The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1912-12-24

T W. 0unoey o9teso0o0 oup Q
hasy. golden. late esptsmb~
sun was swimming iasiiy IN
the blue aro Of shy. AocdinG
the lower gaiissy Of Circle
Bar ranchhousA but not reaching Q -
Guided nook IN which at Hollis end Nsl-
lie Haxeiton. Mrs.. Norton was soma.
whore In the house and Merton had gous
down to the blnlehouss for Q taflg With
the men-Hollis and Nef1is could zee him,
sitting on . bench IN the shade Of the
caves. the other men gathsrsd about
him.
Below the broad level that stretched
away from the randf,houss sank the big
basin. sweeping away TO the mountains.
Miles Into tho distance the Circle Bar
cattle could BE- ssen-moving dots IN tie
centre OF great. green bowl. 10 the
right Rasor-Back ridge doomed M bald
crest upward with no versiurs saving
the fringe Of shrubbsry At IT. bass:, 20
the left stretched . vast plain that net
the distant hoHxon that stretched an
intSrminabls distance behind che eettsa-
Except for me moving dots there
was total absence Of life and mOve-
ment In the big basin. II spread In its
wide. gradual. downward slope. bathsl
In tho yellow sunshine Of the sew.
mellow season. peacefully DlumbOrous,
Infinitely beautiful
Many times had Hollis sst IN the
gallery watching It. his eyes slistsn-
ing. his soul stirrsd TO awe. Long
since had no ceased resrstting the
ghtterins tnsel Of the cities Of his
recollection: they seemed artfleisl,
unreal. When he had first gassd cut
over tho basin he had been oppressed
80
vastness had appalled, him, its silence
had aroused in him that vagus ais.
quiet which In akin TO fear
But these emotions had passsd, He
sull felt awed-he would always feel
II. for II seemed that here he was
looking upon . section Of the world
In Its primitive state; that in forming
this world the Creator had been in MS
noblest mood--so far did the lofty
mountains. tho wide. sweeping valleys.
the towering buttes and the mighty
canyons dwarf the flat hills and the
puny shadows OF the land he had
knawn. But no was no LONGER ar
palled; disauietude had been super.
seeded by love.
1t all seemed to hold some mystery
for him-an ailurins. soui-stirrinr
mys'ery Tho tawny mountains, i'm
mutabis guardians OF the Basin.
whose peaks rose sombrely IN the
twilight rlow--dld they hold IT. Or
was u hidden In the basin. in the
great. green sweep that basked In the
eternal sunlight.
fcrhnpr there was no mystery. Per-
hsps he felt merely the romance that
would Inevitably come to one who
deeply appreciated the beauty Of .
lana Ia.o which he had come 90 un-
wil'nelvT For romance was hare
lie turned hts head slightly ma
looked NJ ~" r,rl who sat beside him.
she also was l0oF'1g out over the
Nasi1. HOY ctcr 1iled With n Iixht that
thrilled him. No studied her face ions.
rot'rr the regnl'- eNtures. me siiyN,
tan, through which shone ,he dushv
bloom ~ nrrfcct health; tho RoidsS
brown 11'r, with the wind blown wisno
r'rarrlar over her temples; he felt the
uraccoru'1llc, i1dcnnaole something
that tn'i h!m o. her Unborn Innocence
and Du'i'y--Tuallties that he had wor-
rhipp'l ever since he had been old
enough 10 kaow the Inference between
right and WRONG
\ dec0 resrert moved him, a reverent
sniilc wroathoi his Inns. Motheriyy
Yes. that worid-thrilling word aotiy
described her. And as he continued to
look ~ her he realized that this world
held no mystery for him beyond that
which was enthroned In the heart of
tho girl who sat beside lin. uncon-
sclous OF his thoughts
lie turned again toward the basin.
lie did not want TO uncover the mys-
tery---yet, There were sim several
things 10 he dcu9 Acfort he would feel
free To speak Vie words thar nc Rad
meditated upnn for some weeka Mean
whlle--lt ,he goes were with him--the
solving OF bhe mystery would be tso
more sntovsble.
Iss w csaIisus<.a