The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1916-03-16
CHAPTER 1.
Out OF the VIns Naples.

wv " lnG VIM "dplC5s
Siletz sat. her knees drawn up 10
her chin. on the Hat top OF a FIR
stump. Beside her lay Coosnah. heavy
muzzle on huge paws. his eyes as pale
as the girls were dark. They wero
Mildred both. Perhaps that ccount.
ed for the delight both found In the
solitude OF this aerie, where they
could look down toward the west on
the feathery. green sea OF close.packed
pine and fir. OF spruce and hemlock-
and toward the east on the narrow
strip Of tide-water slough and the un.
painted shacks OF the lumber camp
huddled above It's rollway. II was
the magnificent timber country OF the
great Northwest.
Siletz was wondering. as she always
did, how far the mountains ran to the
south. how far II was TO that Frisco
OF which she had heard so much from
the tramp loggers who came and went
with the seasons, their turkeys" on
their backs and the Joyous liberty OF
the irresponsible forever tugging at
their eccentric souls.
Over the facing ridge she knew
that the cold Pacific roared and
coaxed on the ships. TO play with them
in the hell OF Vancouver coast. She
could hear II sometimes when the
pines were still: yet she had never
seen II.
She had pictures OF II in her mind.
many pictures. She knew well how
It would look when she should see
it-a gray floor. a world OF IL. shot
through with the reds and puppies OF
IA tardy sun. OF the cities she had
no clear pictures. They were artificial.
man.made. therefore alien to her. who
knew only nature. though she had
listened %intently to roamers from ev.
cry corner OF the globe: for paily's
lumbe: camp had seen a queer lot.
II all resolved Itself into these
dreams when she sat on the edge OF
a fr stump, or, better yet, in the ex.
allied cloud.high airiness of the very
apex OF the Hog Back.
There had been no sun. neither to-
day nor for many days: and yet there
was as surely prescience OF approach.
ing night as II shadows forewarned.
Siletz had hoped for q break, one OF
those short pageants when the sun
should shoot for a moment into the
gloom, TRANSPORTING the world. Now,
as she canned the west. the dog sud.
denly rose from beside her, peering
down with his huge head thrust for.
ward, his pendulous ears swaying. A
hundred feet below In a tangle OF vine
maple something was laboring. Pres.
emily the slim trees parted and out
OF their tangle struggled a horse. a
magnificent black beast with tiaring
nostrils and full. excited eyes After
every few steps II turned its head TO
right or left with the instinct OF the
mountain breed 20 zigzag, and as often
the man in the saddle pulled ii sharp.
~ back.
With the first sight OF the intruders
the girl On the high stump had sprung
UP, leaning forward. a growing excite
ment in her face. II was the horse
that caused II. Something wa stir.
ring within her all suddenly and her
heart beat hard, She grtpped her
braids tight in both hands and swal
lowed
"%Blundcrer." she said aloud. "oh.
ire ~biunderer!"
Then she curpcd her hands at her
fps and called down; Let him alone!
He knows how TO climb! Let him
nlone!"
The man looked up startled. and
frightened his grip on the rein. The
gallant animal went down upon ,ts
side, rolling completely over, 10 lodge
feet downward, against a stone The
man swung sidewise out OF the saddle.
saving himself with a splendid quick.
ness, Before he could gather him.
self for action the girl tore down upon
him.
What have you done?" she cried
wildly, what have you done TO ~"
She dropped on her knees and her
hands went iuttering over the black
head in a very passion OF pity. touch.
Ing the white star on the forehead,
smoothing the quivering nostrils.
Why didn't you let him climb his
" way? He knew-he's u bunch.
grasser. Nothing could go straight
up"
She raised her eyes to him anc he
saw they were burning behind a film
OF tears. He saw also what gave him
a strange feeling OF shock-a faint,
blue tracery extending from the left
corner OF her lips downward nearly
10 the point OF the chin. a sharply
broken fragment OF a tattooed design.
Her eyes were very dark and her hair
parted after the first fashion OF WON
an. was straight and very dark also.
Tho accusing words irritated him.
You're right" he said coldly. moth
Ing could-in such a country. Stan
back. please"
Siletz looked up at him and instinc
lively rose TO her feet. though 49,
slim body was alert with an uncon
scious readiness for prevention o.
something.