The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1915-12-16

old mother of the wilderness. From
the first he had felt her personality,
though he had no time to pay more
than a passing attention to it.
81 should think you'd need it," he
said. How do you manage to keep
UP the stroke?"
Law bless you'll" she laughed cas-
lily, 81 ben trained to it. I've cooked
in camp. young man, for forty-two
year straight ahead"
Then you've seen the growth Of the
country, the coming Of railroads, the
making Of towns"
Right from the bottom up. Seen
'em grow from three cabins an a COW
cred wagon"
you've witnessed the inroads of
the world on this fine timber, too"
Eyes, an 1t hain't teched yet. I've
seen IL cut up over the Range an
down this side, an they's double
stumpage for every acre that's ben
cut, between herein the coast"
Sandry was enjoying her succinct
precision of knowledge and express
sion.
And you've spent all these years in
the midst Of this wet-blanket eli
mater" he smiled, How in the world
did you do it-and keep your cheer
fulness?"
Son." said Ma Daily kindly, you
can knock the country to me, but
don't you go dom it where the menll
hear you. Us web-feet are used to
the rain, but we don't like to hear the
Fasteners talk about 1t. It's a chip
on every O~regonian's shoulder. You
don't want to queer yourself"
There was a note of genuine good
advice in the words and tone, and
Sandry got a sudden insight into sew
eral little happenings that had puzzled
him-for instance, the emphasized
wearing OF blue shirts in a rain that
had soaked his o%vercoat, and a few
remarks about the fact that Oregon
rain didn't wet through.
Thank you, Mrs. Daily" he said
earnestly with a sudden feeling OF
friendship between him and this
shrewd, kindly old general of men.
He turned presently to the girl,
busy in the lampiight, her black head
shining, a shadow over her eyes.
"By the way" he said, IF you care
to you may ride Black Bolt whenever
you wish. He needs exercise and |
cannot use him enough. Would you
care to ride Him."
She nodded quietly, without a flicker
Of the pleased excitement he had ex-
pected in the light of her seeming pas
sionate love Of the animal, but a slow,
dull flush spread upward in her dark
face and her fingers trembled a bit, he
fancied, on the reeds.
They trembled in all surety the next
morning, when, with a bride Of colored
and woven horsehair over her arm, she
entered the ~lean-to.
Black Bolt was a gentleman born.
the free air, the green slopes and the
yielding sod under his feet, he stood
still while she came up lightly, as a
cat springs. with a little soft alighting,
and they were gone, down over the
smooth slope of the valley toward the
lower rollway.
There were two interested specta-
tors to that splendid light-Ma Daily
from the cook-shack porch, who wiped
her eyes a bit and said aloud: BLESS
the child! Wild-wild! But it's nat
ural," and Walter Sandry standing at
the south window of the office. .
Black Bolt, sick OF the imprisoning
shed, fed like a buck full-fired with
spring, his feet skimming the wet
green Of the grass. Beside them ran
Coosnah, low to the ground, long ears
Tapping, keeping the pace. SiIetz, n
braid half whipped loose in the wind.
her bare face wet, was flushed all
through her dark cheeks, and her eyes
were like an opium smokers, content
with all the world.
did You like IT," Sandry asked her
amusedly that evening as he passed
through the eating room.
"Yes," said Siletz with her belying
quietness.
II believe I've found a study" he
said to himself as he went on, "a
worthy study In human nature"
And Siletz had found a new heaven
and a new earth. Something wild with
In her that had yer moved restlessly
broke forth, a glorious flower of e. c
stasy. Day by day thereafter she
loosed Black Bolt and sped into fields
Of Elysium. lost to earth. intoxicated.
mad with the rush Of wind and rain.
Always when she came back there
vas the dusky flush in her face. the
sleepy look of intoxication in her eyes.
Thus winter closed in on the lonely
lamp in the mountains. blue-black and
gray with mist and rain and vivid
green with the new grass OF the coast
TO BE CONTINUED