The Snowflake herald., 1923-03-16

fell away, the jaw relaxed, serenity
came to the lined face, and no little
dignity. For the first time the gir
gave way, lying prone, sobbing on
her grief while the two cowmen looked
aside. The bay horse began to groar
and writhe.
"Got to kill that cavallo," said San
In whisper.
"Wait minute" The girl had qui
eted, was kneeling with clasped hands
lips moving silently. Prayer, such a.
1t was, over, she rose her fists tigh
closed, striving to control her quiyer
ing chin-doing it.
"We got to bury him, count of then
d-n buzZards"
"NVe'll tend to that" said Sandy
EFF you-all ii take the dawg on III
to the hawsses
NO! | helped to bury Jim Clancy
out in the desert; Tm goin' to hell
bury Dad. It's goin to be lonesome
out here She twisted her mouth
setting teeth into the lower lip sharp
ly as she gazed at the desolate cliffs
the birds swinging their tireless. ex
pectant circles in the throat CT the
gorge.
"See here, miss said Sandy. while
Sam crawied into the wagon in search
of the dead miners pick and shove
that now, instead of uncovering riches
would dig his grave, show old all
you?"
Fifteen. My names Margaret
Molly for short-same as my Ma. She's
been dead twelve years"
"Well Miss Molly, suppose you-all
come on to the Three Star fo' spell
with my two pardners an me? You
do that an mebbe we can fix things
up and arrange about yore daddy.
Wen come. back an git him an Wen
make a place fo' him under our big
cottonwoods below the big spring"
Molly Casey gazed at him with
such sudden glow of gratitude in
her eyes that Sandy felt embarrassed.
He had been comforting a girl. boy
ish girl, and here woman looked at
him, with understanding.
''YO're sure a white man. she said.
"fll git even with you some time if
work the bones Of my fingers through
the flesh fo' you. Thanks don't
amount to d--n 'thout somethin
back of EN- I'll come through"
She put out her roughened little
hand, man-fashion, and Sandy took it
as Sam emerged from the wagon with
the tools. The bay mare groaned and
gave a 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 "A temporary
grave.
The body would have to lie on the
ledge overnight, nothing but burial
could save it from marauding coyotes,
though the wagon might have baffled
the buZzards. The two set to work
digging shallow trench down to bed
rock, rolling up loose powders for
cairn. Lizards fiirted IN and out of
the crevices as the miner was laid
in his temporary grave, the girl dry
eyed again.
She had brought a little workbox
from the wagon, Of mahogany stud
ded with disks of pearl in brass
mountings 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 diSSnct in
the failing light.
81 don't want the dirt pressln 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 duds erlOng
to the ranch?" he asked Molly. "We
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. | amt had much chance
Don't know how the marell stand
yore skirt. If she won't Pinto'll pack
you"
"Pll fix that" She clambered into
the wagon. Before she came out with
her bundle they piled the cairn q
mask of broken rim-rock heavy
enough to foil the scratching of the
coyotes.
1t looked to Sandy as if 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.
II reckon | can fool that hawss OF
yores nOw," she said. 81 gen'ally dress