The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1934-05-11
were close as hand in its glove. these

was conspiracy or love and loyalty
and that dear service which only love
engenders, and he knew it. 1t had
served him well, for things had not
been too easy on the ranch in the sage
brush country where Serge Savarin
ran his flocks Of sheep, and women
can hold up the hands Of men when
the waters of circumstance become too
deep. These two had waded with him,
leaning in against his shoulders. Frall
Lila had carried his child. too, and
Sonya had stood by at its deliverance.
That had been three years back, and he
knew in his heart that If 1t hadn't
been for their strong courage he'd have
given up. But he had been ashamed
to quit, and times were better now.
The f1ocks had become herds. He had
Indians with them In camps all over
the sage.
"Hello, Sonya," said Lila. Flows
Two Fingers wifeT
Bad" said Sonya. I'm afraid Pm
going to lose her. She's sweet thing,
too. pretty and young. Two babies.
The patience of these Indians is pa
thetic. She whispered to me that If
she had to go away, why sorrow? 1t
was the common lot"
poor creature" said Lila her eyes
filling. what more can you do. dear"
"Only very little more. I'm going
back early tomorrow and stay with
her till the crisis passes"
IF she dies" said Lila. what will
become Of the babies?'
1.-TWO Fingers has sister oyer In
Long Ruins. Maybe she'd take them.
I'd hate to see them go into the school.
They're so little and so wild-like
baby quail. They need a woman's
love, not a routine"
Lila sighed and looked at Babs
through the open door.
"This world is hard on children
and women" she said, land only a
mans true love redeems it."
"And here comes one Of the crusad-
ers now" said Sonya nodding her
black head toward the northern sage.
"Serge."
A pink flush spread quickly up I'M
der Lila's fair skin. Her blue eyes
crinkled at the corners. Always the
sound Of her husbands coming brought
this phenomenon of JOY to sight upon
her face.
A little later he came in from the
back patio, scrubbed and shining, his
riding clothes brushed free of the
days sand and dust, his dark face
burned by sun and wind.
A handsome man was Serge Savarin,
taller than Sonya, showing his Russian
blood in the bold contours Of his face,
the fire In his black eyes, the slowness
Of his movements.
He kissed Lila with a long kiss,
smiled at Sonya.
"Whew!'' he said. "Sure is good to
get home"
Rodney Blake came in, his hands
in the pockets of his plus-fours.
'This is the darnedest family" he
complained, grinning. Here am l, a
guest under its roof, and I've twiddled
my thumbs all day waiting for it to
see I'm around"
"Now, Rod!" said Lila, sis that nice?
Haven't Babs and l paid you all the
attention possible?"
"Babs! The young autocrat! She's
slept most of the time and ignored me
the rest. You've done pretty wei,
Lila, considering the thousand things
you've done today about the house,
but as for these others, well, l know
I should be highly affronted by their
Indifference. Some day I'm going to
be, no kidding"
yeah, like hi you WILL" said
Serge. "Come here, Babs, and sit on
daddy's lap for supper"
1t was pleasant meal that fol-
lowed, and later the small group sat in
the big patio watching the twilight
march across the mysterious land in
unspeakable beauty.
Sonya. resting her head against the
long chairs back, sighed in sheer
ecstasy of appreciation.
"Tired, dear?" asked Rod tenderly.
Sonya moved and looked at him.
"Tired? Why, no, I'm not tired
now" she said.
"Then why the sigh?"
"Oh, don't know. Just-just drink
ing in all this, l guess"
She waved her hands apart, and the
gesture comprised the whole lone
country with simple eloquence.
The man, smoking, watched her with
speculative eyes In which there was
a CLINT of hardness. This country and
its problems-they menaced his hope,
and he was beginning to hate them
with deep and abiding hatred.
Serge was talking about the bands
of his sheep on Bad Land Levels, and
Lila was asking this and that question
at intervals, and presently Sonya.
watching the great stars come out upon
the blue heavens, lost the purport Of
their words. She was thinking Of the