Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1915-08-18

but as they reached the top the young
fastener called out, "See the savins!"
Before them stood a grove Of cedars.
old, gray and drear, as weirdly impress,
sive as the cacti In Mexican desert
Torn by winds. Scared by llghtnings,
deeply rooted. tenacious US tradition.
unlovely; as Egyptian mummies. fantas-
tic. dwarfed and 'blackened. these un:
accountable creatures chung to the
lodges. "What do you suppose planted
those trees there?"J'
The girl wes deeply impressed by the
novelty Of this query. Il never thought
to ask. i reckon they just grew" e.
mo. there's a reason for all these
paintings" he insisted
1--WE don't worry ourselves much
about such things out here" she re-
piled. with charming humor. 1--WE
don't even worry about the weather.
We just take things as they come"
They walked on talking with new in
timncy. j"Where Is your home?" he
asked. .,'s'' 'r,
"A few miles out OF Bear Tooth. You
are from the east. Bill says-'the far
east we call It,"
From New Haven. I've just finished
at Yale. Have you ever been in a
city,"
"Oh. yes! go'.to Denver once In
awhile. and l saw St. Louis once. but
| was only yearling and don't remem-
Der much about 1t. What are you do
ing out here, II It's fair question:"
He looked away at the mountains.
II got rather used up last spring. and
my doctor said Id better come out here
for awhile and build up. I'm going up
to Meeker's mill. Do you know where
that ISL"
Il know every stovepipe in this park"
she answered. Joe Meeker is kind O.
related to me-uncle by marriage. He
lives about fifteen miles over the hill
from Bear Tooth"
This fact seemed to bring them still
closer together. I'm glad Of that" he
said pointedly. Perhaps | shall be
permitted to see you now and again?
I'm going to be lonesome for awhile.
I'm afraid"
4.::Don't you believe it! Joe Meeker's
boys will keep you Interested" she as
sured him.
The stage overlook: them at this point
and Bill surlily remarked. IF you'd
been alone. young Teller. Id "a give
you a chase" Ills resentment Of the
outsiders growing favor with the girl
was ludicrously evident.
AS they rose into the higher levels
the aspen shook its yellowsh leaves in
the breeze and the purple foothills
gained In mnjesty. Great new peaks
came into view on the right. and the
lofty cliffs of the. Bear Tooth range
doomed in naked grandeur high above
the blue green Of the pines which cloth
ell their sloping eastern sides.
AT intervals the road passed small
log ranches crouching low on the banks
Of creeks. but aside from these-and
the sparse animal life around them.
no sign Of settlement could be seen.
The valley lay as it had lain for thou
sands of years. repeating its forests us
the meadows Of the lower levels send
forth their annual, GRASSES. Eorcross
said to himself. II have circled the
track Of progress and have re-entered
The border America. where the stage
roach Is still the Que stirring thing. he,
.ieath the SUM- Il r. {:&
:, At last the driver. with nnte Of cx.
nltation. called out. Grab root. every,
body: it's all the way down hill and
rime to feed" !'' 81" T..
And so as the dusk came over the
mighty spread Of the hills tn the east
and the peaks to the west darkened
from violet to purple black the stage
ru1nbled and ratified and rushed down
the winding road through tllickening
signs Of civilization and just at night.
fall rolleq into, the llttle, town Of Bear
Tooth. which IL the eastern gateway Of
the Ute plateau. -:4-~------.~~-''
.Norcross had given a great deal Of
thought to the young. girl behind him.
and thought had deepened her charm.
Her frlnkness. her humor. her superb
physical strength and her calm self re-
lance appealed to him. and the more
dangerously because he was 80 we'll
aware Of his own weakness and lone
liness. and IA the stage drew up before
the hotel he fervently, said, Il hope
shall see you again?" i.