The Kenna record. (Kenna, Roosevelt County, N.M.) 190?-1924, 1913-12-05

sign"l shot from the rim-rock to give
me the earliest news of his return He
put out the light, kissed me good-by,
and was gone.
From the inner edge of the bed |
could see through the window. and
watched Orion rising behind the
cliffs. The night turned pale, then for
long time the great gaunt precipice
revealed in tender primrose light and
amber shade. l heard our riders sad
die, mount and canter away for the
days work. The two Cinnamon went
off also on some domestic errand. The
sunrise caught the pines upon the rim
rock into points of flame. heard a
distant shot, and fell asleep.
The widow had stumped about near
ly all night, weary to the tip of her
wooden leg, poor soul, so when woke
again and crept to the lean-to door,
1t was relief to find that she had
gone to sleep She had left me
saucepan full of bread and milk.
which warmed, and 1t warmed me
nicely.
Mrs. OFlynn asleep is like peace
after war. Dressing in stealth,
prayed for peace in our time, then
with sweet enjoyment of fresh guilt,
stole out into the sunshine.
l reached the grove, at this cool
hour so like a green lagoon where
coral piers branch up to some ribbed
vault. The waves of incense, the riv-
er's organ throb, the glory in the
windows, gave me peace, but the
choir of the winds had gone away, and
for once in that sweet solitude l was
lonely. My sitting is at the root of the
governess tree, and Jesse's under the
great father pine. If he we're only
there, how 1t would ease the pain.
needed him so badly as / sat there,
trying to make him present In my
thoughts. He had gone away, and the
squirrel who lives in the widow tree
had taken even his match ends. Only
the cigar stubs were left, which would,
of course, be bad for the squirrels
children. / wasn't well enough to
call, but left my nut
Close by is the terrific verge of the
inner canyon and sitting at the very
edge of death | saw into the mists.
1t was so foolish, why should l be
frightened of death, such a coward in
bearing pain? And yet l had better
confess the truth, that presently ran
away screaming, my skirt torn by
brambles, by feet caught in the roots.
Only when | passed the place where
by anemones live, and beyond the
east door of the grove came out into
full sunlight. could go no farther but
fell to the ground exhausted. Yes. 1t
was very silly, and that blind panic
shamed me as looked up at the cres
cent of silvery birch trees who hold
court at the foot of the upper cliff.
Something small and black was COM
ing toward me, clergyman, too, and
nervous, because he twlddled his little
hat.
Are you in pain?" he asked.
Are you fairy" | answered, won
dering. l couldn't think of anything
else at the moment, for our lost ranch
is so far from everywhere.
mo, madam" he said quite gravely
I'm only curate, May sit DOWN."
My heart went out to him. for he
was so little, so old, English like me,
but with the manner of the great
world When he sat down he took
care not to hurt one of my flowers.
Il fear I'm trespassing," he said, ''in
your royal gardens. May Introduce
myself? My name is Nisted-Jared
Nisted, once an army chaplain. now a
tourist"
Are you sure" ventured. that
you're not "a"
Fairy? Believe me. dear lady, I'm
a very commonplace little person.
"A humble admirer of yours, one
fearful George has been kind enough
to bring me here in his blackboard.
which has complaining wheels. a
creaky body, and such a wheezy horse.
He. fearful George, mean, contract
ed for seventy-five dollars to bring me
to paradise and back but as we
creaked our passage through that
weird black forest feared my guide
had taken the pathway which leads to
the other place. / confess, the upper
forest frightened me, and now, hav-
ing come to paradise. don't want to
go back" He sighed. George" he
added. lis making camp up yonder
Mrs. Smith, will you laugh at me very
much If tell you fairy tale? It's
quite a nice one"
oh, dol" l begged
Well" he began. you know where
the three birch trees are all using a
single pool as their mirror?"