The Bozeman courier., 1927-03-25

open the top Of the piano and placed the
| Chopin Preludes on the rack, wondering
/ If she dared try one. For there had been
| a time when music was all her ambition
and desire. And them what with one triv-
! ial thing and another, life seemed TO be
crumbling into valueless fragments, until
| there appeared to be nothing left to her
young twenties but a great desire to get
| away-clear away! That was why she had
fed to the mountains, where all these years
the old Steinway had been waiting, silent
but for Mrs. Binken's hymns and the
periodical tuner.
The wind drOned in the chimney like
cello; Michael glanced expectantly from
] his brothers face to the keys.
I Alexis eyes cleaned with recognition.
Why, of course! Louis had played this
often and often. In that other house that
had been something like this one.
The boys hands dropped to the keys.
He played the prelude through, haltingly;
went over it again-and again. By the
fifth repetition it sounded very much the
way Louis used to play it in those remote
days when his own fingers had been too
small to span the difficult Octaves. His
business then had been with scales and eX-
ercises, since that was the way one had to
accOmpaniments some day, as Louis did
now. They had played, father and Louis,
before the czar! Mother liked to tell OF
that and show the ring with the big green
emerald which the czar had given father
after that concert. And some day, when
Louis was of giving concerts by himself
Tor that was the kind Of pianist Louis
would be-then he would play with father
before the czar.
Only one had to wait for the war to be
over. Everything had to wait for the war
to be over. The fighting interrupted all the
interesting things one might be doing. But
for the war they would be giving those
concerts in America now and growing very
rich.
But the war didn't stOp-and didn't stop.
And one day mother would say no more
about playing before the czar. She only
turned white and whispered "Hush! when
! The Twentieth Prelude makes a brief
statement, but with rising infection and
suspense at the end, as though inviting
? comment. Possibly in words it might run
something like this: 1T is dreadful to be
Overtaken by night in the forest, but one
! goes on (for there is a path Of sOrts), be-
traying no fear. And at last there are
open spaces. Surely there is a hint Of
color on that mountain peak. Do you
think 1t might be sunrise?"
And because Alexis knew a great deal
about night and fear and dreadful jour
neys, he was able to play the Twentieth
Prelude quite well.
, How pleased mother would be to know
! that he could reach the Octaves now! Why
she did know. She was standing in the
doorway, listening. One must not turn
to look or she would vanish. But she was
, there!
Z And not only mother; father had come
in (dOn't turn around y Father had come
y home, because the war was over. Presently
! he would take his violin; then Louis would
: begin the Ave Maria for him. The viOliI
: would wait until the piano had made
everything ready. Then it would begin e.
Alexis wondered if he could remembel
Louis part.
But Michael was getting impatient
\ He began politely in a small voice.
= 81 can do it now, AleSha."
The next time he said it louder ant
2 edged toward the middle Of the bench. A
. the sixth repetition he gritted his teetl
q and his eyes shot sparks. Suddenly b.
! brought his hands down hard upon tn
J., lowest bass. 1t was like heavy eXplOSiv
e destroying some growing thing that wa
- beginning to be beautiful.
The result was warfare. Alexis, daZe
# and furious, tried to defend his hOpelessl
broken dream-a dream in which there ha
: been no Michael at all-while Michael-On
= should remember in extenuatiOn that
II Tartar is a Tartar.
|! Lucy, shocked and sorry, tried to inter
II vene as Alexis bore his brother, kickin
wildly, to the door. Following thei
= descent of the steps, she watched impOtent
lily while Michael was thrust into the eX
y subsided, drOOpingly making himself sma
% to the wind. Alexis picked up the cal
handle and the little equipage headed wit
= valiant patience into the storm.
"Oh, this won't de!' cried Lucy. "Chi
! dren ~ but the wind took her voice. Sh
, had to run after them to make them hea
: walking beside tn ecart, her face lowere
- you're coming to my tree tomorrow
aren't you? If you don't l shall be alone
g The. two faces, indistinct in the, dusl
u turned upward to hers. They hardl
t. seemed flesh and blOOd-she felt as thOug
e, she strOve to hold back two mOurnful litt
ghosts. But presently Micbael's teeth shOI
Ee "And play on the piano." said Michae
n. Royalty ordering the manner in which
= was to be entertained.
Eyes, indeed!' cried Lucy. 'All you like
or Alexis did not respond so quickly. T
"a had the air Of hearing and seeing thing
nj imperceptible to her, staring vaguely
O. herself as though she were less real this
n those other things. Perhaps there wOu
N always be something strange about AleXi
Fl He murmured dOubtfully, 'Thank you
hesitated, and made one Of his bows. b
de Michael was not vague.
1--WE win come very early" said Mieha'
. "and stay quite a very long time"
- Mr.. Binken, requested to venture for
lle into the night and procure Christm
zig tree, gave expert opinion that the sort
er- tree Miss Barley wanted was not to
tn, found within thirty miles. FurthermOl
he put a hand to his back to indicate tn
. he already had pain there from luggil
- trunks all day.
1t- 'I see," said Lucy. Gwen, bring me t
ID ak, then, please"
ia. Half way up the mountain road was
. clump Of young spruce and thither, havi
changed to knickerbOckers and carrying
1o0d' 10' ak on her shoulder, Lucy ascendC
W. Through the obScurity she could still ma
co out one perfect little tree somewhat aps
. from its fellows. Three good strokes laid
low. She trimmed of the butt, occasional
or gianeing up at the Denisher window,
rs she was near enough now to see the sha
Of it, not as an indeterminate spark,
. an Oblong with a hint Of moving hgul
RS within. That must be quaint hOusekee
IN ing, she mused with a kindly smile. S
IN wondered what luck Louis Denisher b
no had with his pie!
:. The wind was gaining. Really, it v
:. terrible! Lucky that the hay barn acted
~ wind break for the little house or
roo would be fairly blown away. Still, thu
S0 log cabins were solid If nothing else.
81 The tree, as she lifted it to her should
was almost torn from her grasp-yet
- paused for a moment with her face
70 g against the storm to observe a low do
O1' yellow curve in the window which mil
- be MichaePs head. "YOu babyg' she
tan dressed him adOringly across that inter
ont Of winter.
MT Suddenly the tree slipped from her she
win ders-the strength left her knees
the What in Gods name was happening o
rite therel An enormous black thing
ana, tapped into the air above the hOuse--t
.t down uDOn IL like a hawk striking tal