Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1921-10-07

smells and sounds. hut he felt that
they We're leavn. an imprint on the
very fiber of his soul lie knew one
thing. lie knew lie could never for
sci this first introduction To the noun
tain night. The whole scene moved
him in strange, deep ways IN which
he had never been stirred before "
left him eXullant and, in deep wells oi
his nature far below the usual cur
rents of excitement. a little excited
too.
Then both of them We're startled
ont Of their reflections by the clear
unmistakable sound of footsteps eh
the ridge Both Of them turned. and
Iennox laughed softly In The dark
ness. My daughter" he said. i
knew she wouldn't be afraid To come"
Dan could see only Snowbird's out
line at first, just her shadow against
the moonlit hillside. His glasses ~'ere
none too good at long range. And
possibly. when she came within range,
the first thing that he noticed about
her was her stride. The girls he
knew didp'l walk in quite that free,
strong way. She took almost man
size step; and yet II was curious that
she did not seem ungraceful. Dan had
distinct impression that she was
floating down TO him on the moonlight.
She seemed to come with such unut-
| terahle smoothneSs. And then he
heard her call lightly through the
| darkness.
| The sound gave him a distinct sense
| of surprise. Some way. he hadn't as
| sociated voice like this with a noun
| tain girl he had supposed that there
| would be so many harshening infiu-
ences in this wild place. Yet the tone
was as clear and full as trained
singers. Ii was not a high voice, and
yet it seemed simply trimming. as a
cup brims with wine. with the rap
ture of life. II was n self-confident
voice too. wholly unaffected and sin
cere, and wholly without embarrass-
ment.
| Then she came close, and Dan saw
| the moonlight on her face And so 1t
came about, whether in dreams or
wakefulness, he could see nothing else
for many hours to come.
The girl who stood in the moonlight
had health. She was simply vibrant
with health. 1t brought a light to her
eyes. and a color to her cheeks, and
life and simmer to her moonlit hair.
It brought curves to her body, and
strength and tirmness to her limbs,
| and the grace of deer to her car
rage. Whether she had regular fea-
lures or not Dan would have been I'M
able to state. He didn't even notice.
They weren't important when health
was present. Yet there was nothing
of the coarse or bold or voluptuous
about her. She was just slender
girl, perhaps twenty years Of age, and
weighing even less than the figure oc.
casionally to be read in the health
magazines for girls of her height. And
she was fresh and cool beyond al
words to tell.
And Dan had no decisions about
her attitude toward him. For Ions
instant she turned her keen, young
eyes to his white, thin face; and al
once ii became abundantly evident
that beyond few glrlish speculations
she felt no interest in him. After 0
single moment Of rather strained, pc
lite conversation with Dan-jus
enough to satisfy her idea of the con
ventions-she began n thrilling girl
hood tale to her father. And she was
still telling 1t when they reached tht
house.
Dan held chair for her In front o.
the fireplace and she took it with en-
tire naturalness He was careful Il
put it where the freight was at it.
height. He wanted to see its effect OF
the flushed cheeks, the soft dark hair
And then. standing in the shadows, IL
simply watched her. With the eye O
an artist he delighted in her gestures
her ripping enthusiasm, her utter ir
repressible girlishness that all of tim,
had not years enough to kill.
Bill stood watching her, his hand
deep in his pockets, evidently II com
panion of the best. Her father gaze,
at her with amused tolerance. An,
Dan--he didn't know in just what wa,
he did look at her. And he didn't hav
time to decide In less than fifteel
minutes and wholly without warning
she sprang up from her chair an
started toward the door.
Good Lorde' Dan breathed II
you make such sudden motions as tina
I'll have heart failure. Where ar
you going now?"
Back TO my watch" she answered
her tone wholly lacking the persona
note which men have learned to eA
pect In the voices of women. And a
instant later the three of them sa,
her retreating shadow as she vanishe
among the pines.
Dan had to be helped to bed. TIL
long ride. had been too hard on hi
, shattered lungs; and nerves and bod
! collapsed an instant after the doc
) was closed behind the departing CIR
, He laughed weakly and begged the
pardon and the two men were reall
xarv 1anfla Tbav told hin, n va