Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1926-07-08
CHAPTER vI-Continued
3


'But it amt no good. he said, sud
denly disconselate. "'Cause whyi
What's the good OF water less you
can use It7 The sile here amt thick
enough to put dirt in yore fingernails.
II wouldn't grow radlsh. An the
wells wouldn't be artesian. They'd
have to have windmfiis to work 'em.
And, as said, they aIn't no sIle.
Seems like a plumb bit Of foolishness
to put water where 1t amt no manner
o. use, don't itT'
Have another cigar" said Caleb.
"Where do you suppose all the water
comes fromT"
The Welshman looked at him pity
iugly.
''You fish that stream an you'll see.
This is Caliente sink. The stream
runs into It like dIshwater goes down
the drain. Wish you luck, mister. An
thanks for the smokes Some day. If
you come this way. an I'm feelln'
better, I'll give you a demonstration.
til be glad to see you any time.
Kinder lonesome here in this oven,
but It's baking me back to health"
Caleb went on upstream In a maze.
II seemed, though his Yankee mind
affected to scoff at the suggestion
while It considered II, as II ne had
come into close touch with mystery.
He fingered the emblem on his seal
and smiled. Had the sign Of the 20
NFno Arun~fra roaI1y cbo~uad H..
with destiny. leading him along the
trail to be the Water-Bearer to the
frontier city OF the sandsi
Half mile up the canyon from
where the gravel road branched OF,
an arroyo entered from the east
through bench that was thick
furred with underbrush Of desert spe-
Giles. Only a triekle OF water was In
the almost dry watercourse, barely
lasting to mingle with Hermanos
creek.
The place was wild enough. and ST.
lent A grass-grown road chose either
bank at random. fording the creek at
frequent intervals. He found stones
to keep his feet dry as he crossed.
Up the road he began to come
across evidences Of an abandoned ram
cheria. There was little left but the
roots and scattering OF tentative
tendrils, scantIly leaved. He passed |
a corral, no longer tenable. a lean-to /
shed without a roof. leaking fiume.
a tumbledown wall Of stone, and then /
he became aware that he was walk
Ing through what had been once a
garden, a stately garden, still with a
certain dignity.
The garden had attracted him I'M
and he had left the half
obliterated road. He did not go back
TO II but wandered on TO the house
that rose above the cypress guard.
Caleb's footsteps rang holloway as he
passed over the flags and glanced In
through where a door had failed as
warder. He was beginning to people
the place with such ghosts as he Imag-
med should represent the former Oc-
cupants when he heard the high, clear
sound OF laughter at the very instant
that his nostrils conveyed to his
nerves OF dLHEAis tnfACc 10 pdtdtG ana
10 stomach--so that his mouth wa
tered and his appetite proclaimed
Itself with no uncertalnty-the smell
of broilIng meat
His hope OF something from ranch
arder, glass Of milk, piece Of cake
1r pie, II nothing more substantial.
lad died with sight OF the deserted
house. The tracks he had been trail
ng must lead too far for him to fol-
ow uncertainty. And now he had
,lundered on to q pienic-a California
yfcnlc winch Dgans q barbecHe.
Caleb's stomach yearned, rose Ia re
'oIt against his manners and 10 far
Won that he yenfured 70 the outer
loor 81 the arch and peered through.
The laughter had ended but he could
lear the chatter Of young voices. men I
nd women, hidden somewhere down
" the stream that had wheeled 70 I
low Ia fr0nf OF the old houge and