The Coolidge examiner., 1932-11-04

hurt them a lot more than they LET
on"
That's what / think. Did your
father tell you about how | feel?"
Her deep eyes met his and
through him went a thrill that
quickened his pulses. His drum
ming heart beat the tidings that he
wanted this lovely girl, so quick and
vibrant with life. so passionately
desirOus of the fine things it had to
offer-wanted to take her for his
mate and spend the years of his
life beside her. Yet he knew II
could not be. There was a chasm
between him and her that could
not be bridged.
"Yes. | understand that. too. It's
the only way you could feel.
But Remember that night
we rode across the desert together
an talked about how II had got
us, how Ii had made us tough an fe-
rociOus an harsh like that clump of
cactus there; an how you said 1t
had another side. too, f from that
dry waste came lovely flowers an
outa the heat came hours when the
air was all rose-colored an pink an
lilac? I've thought a heap about
that, an you sayin' ii was thataway
with our lives, too. It's so. 1.
What I'm gettin at Is this, that If
the desert makes us gaunt and
hardy, If IL gives us endurance and
fierceness, shows us how TO survive
when softer folks, unframed by it,
would crumple up an die, maybe
these very qualities, brought into
service an subdued TO use, are the
ones we've got to win out on this
thirsty frontier. We live where
were always SEEM the fash of
teeth. We've got to stand heat an
drought an hardship or get of the
map. All summer my sister has
been tryin' to cut the ironweed outa
her garden, but it's still there, | no
tice."
"Yes, it's tough like the bisnaga
and the cholla and the prickly
pear" she agreed.
Mature gives hooks an barbs an
saw-edged teeth to those of her chill
dred that need 'em. mule-deer
fn h
out water. Same way with prairie
dogs an coyotes. If they couldn't
stand thirst they wouldn't last long.
No different with us. We've got to
meet the conditions. But there's
something born in us that stays
with US. Even when we get tough
as leather we're all right inside.
maybe. On the dry desert things
take a long time to rot. I've seen
mighty tough citizens who had
clean hearts when once you got TO
them" lie laughed al himself. I'm
not gettin' anywhere, but you know
what ] mean"
"Yes, do" she told him. And
it's true. They call Mr. Stone a
killer, but I'd trust him anywhere.
But ! wouldn't trust that 0itner."
mo, you're right about Gitner he
belongs TO the lobo family, |
reckon. Well, I'll be movin' along"
~ don't think you belong to the
lobo family, Mr.. McCann." she told
him impulsive.y. Il did once, but
I've changed my mind"
Their level gazes met.
Much obliged for that" he re-
piled in the drawl of the South.
land. 81 don't reckon Id better tell
you what ] think OF you"
Into her dark eyes there flashed
momentary panic. She drew back.
her pulses fiuttering.
Phil called across to his compan-
ion. Ready, Wils?"
The two horsemen disappeared
rouhd bend in the road.
Wilson McCann and Phil Stark
did not find Yerby at home. A Mex
lean boy herding sheep on the hill
side near said he had seen him
start downward in the morning.
The trail ascended steeply. The
travellers left behind them the des-
ert vegetation. The lean and hag.
gard ocOtillo, cruel of claw. no
longer shared with the mesquite
dominance of the landscape. Catch
claw and cholla were still to be seen
and occasionally a Spanish bayoner
Scrub oaks and juniper appeared.
nj rirst struggling and hesitant. The
riders passed through splendid
grove of live oaks festooned with
great clumps of mistletoe, and as
they still climbed upward pines
were sihouetted against the sky
line
They camped far up in the hills,
choosing for the location a small
park where grass grew in place
of burrow weed. The very sky had
changed its character. II had be-
come more live. much nearer, a
deeper blue. The tang of the pines
was in the winey air.
Phil chopped fuel and built a fire