The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1931-03-05
The Plains OF Abraham
By James Oliver Curwoed
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soles of her shoes were almost
worn from her feet. She struggled
bravely as they entered the clear
ing, with the ruin of the house
ahead of them. Both were so
tired in soul and body that their
minds seized upon this end of
their journey as a relief from
longer supporting the burdens of
the flesh. In way, it was like
coming to home which they had
forgotten. For this was Lussan's,
place filled with memories of
hope and triumph and bitterness
out of which it built a welcome
for them even in its loneliness.
TOinette's lips almost smiled. as
if she saw Madame Lussan at the
threshold of the door calling to
her above the laughing o voices
of men and women, above her
fathers CHEEKY greetings to friends
and neighbors, above the restless
stamping of her horses h0ofs and
the crying of the aucti0neer. She
might have seen and heard these
things but yesterday; now there
was sleep-a dark and lifeless
ghost of a house crickets raSping
their wings in the tangled grass
jungle growing where before
there had been broad and level
green.
Both were children now, seeing
the ghosts as only children could
see them, wide-eyed and a little
afraid at first, and yet comforted
| by the nearness of that yesterday
in their lives. The stars and the
crickets and the rustln9 grass
and the wind in the trees seemed
to listen and move to the cautious
tread of their feet. A rabbit ran
ahead of them. An owl flew off
the roof of the house. A bat
dipped in spirals and curves be-
fore their eyes, and thorns caught
playfully a. their shoes and
clothes. And they felt safe. - A
warmth crept through their blood,
and with it relaxation of nerves
and eyes and brain. Here was
sanctuary. Rest. Peace. They
sensed these things without speak
ing as they approached the build
ing. The door was open. Star
light splashed like the golden glow
of candles on the floor They en-
tered and stood silent as if lis
tening anXiously for the voices of
sleeping ones whom their entrance
might arouse. Emptiness was here,
a spectral vacancy, but with it
were neither death nor fear.
They were little apart, and
Toinette looked like a broken
flower ready to fall.
wait for me here,' said Jeems.
Il am going for an armful of
grass"
He made a bed in corner of
the room, and Toinette sank upon
it. He covered her with his fathers
coat which he had brought from
the valley and went outside to
watch and guard with Odd.
He could hear her sobbing as
tears came at last to give her CON-
fort. He fought back thicken-
ing in his throat and a hot flame
in his eyes as the boy in him
called out for his mother. He too
wanted this easement for his grief
But he stood--a man. Odd watched
tirelessly and sleeplessly with his
master.
After long time, there was 81
lence in the old house, and Jeems
knew that Tcinette was asleep
He went in quietly and replaced
the coat about her. Her face was
white and lovely, and wet lashes
glistened on her cheeks. Timidly
his fingers pressed the silken braid
of her hair. He brushed a wisI
of hay from her forehead. Uncon
sciously his lips moved. Hope anC
faith and prayer seemed to still
in the room as he dared to raise
the soft braid to his lips and ther
he returned to his place outside
with something like glory en-
shrined with his sorrow.
, He sat on the ground with tn,
, house at his back and his bow an(
sheaf of arrows and the EngliSl
Ratchet within reach of his hands
! The stiffness seemed a live thin,
that had barred all sound from
solemn hours of meditation, ant
.. he soon began to feel its influence
Slowly and irresistinly it brough
J the desire to close his eyes ant
sleep, and he rose to his feet in ;
s. struggle to keep awake. odd
! teeth clicked and his eyes gleame,
, with undimmed vigilance.
For hours they watched togethe
: aud marked every changing sha
!. dow. They skirted the edges o
i, the open, advancing step at ;
time and with as little noise as tn,
owl wings that now and thel
! floated about them. They scanned
5 Lussan's meadow, and Jeem
] climbed tall tree to see if h.
! could discover a glow of fire. A
intervals he returned to the hous
: and looked in at Toinette. 1t wa
| after midnight when he sat dow
$ again, and soon the stars SCENE,
to be laughing at him and to b.
drawing nearer as If they ha,
: beaten MIN in a game. They close
2 his eyes. Odd rested his heav
y jaws between his forepaws an,
gave a deep sigh. Exhaustion
n then sleep.
s (To BE CoNTlNUED.)