The Arvada enterprise., 1923-10-25
CHAPTER ~
The Sin. Buster.

=, the fall, when the whole country
49,. ,urned to a great cup Of gold,
'....ole-rImmed =. under the sky. Pierre
psr .a, ont into the hills after his win
~. w. mont Joan was left alone. She
s.,t her time cleaning and arranging
~ ,wo.room cabin and t!dying up
.,,aoors. and in "grubbing sagebrush," l."
. .,santlc task, for the one hundred
I'D ffty acres Of Pierre's homestead
..r. covered for the most part by the
.rrdv spicy growth. and every bush
..d 10 be dug out and burnt to clear
\. way for plowlng and planting.
,o,n worked with the deliberateness
.,d intentness of man. She enjoyed
a. wholesome drudgery. She was
,,oud every sundown Of the little
s..r,ns she had made, and stood.
,,,sd and content, to watch the piled
hush burn. sending up aromatic
.noke and curious. duh flames very
lleh into the still air.
Che was so standing. hands folded
N her rake. when. on the other side
a, her confagratlOn, she perceived a
nan. He was steadily regarding her.
and when her eyes fell upon him. he
miled and stepped forward-a tall,
h,oad, very fair young man in shoot
a, coat, khaki rIding-breeches and
suttees. He had a wide brow. clenr
Nine ewes and an enger, sensitive
d.sn.shaven mouth and chin. He held
sut a big white hand.
| aMrs. Lands." he said, In a crisp
voice Of an accent and finish strange
h the girl, II wonder II you and your
lpsband can put me up for the night.
In Frank Holllwell. I'm on round
4 parish visits, and, as my parish Is
about sixty miles square my poor old
pony has gone lame. know you are
Dot my parishioners, though, no doubt,
700 should be, but I'm going to lny
ealm to your hospitality, for all that.
u may?"
Joan had moved her rake into the
gasp Of her left hand and had taken
he proifered palm into her other, all
warm and fragrantly stained.
, "You're the new sin-buster, amt
you!" she asked gravely.
The young man opened his blue and
friendly eyes.
Oh, that's what l am, eh? That's
new one I" me. Yes. I suppose I
am. It's rather a fine name to 60
ey-sn.buster," and he laughed very
I'M and very nmusedly.
Joan looked him over and slowly
'miled. "ion look like you could bust
snythlns you'd mind to-" che said.
md led the way toward the house, her
hke across her shoulder.
Pierre She told him when they
we're In th" shining. clean log house,
= OF In the hills after his elk, but
can make you up bed in the sittin'.
room an serve you a supper an wei.
cone"
oh, thanks" ne rnther donbtfully
screpted.
evidently he did not know the ways
'nd proprieties Of this new "parisb''
VI hh But Ioan seemed to tnke the
Naation with an enormous, calm i'm.
personality. lie modelled his manner
won hers. They snt at the tnble to.
:esner' Joan silent. save when he
.Vsa her to speak. and entirely un.
uVuo'ed by her silence. Frank Holli.
al' eating heartily. helping her serve
~ hlslng great deal. BY the end
olsh'washing he had her history
.aa !. more Of her opinions. probably,
'asn any other creature she had met
what do you DO VIXEN lands !,
swayY 81
NE told him
but 10 the evenings. I mesn, af.e,
'o's' Have yon booksy-
NO. said Joan: "it's rieht hard
". lesdin'. Pa learned me- my ts..
~ "a ! can spell out b,ts frsm pa.
I'm Advertisements an what not,
amt never read a book straixht
~.. ~ ! onnno." she added presently,
~ ' ~ Id like to. Pierre eau read
- told him proudly.
IN sure you'd like to- He con.
eo her through the smoke of nj,
~ ne was sitting by the hearti,
N. .ho she, Just throuEh with clear.
49,, w. Hood by the corner Of the
a,,,,.n, ' '"sl', arranging the logs. The
h.t h.t danced over her face. N
.u' '''' SO unilghted from within.
NJ. ," oid ARE you. Joan I.andisr- h.
90, NOV '.a.nen'y, using her name with.
.,, ,'',e Tor the first time.
IN. ,nh' nll7 You must read book 4,
Any, Any,. Know There's 30 much emr,r =
"a. ,oer" hnck Of your brows.~
VA. ''oEed up smiling "a little. her
w ~ fr@S eyes puzzled.
,o, y" Jonn. You must read. vii,
n. ! lend YOU some books"
IA considered. YES" she an!d
s.n. n 'hem II you'd he iend,n' me
sr,, m m N" evenings when pierre's
-, i, ~ right lonesome. I never
k1l .'o'ns ,.n before. not 70 know II.
lses ~. ,s me a long time 20 read one
|Ads. 'kh' she added with an en.
aS mournfulnesx