The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1923-09-07
CHAPTER II-contlnued.


Upper's, she would have begun inev-
itably to model herself on Maud, who
was, In her eyes, marvellous thing
OF beauty. But, just a 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
81 housewifery prelude and postlude
Che 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.
1t 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 OF
the door. 1t opened to admit the
young men, the riders and ranchers
who hung up their hats, staggered
with little Jingle of spurs to their
chairs; clean-faced. clean-handed, wet
haired, and lifting to the faces of the
waiting girls now and again their
strange, young, brooding eyes, bold,
laughing and afraid, hungry, pathetic,
arrogant, as the eyes of young men
are, tameless and untamable, but full
of the pathos of the untamed. Joan's
heart shook a little under their looks,
but when Pierre lifted his eyes to
her, her heart stood still. She had
not seen 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 one 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
ringed with black, the pupils dilated
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, gel?" murmured
Pierre.
Joan Carver"
"You run away from homer" He
too had heard of her.
"Yes."
"Will your father be takin you
back?'
II won't be goin' with him."
She was about to pass on. Pierre
east a swift look about the table.
bent heads and busy hands. eyes cast |
down, ears, he knew, alert. 1t was
a land of few women and of many |
men. He must leave in the morning
early and for months he would not
be back. He put out long. hard /
hand, caught Joan's wrist and gave 1t
a queer, urgent shake, the gesture of
an impatient and beseeching child.
"Wnl you be comm home with me,
gelq" asked Pierre hurriedly.
She looked at him, her lips apart,
and she shook her head.
Mauds voice screamed at her from
the kitchen door. Pierre let her go.
She went on, very white.
She did not sleep at all that night.
Her fathers face, Pierre's face, looked
1t her. In the morning Pierre would
be gone. She had heard Maud say
that the queer lands Teller would
De maxim tracks back to that ranch
IF his acrost the river" Yes, he
would be gone. She might have been
yoinp with him. She felt the urgent
pressure of his hand on her arm, in
Ter heart. 1t shook her with such
onging for love, for all the unknown
argesse of love, that she cried The
lext morning, pale. she came down
md went about her work. Pierre was
lot at breakfast, and she felt sink
ng of heart, though she had not
,nown that she had built upon seeing
lin again. Then, as she stepped out
t the back to empty a bucket, there
lie wasl
Not even the beauty of dawn could
end mystery to the hideous. Uttered
ard, untidy as the yards of frontier
owns invariably are, to the board
ence, to the trampled half-acre Of ,
irt. known as 1.-The Square," and to I
he ugly frame buildings struggled
bout IT. but II could and did give an N
heartily look of blessedness TO the
are. g1ay-brown buttes that ringed
he town and glory to the sky, while {
pom Pierre. waiting at his pony's {
cad, It shed a magical and tender
rht He was dressed In his cowboys