University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1915-09-15
CHAPTER XVII
The Call of Sun Rock

looked by the Sun Rock one day a
man, a woman and child in canoe.
Civilization had done for lovely Joan
what it had done for many another
wild flower transplanted from the
depths of the wilderness. Her cheeks
were thin. Her blue eyes had lost their
luster. She coughed, and when she
coughed the man looked at her with
love and fear in his eyes. But now
slowly, the man had begun to see the
transformation, and on the day their
canoe pointed up the stream and into
the wonderful valley that had been
their home before the call OF the dis
tant city came to them, he noted the
flush gathering once more in her
cheeks, the fuller redness of lips, and
the gathering glow of happiness and
content in her eyes. He laughed soft
ly as he saw these things, and he
blessed the forests. In the canoe she
had leaned back, with her head almost
against his shoulder, and he stopped
paddling to draw her to him, and run
his fingers through the soft golden
masses of her hair.
"You are happy again. JOAN he
laughed joyously. "The doctors were
right. You are part of the forests.
"Yes, l am happy" she whispered.
and suddenly there came a little thrill
into her voice, and she pointed to
white finger of sand running out into
the stream do you remember-years
and years ago. it seems-that kazan
| left us here? She was on the sand
over there, calling to him. Do you re-
MEMBER" There was little tremble
about her mouth, and she added, Il
wonder-where they-have gone.
The cabin was as they had left 1t.
Only the crimson bakneesh had grown
up about it, and shrubs and tall grass
had sprung up near Its walls. once
more il took on life, and day by day
the color came deeper into Joan's
cheeks, and her voice was filled with
its old wild sweetness of song. Joan's
husband cleared the trails over his old
trap-lines, and Joan and the little Jo-
an. who romped and talked now,
transformed the cabin into home. One
night the man returned to the cabin
late, and when he came in there was
a glow of excitement in JOan's blue
eyes. and tremble in her voice when
she greeted him.
did you hear it?" she asked. Did
you hear-the call?'
He nodded, stroking her soft hair.
81 was a mile back in the creek
swamp" he said Il heard it!'
Joan's hands clutched his arms.
ut wasn't Kazan," she said. II
would recognize his voice. But i
seemed to me it was like the other
the call that came that morning from
the sand-bar, his maIe!"
The man was thinking. Joan's fing-
ers tightened. She was breathing a
little quickly.
"Will you promise me this?" she
asked, will you promise me that you
will never hunt or trap for wolvesT
81 had thought Of that" he replied.
81 thought of it-after heard the call.
Vac 7 will nrOmiSe"
Joan's arms stole up about his neck.
1--WE loved Kazan," she whispered.
And you might kill him-or her."
Suddenly she stopped. Both listened.
The door was little ajar, and to them
there came again the wailing mate-caH
of the wolf Joan ran to the door. Her
husband followed. Together they stood
silent, and with tense breath Joan
pointed over the starlit plain.
Listen. Listen!" she commanded.
Its her cry, and it came from the
Sun Rock!"
She ran out into the night, forget
ting that the man was close behind
her now, forgetting that little Joan
was alone in her bed. And to them,
from miles and miles across the plain,
there came a wailing cry in answer
a cry that seemed part of the wind,
and that thrilled Joan until her breath |
broke in strange sob.
Farther out on the plain she went |
and then stopped, with the golden glow
of the autumn moon and the stars |
shimmering in her hair and eyes. 1t
was many minutes before the cry came |
again, and then it was so near that |
Joan put her hands to her mouth, and /
her cry rang out over the plain as in
tho dave of old