The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1916-06-09

would have been no boy" He paused. !
somehow" he went on, 81 don't be-
ileVe Margarita would have chosen to
nave things different. She got her jour
dextase and died before it was over.
- don't think we need be sorry for
ner. Why didn't you go away on the
boatT
i don't know" said Gerry. 81 tried
TO- but | couldn't. just buried her
ana the boy last night. couldn't run
away like that, as though it were all
over. OF course | know it is all over,
but when one falls an endless depth in
sleep and suddenly wakes in cold
sweat it takes time for the mind to
catch its balance. It's that way with
me- I've fallen from a height. I've
walked to a cold sweat. l must take
time to get the balance Of life and get
it right You can't hurry over these
transitions, because somehow it
wouldn't be decent"
Lieber nodded. "You don't feel like
riding back with me?" he asked hest
tatingly.
Gerry shook his head. mo-" he said.
i can't do that. I'm just going to sit
here and wait for while and then I'm
going home: There's something I've
got to straighten out. After that, I
don't know. But there's something I
wish you'd do for me, Lieber, and that
is to look after old Dona Maria and
those two old darkies at Fazenda Flo
res. They won't last long, any of
them, and 1 don't want them to lack
| for anything. I'll square up with you"
Lieber nodded listlessIy. "I'll look
out for them"
The next morning early Gerry saw
| him off. There was a wistful look in
the old mans eyes as from the top
of the cliff he turned and gazed down
the river. "Lieber," said Gerry, you
can count on me to do what can for
you when I get home. Do you under
standW
Lieber flushed. Their eyes met He
took Gerry's outstretched hand and
gripped 1t hard. Then he rode away
without word.
Lieber threw his horse into a rapid
rack that was faster than a gallop. II
was killing pace, but he knew the
mettle of his mount. Late in the after.
noon he came to the confines of his
ranch. The broad-eaved house in the
distance looked very still and deserted
Beyond it doomed the solitary joa tree
Something had happened to the joa
tree during the two days he had been
away. 1t had become a beacon. He
remembered the giant Bougainvillea
vine that covered the tree. The Bou
gainvillea had bloomed into a tower
of mauve fame. 1t stood out in dar
ing contrast to somber desert and
brown-tiled roofs. Its single, defiant
and blar1ng note struck an answering
chord in Lieber's heart. He took cour
age of that brave burst of color, Sc
Earring in a garden, but in a desert 6
thing of glory. Lieber passed into tn,
loneliness Of his deserted house witt
a firm step.
Gerry spent many days at Piranha.
as he had planned in thought. HI
went over his life in a painstakinl
retrospection. His mind fingered Ions
on the last three years, their fullness
their even upward trend. Could a mar
live three such years and lose them
In CHASTITY half hour the flood haC
wiped out the tangible results O.
three years of labor. But what abou
the intangible2 He had sinned agains
Alix and against her faith, but had b,
sinned against himself? He felt inf
nitely older than the first Gerry Ian
sing, but would he change this think
ing age for his unthinking youth
What IL he had learned three year
ago that Alix had saved herself anC
his name? Would it have meant los
or gain to him today? Somethin,
within him cried, Loss! Lossr' bu
he dared not take courage from the in
ward cry. He could not know, he rea
soned, until he had seen Alix.
Twice, three times, the little stern
wheeler drove her nose into the mu,
bank at Piranhas, called her hoars
warning and departed. From some dis
tant cliff Gerry saw her come and GO
or, miles away, walking himself tire,
across the desert, heard her throa t,
siren cry and did not heed it,