The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-07-27
Continued from Page 81
THE LITTLE BROTHER.

THE LITTLE BROTHER.
present in the others thought. Could
whom Chiquita had spoken the night
before; at first with reluctance, then
with growing enthusiasm?
He pushed his own work and that
of others with avidity that day. Phil
| ip Northcott was not the man to
slight a duty, come what might
Early afternoon found him with time
| free and heavy upon his hands. The
day was hot, even as days went in
that furnace of sun flame. The Of
fees and bunk houses were deserted,
and most of the corrals empty, the
drought having driven sheep and
shepherds to the lower mesa.
Strolling idly, with Bianco at his
heels, Northcott decided to walk to-
ward the Needle Rocks in the Upper
Canon, place generally conceded to
be the most desolate in the whole
barren prospect. The only man he
saw as he went was the Manuel of
the morning interview. The young
shepherd was busying himself about
the flock with which he was to fare
forth upon the morrow.
At the moment when Northcott
came upon him, Bianco had bounded
forward in joy at sight of the flock
and Manuel Northcott did not see
their greeting, but he did see Manuel
begin to put the dog through the
movements he had taught him with
such painstaking, months before, and
in which the splendid animal had had
so little practice of late. The super
intendent paused to watch them, not
wholly pleased.
Manuels directions to the collie
were in soft-spoken Spanish, caresses
rather than commands.
Go to the head" he said, and
Bianco plunged forward or, Back
and follow" and the graceful collie
obeyed at the word He curveted and
, leaped about the snowy ewes in
pleasure that was beautiful to see.
AS he spied Northcott's approach,
he stood silent and saddened. At the
There was something he loved, but
, did not understand, in this man. He
served unhesitatingly the voice of
, either master, for such was his store
of faithfulness that he could serve two
who lived as truly as he could one.
Manuel was troubled. He walked to
, the edge of the corral, and called after
the two with tremor of some emo
ton in his tone.
"Senor Northcott,"' he said, "are
you walking to the Valley of Dry
D Bones?'
I THAT sandy hollow between the
> Needle Rocks? Yes, l was making
= that way"
DO not, 1 beg of you!" cried Man
: uel earnestly. Remember the pan
2 ther-that cruel, creeping beast"
:. Northcott laughed.
You are too solicitOus, my man
O Even if that beast exists outside Of
your imagination, it will hardly ven
ture so near to the houses in the broad
6 daylight
! Heed me- insisted Manuel, in q
. lowered voice. "She has been seer
9 there. She is a mother, and she is
crazed for drink and food since the
/ drying up Of the waters. Her dar
y ing is probably beyond our concep
:, ton
stay close, then" answered the
n other Il think that she, like man!
y another terror, is upon the track!
only of those who fear her."
Northcott strolled on, and the youns
- shepherd went back to his duties
- He had chosen no other collie for
companion, and now, as he worked
his shoulders convulsed OCCASIONAL.
as with fear or loneliness, and NOR,
than once he muttered the name o
Bianco.
y Northcott sat down in the Valley o
$ Dry Bones when he reached it. HI
II leaned against the base of one of tn
le pinnacles of rock, and looked on
across the little shaded hollow int
% the interminable sunlit plain beyond
d The burning, golden light of after
n noon fairly swamped the scene; and b.
le its intensity brought forth it's com
1t Elementary color to relieve it her
n. and there. Blue, deep ultramarine
at and violet-blue lay in pools of shadoy