The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1923-09-21
CHAPTER TX
Dried Rose-Leaves.

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The house that Prosper Gael ha,
built for himself and for the woman
whom Joan came to think of as tn,
"tall child" stood In canyon a deep
secret fold of the hills, where elf
stood behind 1t, and where the pine
needed ground descended before IL.
door, under the far-fiung, greenlsh
brown shade of Or boughs, to the liI
of green lake. In January, the lake
was glare of snow. in which the big
frs stood deep, their branches heavily
weighted. Prosper had dug a tunnel
from his door through big drift which
touched his caves. 1t was curious to
see Wen Ho come pattering out of
this northern cave, his yellow, Oriental
face and slant eyes peering past the
stalactite icicles as though they felt
their own incongruity almost with a
sort of terror. The interior of the
five-room house gave just such an eff
feet Of bizarre and extravagant con-
trast; an effect, too. of luxury, though
In truth 1t was furnished for the most
part with stuffs and objects picked ND
at no very great expense in San Fran
cisco shops. Nevertheless, there was
nothing tawdry and. here and there.
something really precious. Draperles
ON the walls, furniture made by Wen
Ho and Prosper, lacquered in black
and red, brass and copper. bright pew
ter, gay china, some fur rugs. a COR
geous oriental lamp. bookcases with
volumes of a sober richness, in fact
the costliest and most laborious of i'm
ports TO this wilderness, small-paned.
horizontal windows curtained In some
heavy green-gold stuff which slipped
along the black lacquered pole on
rings of jade; all these and a hundred
other points of softly brilliant color
gave to the living room rare and
striking look, while the bedrooms
were matted, daintily furnished, care |
fully appointed as for a bride. Much |
thought and trouble. much detailed la
kor, had gone TO the making of this
odd nest in a Wyoming canyon. What
ever one must think of Prosper Gael,
L Is difficult to shirk heartache on his
account. A man of his temperament
Ices not lightly undertake even a COM
'anioned Isolation in winter land. To
picture what place of torment this
cabin was to him before
e brought to 1t Joan, as lonely man
rings in wounded bird to nurse and
herish, stretches the fancy on a rack
( varied painfulness.
On that night. snow was pouring IT.
elf down the narrow canyon in a
rowded whirl of dry, clean flakes.
Ven Ho. watchful. for his master was
lready day or so beyond the prom
'ed date of his return, stopped rub
Ing his hands. He had heard the
acking of snow under webs and run
ers. After listening a moment, he
odded to himself. like a figure In a
ran into the kitchen. did
to the stove, then lighted a
antern and battered out along the
unnel lodging the icicle stalactites.
'etween the frs he stopped and held
he lantern high so that II touched a \
1oving radius of flakes TO silver stars. :
tack Of him through the open door :
treamed the glow of lamp and fire n
Hing the icicles with blood and flush n
lg the walls and the roof of the cave.
Down the canyon Prosper shouted, o
Wen Hoi Wen He" A
The Chinaman plunged down the OF
all, packed below the new-fafIen 90
low by frequent passage, and pres
lily met the bent figure of his mas &c
r pulling and breathing hard. With ia
II speaking. Wen Ho laid hold of the m
ed rope and together the two men
eged up the last steep bit of the hill. an
"Velly heavy load" said Wen.
Prosper's eyes cleaning below the hs
sor of his cap. smiled half-malicfous- sh
upon him. Its a deer killed out of he
lson," he said, "and other cattle
maverick, either-fairly marked by ad
owner Lend me a hand and well
load" ST,
Ven showed no establishment. He we
moved the covering and peeped 20
nfwise at the strange woman who
red at him unseeingly with large. Jol
ght eyes. She closed them. frown- me
family as though she protested
inst the intrusion Of Chinese face fas
} her disturbed mental world. str