, 1923-09-05
CHAPTER Ill
Two Pictures In the Fire.

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The period which followed had a
quality Of breathless, almost unearthly
happiness. They we're young, savage,
simple, and their love. ~unanalyzed,
was as Joyous as the loves Of animals:
Joyous with that clear gravity charac-
teristic Of the boy and girl. Pierre
had been terribly alone before Joan
came. and the building-up Of his ranch
had occupied his mind day and night
except now and again, for dreams. Yet
he was Of a passionate nature. Joan
felt In him sometimes a savage posi-
bility Of violence. Two incidents Of
this time blazed themselves especially
on her memory: the one, her fathers
visit, the other, an irrelevant enough
picture until after events threw back
a glare upon II.
They had been at Pierre's ranch for
a fortnight before John Carver found
them. Then, one morning. as Pierre
opened the door to go out to work,
Joan saw a thin, red pony tied to
the fence and a small figure walking
toward the cabin.
pierre, it's fatheri" she said. And
Pierre stopped in his tracks, drew
himself up and waited, hands on his
cartridge belt.
How mean and old and furtive her
father looked in contrast to this beau
tiful young husband! Joan was en-
tirely unafraid. She leaned against
the side of the door and watched, as
silent and unconsulted as any sQuaw,
while the two men settled their prop
erty rights in her.
Carver, stopping a foot or two in
front Of Pierre, his eyes shifting up
and down, one long hand lingering
his lips.
Pierre answered c~ourteously. "Some
man was bound to hev her, Mr.. Car
yer, o or late. You can't set your
face ag'in' the laws Of natur. VIII
you be steppin' in? Joan will give
you some breakfast"
Carver paid no heed to the invita-
ton. "Hev you married herr" said he.
The blood rose to Pierre's brown
face. Sure / hev."
well, sir, you hev married the dar.
ter Of a" Carver used a brutal word.
Look out for her. If you see her eyes
lookin' an lookin' at another man,
you kin know what's to come" Pierr
was white. 1--WE done with her. She
kin never come to me fer bite or bed.
Shoot her II you hev to. Pierre Lands,
but when she's kotched at her mothers
game don't send her back to me.
That's all I come to say"
He turned with timber agility and
went back to his horse. He was on It
and of. galloping madly across the
sagebrush fiat. Pierre turned and
walked into the house past Joan with
out a word.
She still leaned against the door,
but her head was bent.
Presently she went about her house.
work. Every now and then she shot a
wistful look at Pierre. All morning
long he sat there, his hands hanging
between his knees, his eyes full Of q
brooding trouble. At noon he shook
his head. got up, and. still without
word or caress, he strobe out and did
not come back till dark. Joan suffered
heartache and terror. When he came
she ran into his arms. He kissed her,
seemed quite himself again, and the
strange interview was never men,
toned by either of them. They were
silent people. given to feelings and
to action rather than to thoughts and
words.
The other memory was Of a certain
sunset hour when she came at Pierre's
call out to the shed he had built at
one side Of their cabin. Its open side
faced the west. and as Joan came her
shadow went before her and fell
across Pierre at work. The flame Of
the west gave n weird pallor to the
flames over which he bent. He was
whistling and hammering at n long
piece of iron. Joan came and stood
beside him.
Suddenly he Strengthened up and
held In the mir a bar Of metal, tho
shaped end white hot. Joan blinked.
THAT'S u brand, gel" said Pierre.
Don't you fergit 1t. when I've made
my fortune thererl be stock all over
the country marked with them two
bars. ThatT be famous-the Two
Bar brand. Don't you fergit II, JOAN"
And he brought tire white iron close
80 that she felt Its heat on her face
and drew back. flnching. He laughed.
let II fall. and kissed her. joan wps
very glad and proud.