Evening star., 1931-02-22

by the afternoon sun from the meeting house
bell and Lucy in the square of red poppies
before his cabin. She waved the preaching
shirt which she was mendng.
1t seemed to Childres Parker that Jasper
Black could not last to finish the confession
which he gasped out at long intervals,
few words at time. Late the third day they
had reached his shack to find him lying like
a sheet of paper in his bunk, chest barely
moving with shallow breath. the life flame
dim in his eyes. He the pillow and
pointed to board in the flooring
There he said family and lapGed into
silence.
They removed the board and took from
cache buckskin bags heavy with gold They
found the miner watching them.
The gold 1 washed out didn't-come-fast
enough. Harry's pack train" He was
gone again.
There's a horse thief jailed for it now in
Frisco" Tads eyes were staring. Who'd
think it was Jasper robbed the train?"
That evening the sick man rallied. Il must
tell Harry, mustn't I, elder? 1 must give it
back to Harry"
Amt no use to go for him, is they?" Tad
whispered
His poor hearts set it, Tad" -Four days
more away from Lucy.
You right Jasper. Restitution must be
made" Childres Parker said quietly.
The cold hand on the blanket reached for
the warm vital one. Some of the terror left the
ashy face
Again the messenger rode away. Childres
Parker was left with the dying man. He fought
off drowsiness, nursed the miner and read hour
after hour, seated beside the bunk, the most
joyous of the Psalms until the dying man lay
quiet, soothed by the ringing voice, by the
verses rhythm and content. When Jasper
drowsed the circuit riders thought few back to
his wife and her lonely trial
ar he thought with puzzled distress of Tum-
water Tom During a MONDAY halt on
their way to Blacks he and Tad were doing
on their saddlebags when a bullet whined
their heads Instinctively they rolled to their
stomachs and sighted rifles across the saddle
bags. Three Indians the foremost Tumwater
Tom, rode into the meadow. They held brief
parley, the circuit rider demanding explanation.
Tom indicated one of his companions Him
not like white man"
But tell him I am your friend"
II not like white man either" Tom grlnted
"Ycu take our valley, build house, sow grain,
build church. 1t is ground. Many year
we burn brush so grass grow plenty for cayuse.
We camp to catch salmon. Now Kngsworth
say we not come any more. 1t is our ground"
Only the urgency of Jasper Blacks need kept
Childres Parker from returning then and there
to the valley. He promised redress for the
camping matter and pushed on No sooner,
however, had the two parties separated than
another shot grazed his hat Furious, he
turned. The smoking rife in Toms own
handl
Nights and days dragged by in the dark
shack. Jasper, who had seemed weak that
he could not last out an hour when the circuit
rider arrived, lasted to grow weaker yet
On the fourth day at sunset ChiIdres Parker
heard the horses the trail. He hurried to
the door.
The men dismounted and looked at him in a
strained silence, strangely.
Yes, he's alive" Childres Parker said.
Still that silence. That strange working of
their features
A glacial chill crept over his heart. What
as it?" he demanded. Tell me- Not-my Wifi"
Tad turned away gulping.
Elder" Staley stammered I'D give every
thing own-if ddnt-have to tell you. The
eettlement's-wiped opt"
Childres Parkers arm went up across his
eyes to ward off the blow. He swayed ON the
doorstep.
Some Of them must have got away into the
woods Staley," he said brokenly, some Of
them" But not Lucy, he thought he spoke.
Lucy was Ight-stepped no longer but heavy
with the burden of his child.
THE man who brought the news saw no
one, Mr.. Parker. He houses burning and
Indians laying firebrands to the church"
The meeting house, too. Everything he had
built in the new West-his home his family
his church. Gone. Only himself left with his
futile strength and the heart crushed out of
him.
I've brought extra cayuse for you, elder
Youll want TO 60" Hard-faced Staley gentle
as a woman, planned for him
Out of the numbneSS that engulfed him he
was aware that Tad had brought his Saddled
cayuse and an extra pony a leading string
Automatically he started TO mount His foot
dragged from the stirrup The cayuse turned
to look at his master, usually SO brisk in the