Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1923-08-16
CHAPTER XIV


The craas.
Glad indeed was Madeline to be lift.
ed or her horse beside a roaring fire.
to see steaming pots upon red-hot
Goals. Except about her shoulders.
which had been protected by the slick
er. she was wrIngIng wet. The Mexl-
can worgen came quickly to help her
change In a tent nearby but Made
line preferred for the moment to warm
her numb feet and hands and TO watch
the spectacle Of her arriving friends.
Warm clothes-hot drinks and grub
warn blankets" rang out Stewards
sharp order.
Then. with Florence helping the
Mexican women. II was not long until
Madeline and the feminine side Of the
party were comfortable, except for the
weariness and aches that only rest and
sleep could allie ylate.
Neither fatigue nor pains, however.
nor the s%trangeness OF being packed
sardinelike under canvas, nor the
howls Of coyotes, kept Madeline's
guests from stretching out with long.
grateful signs. and one by one drop
ping into deep slumber. Madeline
whispered a little to Florence, and
laughed with her 0nce or twice. and
then the light pickering on the canvas
faded and her eyeifds closed. DIRK
ness and o a Of camp life, low voices
Of men, thump of horses hoofs, coyote
serenade, the sense of warmth and
sweet rest-all drifted away.
When she awakened shadows OF
swaylng branches moved on the sunIit
canvas above her. Slow. regular breath
ing attested to the deep slumbers of
her tent comrades. She observed pres
emily that Florence was missing from.
the number. Madeline rose and peeped
between the flaps.
An exquisitely beautiful scene sur
nrlsed and enthraIled her gaze. Eager
to get out where she could enjoy an
unrestricted view, she searched for
her pack, found 1t In a corner, and
then hurriedly and quietly dressed.
Her fnyorite stag-hounds, Russ and
were asleep before the door,
they had been chained. She
awakened them and loosened them.
thinking the while that It must have
been Stewart who had chained them
near her. Close at hand also was q
cowboys bed rolled up In a tarpaulIn.
The cool air, fragrant with pine and
and some subtle nameless tang.
sweet and tonic, made Madeline stand
erect and breathe slowly and deeply.
II was like drinking OF a magic
She felt II In her blood, that
Il Quickened Its flow. Turning to look
IN the other direction. beyond the tent.
she saw the remnants OF last nights
camp, and farther on a
grove OF beautiful pines from which
'ame the sharp ring of the az. Wider
took In a wonderful park, not
,nly surrounded by lofty crags. but
'ull of crags OF lesser height, many lift
their heads from dark green groves
II trees. The morning sur, not yet
lbove the eastern elevations. sent its
'osy and golden shafts In between the
owering rocks to tip the pines.
Madeline. with the hounds beside
Ter. walked~through the nearest grove.
The ground was soft and springy and
'rown with pine-needles.
Florence espied her under the trees
nd came running. She was like a
Dung girl, with life and color and joy. :
The wore a flannel blouse. corduroy !
kirt. and moccasins. And her hair !
ras fastened under a band like an In !
!
"C~astleton's' gone with a gun. for
ours, II seems said Florence. Gene
ust went to hunt him up. The other ]
entlemen are still asleep. I imagine 3
hey sure will sleep up heah In this :
ir." r
Then. ~business-like. Florence fell To q
u%estloning Madeline about details Of |
amp arrangement which Stewart, 8
nd Florence herself. could hardly see {
, without suggestion. |
AS the day adva~ led the charm of (
he place grew upo... Madeline. Even 4
{ noon, with the sun beating down.
here was comfortable warmth rather c
heat. II was the kind Of warmth v
nat Madeline liked to feel Ia the o
prIng. q
Presently a chorus of merry calls "
ttracted her attention, and she turned b
, see Helen limping along with Doro- q
ny, and Mrs. Beck and Edith sup r.
each other. They were all "
ssted, but lame. and delighted with h
Ne place, and as hungry as bears a
wakened from a winters sleep. a
Then they bad dinner. sitting on the Il
round sffeF the e Indians q
nd II was q thinner that lacked merri- d