The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-09-02
Death Valley
Love
q by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
(WNU Service)
By MARSHALL BREEDON

ing most of his time tramping around
Death valley. The old man knew ev-
cry twist and turn in the fringing
mountains.
sits a-gettin' so man can hardly
have room fer to turn around in"
Bull grumbled.
Lonesome June, his long-eared Jen-
ny, who was asleep on her feet beside
him, did not wake up at the sound OF
Bulls voice. But when the crunch of
feet cut the still hot air Lonesome
June opened one eye, looked at the
newcomer and went to sleep again.
Bull had caught a view of the young
girls face. She was making hard
Roadway through the alkali. Bull
jerked Lonesome June to activity and
crossed to a point where he would
encounter the girl.
She stopped when she came up TO
the old man. Her lips were cracking,
her breath came in quick gasps, but
under the blister of her face the coun-
tenance was determined. Bull was
about to say something when the girl
stantly Bull slid forward. His heat
twisted old body barred her passage
"You can't fight the sink" he said.
you're walking to yur death. sure
She glared at him. Eyes wide, lips
set, muscles taut. II know what l am
doing" The tone was harsh, the
words suffered through the dry
throat. LET me CO." She Jerked
away, but before she could step for
ward Bull took her by both arms and
swung her face away from the deadly
blow of the sun. He held her until
the brief struggle died. When he
loosened her she looked at him, "Old
Buzzard. You mind your own bust
ness, / want to die"
For a brief moment their eyes held,
then the girl wavered, her breast
heaved and, sitting in the hot alkali,
she buried her face in her arms and
sobbed, dreadfully. Bull Graham
stepped to the side of Lonesome June.
He took a water bottle from his pack
and stood above the girl The effort
of sobbing in the heat had nearly ex-
hausted her. She looked up as he
held the water bottle close.
"a drink of water slow like" he hello
1t close, temptingly so, "then you'll not
want to die. No man in the world is
worth what you was ADDING. Take a
drink outen the bottle"
ST love him" Her words were more
broken than before.
The old man drew her to her feet,
led her toward the patient Jenny.
"Best we get back to the hotel" he
said. Its not mOre'n a couple or
miles. He jerked Lonesome June
awake. They started off slowly. The
water had revived the girl. Her eyes
lost some of their ferceness, her lips
softened. They walked without speak
ing. Every hundred steps or so Bull
would offer her drink. On the fourth
stop she handed the bottle back I'm
not going back" Her voice was firm.
IF you go into the sink. I'll have to
be a-goin' with you and me and Lone
some June is tired, we be-"
HE was going to marry me-" she
said.
she had a change of heart again
you?"
'In the hotel he told me while we
were dancing that he did not want to
marry me-" Her voice broke a little.
"He said he didn't love me any more"
"Thinkin' maybe you was a right
smart gal," Bull said. "Guess maybe
I was mistoOk."
"What do you meanT she asked
"When l was a young Teller" he
talked as they began to walk toward
the hotel, 81 had me a gal | sat
heap of store by her. Liked her mOre'n
l do Lonesome June here. An will
you believer of it, one night she up
and tells me to go plum to hi out
of her sight? Well, that busted me
up a heap. l was fer having myself
killed, and / was fer killing her and
by gosh was all upset. So l sets out
to have myself killed jest as you been
doing. Yes, | walked from Los An
geles where / was a-living, and | kept
coming until / come to this here Death
valley, and then l seen what fine
place the world was and didn't want
to get myself killed any more"
"You think you can love only oncet.
So did 1, but | know better now. l
been in love ever since that gal turned
again me. More in love than / was
with her. And you, why, you'll have
better boy afore you can wink twenty
times, and then you'll be like l am,
plum happy with your new love, and
it will be honest love, like the one
you jest had wasent."
A smile moved her cracking lips.
"Why, you're right" she said. Her
voice was cheerful "Of course, there
are other men, and besides it wouldn't
be fair to my father and mother. They
are waiting at the hotel. I'll run along
and oh, thank you SO much.
and | hope you'll always love your
wife like you said you did. for you
said you found better love than the
first girl could give"
Old Bull Graham leaned his skinny
arms over the back of Lonesome June.
He watched the girl going toward the
hotel.
81 been honest with the sink fer ff-
ty-three years, since come to it." he
said, "and It amt a-goin to mind efen
| tell a bit of a lie. Love me wife.
Wife, say, gal, amt ever had no wife,
nor no gal, either. been in love with
Death valley fer all them years and
guesen the sink will love me fer saw
ing your life"