The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1923-09-28

struggle He was afflicted by I
crossing Of purposes and stumbling
OF intention.
look. He crept away and fed int,
the windy dusk. he Travelled with tn,
wind like blown rag and. stoppinf
only for few hours rest at ths
ranger station, made the journey home
by morning Of the second day. And OF
the Journey he definitely made up his
mind concerning Joan.
Prosper Gael was man OF deliber
ate. though passionate. Imagination
He did not often az. upon impulse
though his actions were often those
attempted only by passion-driven OF
Impulsive folk. Prosper could never
plead thoughtlesspess. He justified
carefully his every action to himself
These were cold, dark hours Of DELHI
Grafton as he let the wind drive him
across the desolate land. When the
wind dropped and a splendid, still dawn
swept up into the clean sky, he was at
peace with his own mind and climbed
| up the mountain trail with a half
smile on his face.
In the dawn, awake on her pillows,
Joan was listening for him. and at the
! sound Of his webs she sat up pale
to her lips. She did not know what
she feared, but she was filled with
| dread. The restful stupor that had
| followed her storm of grief had spent
itself and she was suffering again
waves Of longing for Pierre, Of hatred
for him, alternately submerged her.
All these bleak, gray hours of wind
during which Wen Ho had battered
In and out with meals, with wood for
her stove, with little questions as to
her comfort, she had suffered as peo-
pie suffer In dream; restless
misery like the misery of the pine
branches that leaped up and down be-
fore her window. The stiffness of the
dawn. with It's sound Of nearing steps,
gave her a sickness OF heart and brain,
so that when Prosper came softly In
at her door she saw him through a
mist. He moved quickly to her side,
HE has been cared for, JOAN" said
Prosper. "Some friend Of his came
and did all that was left to be DONE"
"Some friend?" In the pale, delicate
ly expanding light Joan's face cleaned
between its black coils of hair with
eyes like enchanted tarns. Prosper
could see in them reflections of those
l. - =
His touch pressed reinsurance upon
her. his eyes, his voice.
my poor childl My dearl I'm glad
I am back to take care of you'll Cry.
Let me comfort you. He has been
cared for. He is not lying there alone.
He is dead. Let's forgive him, joan"
He shook her hands a little, urgently,
and most painful memory of Pierre's
beseeching grasp came upon Joan.
She wrenched away and fell back,
quivering. but she did not cry, only
asked In her most moving voice, "Who
took care Of Pierre-after l went
away and left him dead?"
Prosper got to his feet and stood
with his arms folded, looking YEARLY
down at her. His mouth had fallen
into rather cynical lines and there
were Fuckers at the corners of his
eyes. "Oh, a big, fair young mana
rosy boy-face. serious-looking. blue
eyes"
Joan was startled and turned round
''It was Mr.. Holliweil." she said. In a
wondering tone. Did you talk with
him1 Did you tell him-T
mo. Hardly" Prosper shook his
head. IT found out what he had done
for your Pierre without asking I'M
necessary questions I saw him. but
he did not see me-"
Hell be comm to get me-" said
Joan. 1t was an entirely Unconditional
statement of certainty.
Prosper pressed his lips into a line
and narrowed his eyes upon her.
"Oh. he will7"
yes He'll be takin' after me. He |
must "a ben scairt by somethin' Pierre |
said in the town durin' their quarrel |
an have come up after him to look |
out what Pierre would be doin' to |
me. / wisht he'd "a come In |
time. What must he be think |
I'm Of me now, TO find Pierre allyn |
there. dead, an me gonel He'll be |
takin' after me TO bring me home"
Prosper would almost have ques-
toned her then. his sharp face was
certainly at that moment the face Of
an inquisltor. set Of keen and deli
cate instruments ready for probing |
but so weary and chfldllke did she
look. so weary and childlike was her
speech. that he forbore. What did 1t
matter after all, what there was In
her past7 She had done what she had
done. been what she had been. If the
fellow had branded her for sin, why.
she had suffered overmuch. Prosper
admitted, that, unbranded as TO skin.
he was scarcely At TO put his dirty
civilized soul under her clean and
savage foot. Was the big, rosy chap
her loverf She had spoken of quar-
eel between him and Pierre7 They
would be looking for Joan to come
back. to 20 to the town, to some neigh J