Evening journal., 1923-01-29
CHAPTER I.
John HannOn's Firmament.


Paradise! What words shall one
choose TO tell OF It and those who
made it-of its beauty. its strength
and its arrogance?
In land where distance hazed
the southern skyline. where tawny
buttes and mesas stood majestically
. against the blue. where bunch-grass
levels swept toward the illimitable
west and the Blind Trail Hills rose
. stark and forbidding upon the east
II lay like the heart of peace itself
smiling in the sun, green with its
wide alfalfa fields beneath its living
waters.
Worn. old-faehioned chairs and
benches stood Hospitality on the
. clean-swept earth where the poplars
made their shaking shade, and ham
mocks. gay with fringe, swung in
, the little breezes.
And, half circling this enchanting
spot upon the left, there stood the
ranch-house itself
The house was Irregular. full OF
great rooms and passage-ways and
sudden turnings. OF mysterious and
unexpected hooks and corners. In
the center Of the hslf-circle which II
formed around the spring and the
cottonwoods. two great doors opened
inward. taking the stranger abrupt
" into a room so huge-so high, so
wide. so deep-that he invariably
caught his breath.
It's hard earth floor was covered IN
every corner with Indian rugs in
staring black-and- white. every one
Of which in its beautiful design. its
size. It's thickness. was worth a
pocket full Of gold. On IFS walls yet
other rugs and blankets were I
stretched between the long. deep |
riffs that answered 'or windows. but |
these were bright with color-ham-
ing reds and Colds and the sharp |
clear contrast OF the blacks that
only the Indian weavers know so
among the striking panels there
hung picture or two-and again
the stranger stared. for one was the
Mona LISA with her ever enhancing
smile. and one was Psyche al Spring
in the exquisite lights and tlnts OF
April. while vet one other was that
undying joy 70 those who love horse
flesh. Rosa Bonheur's Horse Fair.
full four feet long.
There were couches against the
walls. and IN one corner where the
Hight fell softly from the west
through the flne-leaved vine outside
the window, a piano. so old that its
once mf1k-white keys were yellow
az an old dogs tooth. lifted Its harp
shaped TOT majesiically against the
piece of ancient taro try that draped
be wall behind. e. narrow bench.
p ntire1y covered wtG minute cary
InEs, black with age stood meekly
before II. as ~ glad 20 serve IN It's
lowly way the once grand instru-
ment
Here IN the dusk woman came
som etines. feeling with outstretched
hands for the things she could not
sea. and sliding softly on the ancient
ong past day. A sweet. fair wo-
nan she was, frail and delicate OF
outline and demeanor. with patient
ines in her clear face and with tho I,
ight or splendid soul shining in her
darkness.
For twenty years she had been
Ike a prisoner in this fortress. but
yuarded by so many loving hearts.
watched by 50 many keen eyes,
erved by so many eager hands that
he was IN reality a queen. And
iere. often, when she played her
lameless tunes a man came 70 find
~ 20 ef4 and ffefan and ~ rr-a4ch |
Ter face with such a heart-ache on
lie features that Tragedy stalked
through the Swallowed room.
This was John Harmon. tho boss
4 the rancho. the creates, One-man
,ower In the country NJ the messs
lated by his far neighbors for his
-ences and his fields, and his
Methods, feared by his enemies, and
shining mark for that sharp gentry
Z the Border whose raids and crimes
we're a load on the hearts OF all the
anchors within striking distance Of
ne line. And the slim blind woman
-as his wife, Belle. the only woman
reature he had ever loved in his
.fe save one, and whose affiiction
ad darkened the windows Of his
oul with bitter rebellion.
John lannon's land stretched for
lany A mile. according to his
trength TO hold Il. and cattle Rrazed
n the sweet bunch grass as far as
he eve could see. Four living
prlngs among the mesas. more pre-
ious than gold in that half desert
md, were his by right OF long pos