Rocky Ford enterprise. (Rocky Ford, Colo.) 1887-1950, 1913-07-25
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lightly on the shoulder by way OF
greeting and said:
How are you? All right?~
"Oh, I'm all right" she answered
with brisk. determined sprightliness.
You're the one to ask about. You
walk stiff, still. How are your feet?"
She was glad to turn her eyes away
from his face. 1t looked very tired.
and the slight smile with which he
had greeted her stayed only on his
lips, did not extend to his fatigued
eyes. He was evidently angry still.
angry and unforgiving. and that he
should be so, when she was SO anxious
to forget the ugly episode of the
quarrel and be gay and friendly again.
dashed her spirits and made her feel
insure of herself and upset. She was
determined, however, to show him
that she had forgotten all about 1t.
and as he turned the angle Of the
stairway she thrust her hand inside
his arm and walked up beside him.
They might have been happy mar
ried couple, reunited after an abb
sence. slowly coming up the stairs
together arm in arm.
A few minutes later they were
seated opposite each other at dinner.
The little table glowed and cleaned,
all Berny's bravery of silver and glass
mustered for its adornment. The
choice and delicate dinner began with
a soup that Dominick especially liked.
a fact which Berry hoped he would
notice and mention. She was one Of
those women who have an unfailing
memory for what people like to eat;
single expression of preference
would remain in her mind for years.
Dominick and she had not lived to-
gether for month before she knew
everything in the way of food he liked
or disliked. When she, was annoyed
with him, or especially bitter against
his mother, she would order nothing
but dishes that he did not care for.
and when she was in a more friendly
mood, as tonight, she would take
pains and time to arrange a menu
composed of those he preferred. He
usually did not notice these rewards
and punishments. but Berry always
thought he did and was too stub
born" as she expressed 1t to herself.
" suoW that ne WAS dutCttu ny tuSLis
She observed tonight that be nei-
Their remarked, nor seemed to relish
his food. but she made no comment,
talking on in breathless, lively way.
asking questions of his trip. his acct
dent. and the condition OF his feet.
as though there were no Notifying
recollections connected with the cause
Of his sudden departure. Her only
indication of embarrassment was a
tendency to avoid anything like a mo-
ment Of silence and to fly from one
subject to another. Dominick an
swered her questions and told her
of his wanderings with slow. care
full exactness. Save in the freezing
Of his feet. which matter he treated
more lightly than It deserved, he was
open with her in recounting the small
happenings of what he called his
holiday" from the time of his walk
from Rocky Bar to the day Of his
departure from Antelope.
They had progressed through the
fish to the entree when her questions
passed from his personal wanderings
and adventures to his associates. She
had been very anxious to get to this
point. as she wanted to know what
degree of intimacy he had reached
with the Bonanza King. Several
times already she had tried to divert
the conversation toward that subject,
but it had been detected by the young
man. who seemed to find less per-
sonal topics more to his taste. Now
she was advancing openly upon it,
inquiring about the snow-bound group
at Perley's, and awarding to any but
the august name for which her ears
were pricked a perfunctory attention.
1t was part of the natural perversity
of man that Dominick should shy
from 1t and expend valuable time on
descriptions of the other prisoners.
There was an actor there" he
ramento. a queer-lookipg chap. but not
bad"
IAN actor?" said Berry. trying to
look interested. What did he act?"
"Melodrama, think. He told me
he played all through the northwest
and east as far as Denver. The poor
chap was caught up there and was
afraid he was going to lose q Sacra-
mento engagement that / guess meant
a good deal to him. He was quite
interesting, been in the Klondike in
the first rush and had some queer sto-
ries about the early days up there"
Berny's Indifferent glance became
bright and fixed under the steadying
effect of sudden interest.
Been in the Klondike?" she re-
peated. What was his name7"
"Buford, James Delay Buford. He'd
been an actor at the opera house at
Dawson"
"Buford," said Berry. turning to
place a helping of pease on the plate
the Chinaman held toward her. IT