The Daily Alaska empire., 1931-07-28

N1OJllCI DlClllOl lCO VI Il4o childhood crowded his mind. The cruelties of those early years be- fore his father disappeared; ex- periences from that period when he and his mother were together on the stage; and then his beauti- ful ccmpanionship with her in Orchard Hill.
 Vividly, Pierre recalled that first meeting with his mothers old | friend, when, in his childish way he had decided that the old actor should be his Father Tony. Never had Father Tony failed him.
 On the crest of low ridge he paused to search the desert ahead with anxious eyes. Bruce and his companion were not in sight. There was nothing moving in that vast expanse.
 He went on.
 He lived again those months of his mothers illness, and thought of her dreams for him that had gov- enned all his life. He recalled his mothers talks about the theatre. He remembered her words when she spoke to him about her ap- preaching death, and how after her exit she would stand in the wings to watch him act his part. He called her name aloud.
 He wondered was she watching him now from the wings? If he should make his exit somewhere in the desert would she be there to receive him? He recited bits from favorite plays. He imagined himself in a theatre before an immense audience, and spoke as if he were playing part in q great play. He remembered that Ann had said she would sit in a box and throw him a kiss. With increasing anxiety, he watched for the men that Harrigan had been so confident he would meet.
 He went on.
 The sun hung high overhead in an empty white hot sky.
 He crouched in the shade of a rock and ate little food and drank sparingly from his canteen
 He went on.
 AS he pushed on deeper and deeper into the interminable desert to find Bruce, scenes from their i boyhood together passed before him: Their fight when, beside him. self with rage because Bruce had spoken lightly of his mother, he had nearly killed the older boy with a stone. Their rivalry for Ann: Bruce a bank clerk; the wedding; Ann as Bruce's wife. ln- cidents from that period when he made his home with Bruce and Ann.
 Again he lived that hour when his love for Ann had made him surrender his school money to Bruce. Once more he endured the agony of the realization that he could not now fulfill all that his mother and Father Tony and he had planned for his future. And again he felt the madness of that moment when he and Ann, looking into each others eyes, had seen their love, and in that same ln- stant had ruthlessly denied it. And Bruce had gone away and left Ann because of him. And now ais love for Ann was driving him on to find her husband and take him back to her.
 Surely here in this desert so ter rible in its vast desolatlon-so empty of all life-surely here there was no reason why he should not speak aloud his love. He shouted Ann, Ann, Annl love you, Ann I love you-love you-love youl" II Every endearment that he hao felt but never dared to put into words eve min his secret thoughts he cried aloud now to the silent desert. And then, as if she walked beside him, he treasured her with promises that she should not be shamed in Orchard Hill through his love because he would bring her husband back; her fathers in- nocence should be- established and everything would be as it was. | From the crest of every ridge and from every bit of high land he strained his eyes to catch 3 glimpse of the men he hoped with every mile to meet.
 The sun moved slowly down the empty sky; the shadows length ened.
 He went on. and on, and on.
 He seemed to have been walking for ages. Mother Mountain was as far away as when he first set out