that slide until after l get the
trees In and rooted. It's mighty dangerous and
sure can't afford to lose you now"
He drew her lips to his and kissed her hungriy and
passionately.
What a lover!" she said and pride in him and in
her own womanhood in her voice.
Look at that, Dede." He removed encrcIing
arm and swept it in Il wide gesture over the valley
and the mountains beyond. THE Valley of the Moon
"a good name, good name. Do you know, when
look out over it ALL and think of you and of all IL
means it Kind of makes me ache in the throat and