, 1923-09-05
CHAPTER m-contlnu.d.

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II Joan had stayed long at Mrs.
Uppsr's, she would have begun inev-
itably to model herself on Maud, who
was. in her eyes, q marvellous thing
Of beauty. But, just q week after her
arrival. there came to the inn Pierre
Lands and for Joan began the strange
and terrible history Of love.
In the lives Of most women, Of the
vast majority. the clatter and clash
Of housewifery prelude and postlude
the spring song Of their years. And
the rattle of dishes, Of busy knives
and forks, the quick tapping of Maud's
attendant feet. the sound of young
and ravenous jaws at work: these
sounds were in Joan's bewildered ears,
and the sights which they accompa-
MED In her bewildered eyes, just be-
fore she heard Pierre's voice, Just be-
fore she saw his face.
It was dinner hour at the hotel, an
hour most dreadful to Joan because
Of the hurry. the strangeness and the
crowd, because Of the responsibility of
her work, but chiefly because at that
hour she expected the appearance Of
her father. Her eyes were often on
the door. 1t opened to admit the
young men. the riders and ranchers
who hung up their hats, staggered
with a little Jingle Of spurs to their
hairs; cl~ean-faced. clean-handed, wet
haired, and lifting to the faces of the
waiting girls aow and again their
strange, young. brooding eyes, bold.
laughing and sIraid, hungry. pathetic.
arrogant. as the eyes of young men
are, tameless apd untamable, but full
Of the pathos OF the untamed. Joan's
heart shook a LITTLE under their looks,
but when Pierr~ lifted his eyes to
her. her heart stood still. She had
not e them following her prog
ress around the room. He had come
in late, and finding no place at the
long, central table sat apart at a
smaller n under a high. uncurtained
window. By the time she met his eyes
they were charged with light; smoky
blue eyes they were. the iris heavily
hinged with black. the pupils dilated
a little. For the first time It occurred
to Joan. looking down with a still
heart into his eyes. that a man might
be beautiful. The blood came up from
her heart to her face. Her eyes
struggled away from his.
whats yer name. gel7" murmured
Pierre.
Joan Carver"
"You run away from homer" he
too had heard of her.
Yes"
"wm your father be takin' you
back7'
II won't be goin' with him."
She was about to pass IN. Pierre
: cast a swift look about the table
bent heads and busy hands, eyes cast
down, ears. he knew. alert. 1t was
q land of few women and Of many
e He must leave In the morning
early and for months he would not
be back. He put out a long. hard
hand, caught Joan's wrist and gave It
a queer. urgent shake, the gesture Of
an impatient and beseeching child.
"will you be comm home with me.
gelY' asked Pierre hurriedly.
She looked ut him. her lips apart,
and she shook her head.
Maud's voice screamed ut her from
the kitchen door. Pierre let her 60.
She went on. very white.
She did not sleep ut all that night.
Her fathers face, Pierre's face, looked
at her. In the morning Pierre would
be gone. She had heard Maud say
that the queer Lands Teller would
be maxim trucks back to that ranch
Of his acrost the river" Yes. he
would be gone. She might have been
going with him. She felt the urgent
pressure OF his hand on her arm. in
her heart. II shook her with such n
longing for love. for NIL the unknown
~lnrresse OF love. that she cried. Tho
next morning. pale. she cnme down
not ut breakfast. and she felt n sink
ing Of heart. though she had not
known that she had built upon seeing
him ngnin. Then, ms she stepped out
Mt the back to empty n bucket. there
he wast
Not even the beauty Of dawn could
lend mystery tn the hideous. Uttered
yard. untidy us the yards Of frontier
towns invariably are, to the board
fence. to the trnmpied half-acre Of
dirt. known ms THE Square" and TO
the ugly frame buildings struggled
about II but II could and did give nm
uncnrthiy look OF biesscdness to the
bnre. ray-brown buttcs that ringcd
the town and n glory to the sky. while
upon Pierre. waiting ut his pony's
hend. II shed a magical and tender
light lie WIS dressed In his cowboys