The Delta independent., 1916-02-04

at the mouth OF the gorge, where the
torrenting Niquoia Strengthened itself
momentarily before entering upon its
plunging race through the mountain
barrier beam of white light flickered
unsteadily for a fraction of a second
Then it became a luminous pencil to
trace zigzag line up the winding
course of the river, across to the foot
hill spur where the camp of the recla-
nation service vanguard was pitched,
Chigringo. For certain other seconds
1t remained quiescent, glowing bale
fully like the eye of some tabled mon
ster searching for its prey. Then it
was gone.
Grislow's comment took the form of
half-startled exclamation.
by Jove! wouldn't that give you a
fit Of the creepies ?-this far from civil
lization and dynamo? What are you
calling it,"
Your guess is as good as mine,"
was the half-absent reply. Brouillard
had got upon his feet and was but
toning his many-pocketed shooting
coat
I'm going to take little hike down
yonder for investigation purposes.
Want to come along?"
But the mapper of watersheds was
yawning sleepily. Not on your tin
type" he refused. I'm going to cork
it OFF in me 'ammick."
1t was only a short mile from the
camp on the inward slopes of the east
ern foothills to the mouth of the outlet
gorge. across which Brouillard could
already see, in mental provision, the
great gray wall of the projected Nj
quota dam-his future work-curving
majestically from the broken shoulder
of Chigringo to the opposing sleeps
Of Jacks mountain. The half-grown
moon, fitting now toward the skyline
of the western barrier, was leaving the
canyon portal in deepest gloom.
Picking his way judiciously because
the trail was new to him, Brouillard
came in due time to the descending
path among the spruces and scrub
pines leading to the western outlook
upon the desert swales and sandhills.
At the canyon portal. where the forest
thinned away and left him standing
at the head of the ANAL descending
plunge in the trail, he found himself
looking down upon the explanation Of
the curious apparition.
None the less. what he saw was in
itself rather inexplicable. In the first
desert looping OF the river . campfire
Of pinyon knots was blazing cheerfully,
and beside 1t, with picnic hamper for
table, sat supper party Of three
two men and Q woman-in enveloping
dust-coats. and q third man in chauf-
feur leather serving the sitters. Back
Of the group. and with its detachable
searchlight missing. stood huge tour
ing car to account for the picnic ham,
per, the dust-coats. the man in leather.
and, doubtless, for the apparitional eye
which had appeared and disappeared
at the mouth of the upper gorge. Also
1t accounted. in a purely physical
sense. for the presence of the picnick-
ers, though the whim which had led
them to cross the desolate Buckskin
desert for the dubious pleasure OF max
ing an all-night bivouac on its eastern
edge was not 30 readily. apparent
The young engineer saw no reason
why he should intrude upon the group
at the cheerful campfire. On the con-
trary, he began speedily to find good
and sufficient reasons why he should
not That the real restraining motive
was sudden attack of desert shyness
he would net have admitted. But the
fact remained. Four years In the rec
lamation service had made the good
looking young chief of construction
man-queller of quality. But each year
Of isolation had done something
toward weakening the social ties.
A loosened pebble turned the scale.
When a bit of the coarse-grained sand
stone of the trail rolled under Brouil-
lard's foot and went gathering down
to plunge into the stream the man in
the chauffeur leather reached for the
searchlight lantern and directed its
beam upon the canyon portal. But by
that time Brouillard had sought the
shelter of the scrub pines and was re-
tracing his steps up the shoulder Of
the mountain.
| Gvuwh ~vva v,S--r~ ., ASsv.