The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-11

clearly no possibility Of passing
through the valley before dark.
Alice saw Kirk and Jim. now just
ahead, considering this. She saw, as
she expected, Jim hesitant, uncertain,
nervous. as he glanced fearfully from
side to side. Kirk was, as always.
confident, at ease. his voice even. He
turned, smiling. as she came up.
I'VE were wondering whether We
better ride in" he said. taking upon
himself Jim's hesitation, which he
himself did not share.
There is no sign Of lnsurrectos in
there" Jim admitted. " But" He
stopped.
'Correal certainly knows where we
are" Kirk finished for him, naming
the insurrecto leader Of the province.
Hes either going to keep on seeing
that no one touches us for fear Of
bringing on intervention or IL his side
wants to start trouble over us Correal
can get us here as we'll as five miles
further on"
"Then let's go as far as We can"
Alice decided.
She rode at the head. directly after
Kirk. as they defiled into the valley.
The four guards came last with Jim
She dropped back as the road widened
riding beside her mother and father
and the Giffords and Jim in turn.
When the light was entirely gone
they had reached two little adobe huts.
close together, a little above the trail.
The inhabitants cautiously had fed
leaving their supper cooking. The
women chose from the frijoles and
cornmeal cakes frying to add to their
rations from the saddlebags. AS they
ate Alice noted Jim's plain relief that
as some one commented-it would
be their last supper before reaching
the ship. She looked at Kirk and met
his eyes
She saw there, rather than relief, a
regret over the ending Of their ad-
venture which she knew he would
not express. for no one could compTe
bend it but she. There was no oppor-
tunity for him to speak to her alone
Immediately after supper the older
people, exhausted. prepared to sleep
in the larger hut. She was to share
the clay floor with them. The other
two went to watch and sleep with the
Mexicans in the smaller nut.
HhNc uoWu JUSTLY IitI
but stayed awake. The night re-
manned quiet, the rare. cool air was
still. She got up and in her stocking
feet-she had pulled off her boots
she stepped out the dooress doorway.
The fiickers from the other little
adobes up and down the valley had
gone out. Night birds cried now and
then. The horses stabbed under a
oh ha ha oil
a hoof; sometimes it seemed that in
the stiffness the sound of the waterfall
came from miles away: then it could
be recognized as the rush of the river
below the road.
The skys-a deep blue lane set with
sharply shining stars - stretched
raggedly above the gorge from north
to south. the mountain tops defining it
on either hand. The submits to the
east kept back for a little longer the
silver simmer of the rising moon;
but slowly the rays began to top that
range and touch the highest rocks of
the mountains overhead Gradually,
as the shadow of the sun had crept
up the other side of the valley, the
moon simmer dropped lower on this.
Kirk was sitting alone before the
uut, Oh WdttIl.
was sleeping within to stand sentinel
next. The Mexicans, apparently salts
fled with the guard which was being
kept, had given up all pretence of
keeping it themselves. They. without
intent of later wakefulness. We're
asleep within.
Alice came closer Kirk turned and
saw her. She stepped toward him.
her. They met in between the two
adobes, in the starlight only; the d.
rect light of the moon was still far
above. He touched her arm gently
with his firm fingers. Her blood
warmed and throbbed.
II came over to be with YOU" shs
whispered.
you make me afraid to have YOU"
Afraid"
He caught her close, but before the
strength of his arm broke down her
instructive resistance he released her.
She returned to him.
Hold me-" she begged II did not
mean to stop you"
He grasped her wrists. but it was to
hold her away.
II have not spoken to you'll haven't
asked you to marry me because 1t Is
not fair down here"
mot fair?"
you did not care more for me than
for him"-he nodded back to the hut
where Jim slept-"before We came
down here?"
II did not know myself. This had
not happened" she pleaded.
''This? You mean We hadn't come
into DANGER"
Eyes, into danger"
II knew that had influenced YOU"
he said. "That was why l knew I
must wait"
ITO ask me to be your wife? Wait?
Why?"
Because we're going back where
those things count most that make
you care for him. Might you not do
that again?"
Care more for him than for you
after this? Never!"
She Struggled closer to him. He held
her steady.
"You forget. You must remember.
I've wasted my life racing speeding
motors and aeroplanes which any
eighteen year-old boy can run as well.
You told me that--with contempt
NJ