The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1934-06-08
CHAPTER III-Continued

mo, maybe nOt-knoWln' you, 1
know not. But l think you were wrong,
Sonya, even so. Whatever might have
happened to you would have been out
side your power to prevent, no fault
Of yours. An think what a CHASTITY
waste it would have been-your brok-
en- body at the Mesa's foot-your kind
ly soul gone from this earth which
needs such so bad. No." she finished,
shaking her head, "you should not
have tried to kill yourself"
SWELL" the girl laughed, 81 didn't,
80 that's that And, Myra, I wish you
could have seen his face. never saw
q drunken man get sober so fast In
my life."
"What did he look like?" asked My
ra curiously. "Was he a cowboys"
Sonya considered.
swell, he was dressed like one, yet
I wondered what outfit he could work
for, since we're all sheep over there,
you know. And he was good to look
at. Tall and slim hipped, with the
strangest long blue eyes / ever saw.
Odd eyes that could change in Sec
ond. They were fierce at first, like
hawks, reckless and selfish. They
made me furious just to look at them.
And then, when he saw I was in dead
earnest about-about-thi thing
they turned perfectly terrible with
anxiety, like mans who sees a child
dying and can't help, if you see what
] mean. Well, anyway, it's ancient his
tory, and I hope never lay eyes on
him again, the good-for-nothing. And
now tell me about yourself. How's the
ranch going?"
And Myra fell into the usual train
of trivial happenings which had filled
the recent months, as the afternoon
wore away and the sun went down
the west.
1t was twilight when they came out
into the ranch yard, and some one
was coming into the round stockade
corral where the big tanks shimmered
with their sweet waters from the we'll
under the windmill. This was
strange creature if ever there was
one, that sat YEARLY on his little gray
burro, leading another and hazing a
third ahead Of him-a thin, stopped
figure in rusty black garments that
bore about them something of the dig
nifty Of chancel and sacristy. A wide
brimmed black hat sat squarely on
the head Of long white hair that fell
in dusty ringlets to his shoulders. The
tired burros drank as If famished,
and the master stepped off the one he
rode, standing patiently beside it while
it slaked its thirst
Myra laid down her pan and went
toward this newcomer, her hand ex-
tended.
"Hello, sir" she said, "We're glad
to see you. There's plenty of feed
in tn barns yonder. Put up your stock
an come on in. Superb soon be
ready"
"Good day, my daughter" said the
old man, shaking hands with her. "Tm
glad to be here, too. The road is long
sometimes. I've come from Juniper
Tank today"
"Whewl' whistled Myra. "That is
a long trail, an a hard one, especially
for burros"
"Oh, they do well, my little fellows.
They're true servants Of the Word
never complaining, always willing.
Their reward is certain, I'm sure. If
weren't I'd be unhappy: they are so
patient, so gentle"
He looked at Myra anxiously with
his faded old dark eyes.
Sure" said the woman hastily,
"sure they'll be rewarded. Just as
sure as anything"
The Servant smiled relievedly.
Il knew you'd understand, Mrs. Lit
tle," he said. "Some people don't. They
smile when I tell them that. Now I'll
60 put up"
A little later they all sat down to a
simple meal, and Sonya studied him
with careful glances. She had heard
so much about him.
Where he had come from, the coun-
try did not know. or where he made
his habitat, or If he even had one. In
rain and shine, summers heat and
winters cold, he rode the lonely
stretches on his tiny mounts, carrying
his Bible and his frst-aid kit. Many
a life he had saved in emergency;
many difference he had patched up;
many a bit of courage he had put in
some failing heart. They called him
far and wide the Servant" short
ened from 'The Servant Of the Lord"
and he had no other name but that
fantastic soubriQuet. He was very
old, and the rigors Of his life had
leaned him to the bone; its pitiless
suns burned his wrinkled skin to the
color Of old leather. But there was in
bis face a flame that shamed the evil