The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1923-04-12
By j. ALLAN DUNN
Asfhos Of "a Men 10 His Nee, ese.
oopyright. iszs, By J. Allan Dunn

In whisper.
"Wait minute" The girl had qui-
eted, was kneellng with clasped hands,
lips moving silently. Prayer, such as
1t was, over, she rose, her fists tight
closed, striving to control her CULVER
Ing chin-doing 1t.
1--WE got to bury him. count of them
d-n buzzards."
well tend to that" said Sandy.
EFF you-all II take the dawg on up
to the hawsses :"
mol I helped to bury Jim Clancy,
out In the desert; rn goin' to help
bury Dad. It's goln' to be lonesome
out here" She twisted her mouth,
setting teeth into the lower lip sharp
ly as she gazed at tho dGsolate cliffs,
the birds swinging their tireless, ex-
pectant circles in the throat Of the
gorge.
"See here. MISS" said Sandy, while
Sam crawled into the wagon In search
Of the dead miners pick and shovel
that now, instead of uncovering riches.
would dig his grave, show old air
your
Fifteen. My names Margaret
Molly for short-same as my Ma. She's
been dead twelve years."
swell. Miss Molly, suppose you-a!l
come on to the Three Star To- a spell
with my two partners an me? You
do that an mebbe we can fix things
up and arrange about yore daddy.
Well come back an git him an we'll
make a place TO him under our big
cottonwoods below the big spring"
Molly Casey gazed at him with
such q sudden glow Of gratitude In
her eyes that Sandy felt embarrassed.
He had been comforting girl, boy
lsh girl. and here woman looked at
him. with understanding.
"Yo're sure white man." she said.
I'll git even with you some time II l
work the bones Of my fingers through
the flesh fo' you. Thanks don't
amount to a d-n 'thout somethin
back Of 'em. I'll come through"
She put out her roughened little
hand, man-fashion and Sandy took 1t
as Sam emerged from the wagon with
the tools. The bay mare groaned and
gave shrill cry, horribly human.
Sam drew his gun, putting down pick
and shovel.
Sandy picked up the tools and moved
toward Sam as the bay collapsed to
the merciful bullet. The girl washed
away as best she could the stains OF
blood and travel from the dead face
while Sandy sounded with the pick
for soil deep enough for temporary
grave
The body would have to lie on the
ledge overnight, nothing but burial
could save 1t from marauding coyotes.
though the wagon might have baffled
the buzzards The two set to work
digging a shallow trench down to bed
rock, rolling up loose powders for n
calrn. Lizards firted in and out of
in his temporary grave. the girl dry
eyed again.
She had brought little workbox
from the wagon, OF mahogany stud
ded with disks OF pearl in brass
mountlngs. Out Of this she produced
a handkerchief of soft China silk bro
cade, Its white turned yellow with age.
This she spread over her fathers fea-
lures, showing strangely distinct in
the falling light.
81 don't want tie dirt pressin' on
his face" she said.
From the dead mans clothes Sandy
and Sam had taken the few personal
belongings, from the inner pocket of
the vest some papers that Sandy knew
for location claims.
"Want to take some buds erlong
to the ranch?" he asked Molly. I'VE
can bring In the rest of the stuff
later. Got to shack erlong, It's gittin'
dark. Brought an extry hawss with
us. Can you rider
"Some. l amt had much chance"
Don't know how the mare'll stand
yore skirt. II she won't Pinto'll pack
you"
"I'll fix that" She clambered into
the wagon. Before she came out with
her bundle they piled the cairn, a
mask of broken rim-rock heavy
enough to foil the scratching of the
coyotes.
1t looked to Sandy as II the girl had
changed into boy. The slender fig
ure silhouetted against the after
glow, softly pulsing masses of fiery
cloud above the top of the mesa, was
dressed in jean overalls, wide
trimmed hat hiding length of hair.
81 reckon can fool that hawss of
yores now" she said. II gen'ally dress
thisaway 'cept when we expect to go
nigh the settlements or a ranch where
we aim to visit"
The gray mare made no bother and
soon they were riding down toward
the strip of Bad lands. Sandy let the
collie go afoot for the time.
II was close to midnight when they
reached the home ranch. riding past
the outbuildlngs, the clubhouse of the
men where light twinkled. the cook
shack. the corrnls, up to the main
house. There they alighted. Sandy
lifted Molly from the saddle and carried
her up the steps, across the porch,
kicking open the door of the living
room where the embers of fire
glowed. There was no other light IN
the big room, but there was sufficient
To shnW the great form of Mormon