Evening star., 1934-10-31
CHAPTER Xxx.
NEW PLAN.
HLM sxAt
kTJuditht
LaaeI


IL some coffee, then looked up.
"Yknow, Ian, sometimes I
sort of pinch myself, wondering If
>. If all this is true, or If I'm going
to wake up and find I've been dream
ing And then again it seems like
we've always been married"
II know" she nodded seriously, "and
it's been only eight days" She bent
her head over the newspaper folded
to an account of their wedding, then
chuckled.
Listen, Lon isn't this rich? There's
nothing like a country newspaper:
Like a windswept garden of flowers
the bridal party moved down the aisle.
The bride, virgin lily with a golden
crown, was attended by the matron
of honor, Mrs. Albert Steele, and a
bevy of bridesmaids, including the
sisters of the bride, each depicting
some Spring flower in frocks of pastel
hue
Il felt 'windswept,' she confessed.
More coffee, Lon? Well send south
for the kind you like as soon as we're
settled"
What do you mean 'Windswept'?"
he asked. holding his cup toward her.
Between my mother and the 'bevy
of bridesmaids it's a wonder I ever
got dressed I really believe if Anne,
with her dimples and efficiency, hadn't
been there, you'd still be waiting at
the church"
mo, wouldn't Your dad had me
helping him pack the gifts and the
supplies they must have thought
We were starting hotel. Hams, ba-
con, fruit We're going to have
to build a storage house for it all
Darned nice of them, though, wasn't
it?'
"Umhuh, and I won't have to buy
a stitch of linen or bedding or dishes
or silver. We even have some rare
pieces of furniture"
Silence a few moments, then Lon
spoke. Hey, Ian. listen to this,
doesn't this sound like the place we're
looking for: 'Twenty-acre fruit ranch,
more acreage available, 10-minute
drive from city, running water, elec-
tricity, priced reasonable. See Nor
blad at Lafayette Where's Lafay-
ette?"
In the San Ramon Valley: it's
Deautl1ul tnere.
Ian, let's" he hesitated.
Let's" she said. We've the rest
of our life for honeymoon. Let's
start right away"
Quickly they washed the breakfast
dishes, packed their bags. whistled to
Hero and started for the valley of
the San Ramon. Down through Santa
] C,-Ii1 ND 6n ntoir oil
the valley road to Mission San Jose
and over the hills.
Noon found them swinging their
heels from the high stools of sand
wich counter at Walnut Creek, and
early afternoon in the Office of Nor
blad, at Lafayette.
The owner of the land mentioned
in the advertisement, Morblad ex-
planned, was an eccentric orchardist.
who resented the city's encroachment
on his land. He had thought he was
safe in buying on the far side Of the
n 0untain, which lay between the city
and the land, only to find that the
tunnel being bored through the base
of the mountain brought him closer to
the city's main street. than many of
the suburban districts.
Il tried to get him to wait until
the tunnel was finished, so he'd get
| better price for his land, but he
wouldn't. Seemed to think he'd be
contaminated by city folk if he held
out much longer"
He gave them directions, then stood
outside his little Office and watched
them leave with the complacent air of
a man who has performed his duty.
Lon drove while Marian repeated the
| directions, First road to the left" she
said, then, wooden gate with be
ware dangerous sign sign . there
it is, Lon No, Hero's all right. Nor
blad said there wasn't any dog"
Her eyes were wide with wonder as
Lon left the car to open the gate. The
orchard lay in valley hemmed in on
all sides by hills, low hills to the east
and north, jagged mountains to the
south, and to west the high barrier,
upon which the orchardist had placed
his hope of seclusion.
The road wound through the or
chard up hill. then stopped on the
top where a weather-beaten shack
served as farm house Marian looked
at the house, then looked away. "Oh,
Lon" she said, and pointed east.
Below them lay the great basin of
| Contra Costa County and towering
over it the plum -colored bulk of Mount
Diablo. There was something awe
inspiring in the vastness of the scene,
and yet there was something intimate
about the mountain, like an often-seen
acquaintance who suddenly becomes a
friend.
Marian sat on the weather beaten
stoop while Lon went to look for
the owner. She felt she could sit
there forever, watching the play of
cloud shadows across the green sweep
of the valley, the changing lights on
the mountains. So enprnSSed was she |