Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-02-01
DREAMS
Chapter IT.

Chapter IL.
Billy Grey stood watching Dfable
as he came laundering TO her. Diablo
vas large black horse. with star
n; Mn the ,n middle Of rn his forehead and
white places on him. AS soon as Diablc
cams to Z halt BY Billy he kissed her
tricks Billy had taught him. 1t was
her hello" or to tell her good ny
girl and horse. It was meeting as
|! they had been parted for long
time. Billy took a lump OF sugar out
OF her pocket for Diablc. while high
up IN IN. air an American eagle SCARED
over the desert at Il distance. Then
Ely patted bable on his splendid
neck and swung up into the saddle
9Th 1.-the and ease OF cowboy Then
they started on after her father and
The burros. Now that Billy and her
snie as needle in the haystack. 1t
didn't take Billy long to catch up with
her father. As soon as Blly's father
GaIgh; the sound OF horse steps it made
him turn and look. What he saw made
him smile. and called back old memoir
;cs OF another girl who had ridden be-
now rode. Billy noticed the smile and
the sad look that followed. She saw n
hot tear roll down her fathers wea Their
bea;en cheek. and Billy knew his mem
cries We're lingering over a grave out
In the hills. He was dreaming OF her
mother. Billy started TO drcaDing OF
Gays not so very long ago when her
brother would take her on his knees
ana tell her OF her mother She recalled
me look on her brothers face when he
Went away. maybe to his death. why
lie had gone Billy didn't know; onjv
her father knew.
Billy woke from her dreams with a
had unsaddled Diable she turned him
loose in the carroll and went on IN to
tnc cabin 1t was built OF logs. with
That night after Billy had cleared the
table she came ana sat down by her
iatEcr by the old fashioned fireplace.
H!i!y sat gazing at the flames roaring
ana lcaping up the chimney. She sat
looking straight ahead with eyes that
saw nothing. but she was listening TO a
telling her of her mother. Then she
became aware of her father speaking
somehow his voice was hoarse and dry
billy" lie was saying. II have got
TO tell you that today eighteen years
ago at sunset you was born and tonight
Just about this time your mother died.
iiere Gray s voice became unsteady and
something was making him tell Billy of
her mother. Billy, she left you a wee
t ~ ,,, thing ing, Rn my arms She told me
give you this II you ever lived TO be
eighteen, and tonight. Billy, you are
eighteeni Saying this, he handed B.lly
a box about Il yard long and a foot
vide. Billy started to open the box
but her father stayed her hand and
"oUNH lcI neT open II. "Billy.' he
SAID. Your mother told me to tell Won
not TO open II until had finished You
were porn almost on horseback. That
was the cause OF your mothers dcnth
Maybe II we could OF stayed at home
she would have been living, but w.
couldn't. 1t would have been death for
YOU your mother Larry, your brother,
ana II would have been death for me-
After We left those hcllhounds started
on our trail, therefore YOU were born
in the open and you are "A child of tho
open air. Your mother died. Billy. with
the last rays of day. and she was l.old-
ing you to her breast over yondcr
where it's green all the year around.
where you was born, Your mother
died, and 1t is where she sleeps" Then
Grey stopped talking. Father and
daughter gaZed into the fire long past
midnight. Grey saw a sad sweet face
lowering near smiling. Then he saw
the shadow OF death slowly closing on
the one which he held dear that was
Billy's mother. B!lly's thoughts. too.
were centcred on the one who had held
her OF her breast and welcomed death
TO give life.
(To be continued.)
y