The Dolores star. [volume] (Dolores, Montezuma County, Colo.) 1901-current, 1916-07-28
CHAPTER XII.
I 90 to New York,

] 20 10 new YORK.
shall not here recount the events on
the farm during the weeks which fol-
lowed Miss stella's departure. They
did not particularly interest me. My
whole psychological makeup had been
violently shaken, the centers of atten-
ton had been shifted, and I was con-
stantly struggling for readJustment
which did not come. The post ONCE
appealed to me more than the peas,
and labored harder over my photo
graphs of the sundial beds than over
the beds themselves. I sent for a ray
filter and a wide-angle lens, spending
hours in experiment and covering a
plank In front Of the south door with
printing frames.
had written to her the day after
she had departed, but no reply came
for a week, and then only q brief little
note. telling me 1t was hot in town and
conveying her regards to the roses. I,
too, waited week-though 1t was
hard-and then answered. sending
some photographs, one of them a snap
shot Of 4 bird on the edge Of the bath,
one Of them Of Buster sitting on his
hind legs. Again she answered briefly,
merrily, conveying her especial regards
to Buster. but ending with plaintive
little postscript about the heat.
A few days later box came ad-
dressed to Buster in my care. opened
1t in Busters presence, indeed literally
beneath his nose. On top was a small
package, tied with blue ribbon, and
labeled For Ruster." 1t proved to be
dog biscuit, which the recipient at
once took to the hearth and began up
on. Beneath this was a note, which I
opened with eager fingers.
1t began: "
Darling Buster: Your waggish epistle
received and contents noted. The limits
OF the canine intelligence are probably re-
sponsible for your mistake in assigning
the term guinness to what you observe
in Master John. when It is really lack OF
occupation. You see. dear Buster, he has
got Twin Fires SO far under way that he
doesn't work at It all the time. so he
ought to be at his writing Of stories,
made up of big dictionary words which ]
am defining or inventing for him down
here in a very hot, dirty, dusty, smelly
town. Tell him that's all the trouble. He
has q reaction from his first farming en-
thusiasm. and doesn't realize that the
thing to do is to go to work on the new
line, his line. For It Is his line, you
know, Buster.
Underneath this you'll find something
to give him. with my best wishes for sun
shine on the dear garden. I'd kiss you,
Buster. only dogs are terribly germy.
STELLA.
p. s.-rhat is q nice pool. isn't it?
I sat on the floor with the letter in
my lap. smiling happily over it. Then
I took the last package out Of the box.
1t was heavy, evidently metal. Re.
moving the papers. held In my hand
an old bronze sundial plate. a round
one to At my column. and upon 1t,
freshly engraved. the ancient motto:
HoRAs NON NuMERo NlsI sERE'
MAS.
My first thought was Of its cost She
couldn't afford it, the silly, generous
girl! She'd bought 1t, doubtless, at one
OF those expensive New York antique
shops, and then taken 1t to an engrav.
er's, for further expense. l ought moi
accept 1t. Yet how could 1 refuse? !
couldn't. l Rugged 1t to my heart, and
fairly ran to the dial post, Buster al
my heels. Yes, had no longer any
doubts. wanted her. I should al
ways want her. Twin Fires was In
complete. was Incomplete. life was
incomplete, without her.
At six I stopped work, amazed te
ind the plot Of story in my head
Heaven knows how 1t got there, but
there It was, almost as full-statured as
Minerva when she sprang from the
head Of Joye, though considerably lesi