The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1924-10-14


again why ne was not Ike them.
They followed The stream some
times. ana again trottod across fiat
hard sandy spaces where the floor
OF tho canyon wldenrd and passed
now and again the mouths ~ smaller
cuts dIvergiug from the main one,
About two miles from here" she
told Fair, I've leave blue stone and
take up Little Blue 90 The left A.
its head lle Grey spring and the
Circle. Wen make Il about noon
Tho sun was well down IA tho
great gorge when they reached the
opening Of Little Blue, and In THIS
smaller canyon which dlvergrd
sharply az rght angles q golden
/ light flooded 90 tho drf bottom,
Little Blue has no water 10 speak
Of" said Nance. "ouly holes here
and thcre-but they arc funny places,
deep and fun. ana they seem 90 come
from the bottom and 30 down some
where under the sand. They have
current. Tor n YOU throw anything
I In them Il will drift about. slow, and
finally 80 down and never come up
"subterrausau flow" aid Pair
'"I'yc seen other evidence OF % tn this
country Must have been volcanic
some time
The EurFr lifted and widened and
presently they passed several Of these
latanEr pools. set myatrriously IN tho
shelving floor.
/ Tho towering walls fell away and
. they had tho feeling Of coming up
Into another world. Soil began 20 APP
pear In place Of tho abundant blue
sand. and trees and grass clothed
tho floor iu ever increasing beauty
! Fair drew Diamond up and waited
iuntu Nance rode alongside and they
went forward into tiny country oct
TN the rldEiug rock Of tho Swallowed
canyon 10 where Grey Spring Wills
psrrd at the edge Of tho Circle.
'srsr' cried Nance waving hand
about al the smiling scene. ~ is a
magic place no Least
Tho spring ITSELF was a narrow
itriCklr above sands a. gray as cloth.
Ia ueycr-eraslng flow Of water clear
land les cold. and beyond 4 was a
round little fiat. thick With green
grass beneath spreading muhh oaks.
a spot Tor fairy oonclavca
Yea" nodded the man. ~ Il
magio--,he true magic o. Nature In
gracious perfection. unmarried by The
hand Of man"
"Aro We going 10 have tho cookies
nowg- camg the anxious pipe % The
boy. and Fair laughed.
Can't get away from Tho deadly
commonplace. Miss Allison. with
Sonny on tho JOB. Poor little kid
he's about led up on untrammslsd
mature I'm afraid I owe him a big
debt FOR what I've done 10 him-aud
lyet-I am trying TO pay a bigger one
which someone else owes him, Let's
camp"
They dropped The rslns and turned
tho horses loose 70 ErnEr, and Fair
bgu, a little fire q dry wood which
sent up a straight column OF smoke
ike n signal
Nance united her bundle from tho
saddle thongs and Falr uHrolisd a
dozen trout firm and cool Ia their
sheath Of leaves Hg hung them
| drftiy 10 the flames on a brut green
twig and Romance danced attendance
on the hour lie was expert from
long experience OF cooking iu ia"
open. and whom ho finally announced
them done they would have delighted
an cpicurr. Nance laid out a clean
white cloth and spread upon u such
plain and wholesome things an cold
corned beef. white bread and golden
butter. homemade cucumber pickles
and sugared cookies.
They wrro poor FOLK all. tho nomad
man and boy. tho girl who knew 20
little beyond tho grind % work. but
they were richer than Solomon IN
all his glory. Tor they had health and
youth and that most priceless thing
OF ala clear conscience and the
eager expectation q the good tho
next DAY holds.
They sat croEs-lcgKrd about their
sylvan board and forgot such things
aH work aud hardship and tho bitter.
ness Of threatened fcud. aud-may.
hap-veugeance.
They talked of many things and
80 the time Snnce's wonder grew az
Fairs wide knowledge Of tho outside
world. At his gentle manners. HE
quiet rctlccnce In some ways. htf
genial freedom In others.
lie told her OF tho cities and the
sea. spoke Of Mexico and this and
that Tar place. but mostly he brought
her pictures OF her own land this
rivers OF the Rockies. tho Arizona
mesas-and the girl. starved for IN,
unknown. listened opcn-llpped.
They cleared away tho cloth and
Nance took Sonny in her lap. Will,
Fair stretched out at length smokius
in contcntmcnt.
Tho child slept. tho sun dropped
down the cloud fccked vault. and Il
was Fair himself who finally put ar
end 10 tho enchanted hour. rising ans
catching up tho horses.
You have far 10 go. Miss Allison.
he said as he stood beside her Emlllng
down into her face. and sonny ant
must be careful not 10 work q
hardship on you. or you might moi
come again"
The ride back down Little Blu,
was quiet a thousand impressions
were moillng happily in Names
mind Her eyes felt drowsy. a lttl,
smile kept pulling at her lips cor
nerH. and yet, 80 wholly inexperl
enccd was she. she did not know
what magic had been at work in IN,
green silence Of the Circle and Grey
Spring.
II was only when Fair pulled hli
horse 80 sharply up that BucksMr
nearly stumbled on his heels that sh,
came out OF her abstraction. lie sa
rigid In his saddle, one hand extcnde,
in warning, gazing straight ahcnd I,