Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1934-05-16

lts always a good morning, Doc
tor Sonya," he said richly, when
we see you here. You don't get down
too often. You goin' TO the dance
over to tn Neldllngers next Sat'day
nightl Bin Pingle from Big Town
an two others is goln' to furnish
tn music. Accordion an two iddles.
Ought to be good. Think you
folks'n git overf"
why, yes" said Sonda, IL
shouldn't wonder II we did The
Neidlingers always have such nice
times at their ranch. Nice people"
Sure are. An tn more tn mer-
rier. | always say"
In the DON behind the store a
man stood where the first sound OF
Sonya's voice had stopped him. The
cigarette he had just rolled hung un-
sealed In his fingers. Until the girl
had gone out, until the last sound
Of her feet on the boards had died
away, until the sputter and roar of
the old fiIvver lessened in the dis
lance. he remained so. Then he
flung the cigarette into the refuse
barrel and went on out the back
door.
Sonya Savarin loved the dances
of the region.
Although liquid contraband flowed
freely. and the cowboys from the up
per country sometimes raised the
rafters with their noise, there was
something elemental and very young
about these gatherings of the folk
Of the lonely land. The sheep men
brought their wives and daughters,
the whole family, In fact, down to
the littlest ones, who slept In ranks
on the wall benches as the night
wore on. and everybody danced.
Serge Savarin and his womenfolk
came a little late, having to drive
% miles over roads that left a lot
to be desired. and entered In the
midst OF a number.
Sonya. In I new dress, her dark
face sparkling already, laid her wrap
on Lila's shoulder and swung out
on the floor In the arms of a per-
spring cowboy.
She met these people only at the
dances, but she remembered every
n and danced with all who asked
her, provided they were not too
far gone In the common hilarity. If
so, she would merely laugh and
shake her adorable black head
with its shining curls and say
, gently, mo, Billy, I'm too tired to
hold you up. Come around earlier
next time; or, you're silly, Bob.
just plumb silly. / think you're lit"
And young Bob, weaving on his
booted feet, would tell her anxiously
that he washn't near drunk, but he
knew how she felt about 1t and
didn't blame her q bit, not a single
bit. Neither did he. nor anyone else
whom she refused a dance. 1t was
enough that she was there to look
at, the most beautiful woman In all
the country, the h~ighest-up, yet the
sweetest to everyone that a man
could ask for. Everyone knew of
her and her work among the lowly.
Her little fame was sweet in the
land.
So Sonya danced and laughed
and listened to the music of the
v%iolins, the gay accordion, with her
arm on this lean shoulder and that,
and was extremely happy. She
| forgot the sorrows Of the world and
lived her youth to Its full extent.
Forgot Rod Blake and New York
city and the nan of Lone Mesa, all
of which had troubled her of late.
Lila was dancing, and so was
Serge, and Babs was already dead
to the world on a bench In the cor
ner, covered with Lila's cape. The
music was waxing more 'hot" and
furious. And by the door a man
came suddenly into her range of
vision. a tall man, slim-hipped and
| graceful. He was In store clothes,
and the eternal cigarette hung In
his fingers, its spiral of smoke as
cending In a tiny stream, but she
knew him instantly. AS instantly
the almost terrible thrill shot
through her from head to toe,
blurring her eyes a bit. catching her
throat with a little pain.
Suddenly the music changed,
some n yelled Paul Jones" and
the %circling couples broke like the
colors In a kaleidoscope. They
strung out In a huge oval, all hold.
Ing hands, and began going to the
right In time to the lively tune. A
whistle blew, and they broke apart
each man taking the woman imme,
diately facing him at the whistles
blast, and dancing ON with her
Whirled from this pair Of arms t.
that. breaking stem catching A
again, suitlng her step to each new
partners, the girl felt as II a wave
OF portent was bearing down upor
her. Something was going to hap
pen-something terrible and won
derful-she was afraid and exhil
arated as she had never been In hel
life beforehand here he was com
Ing toward her in the line. Hs