The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1934-05-31
were close as hand In its glove. these

engenders, and he knew 1t. 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 foeks 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 Frail
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 II 1t hadn't
been for their strong courage he'd have
given up. But he had been ashamed
TO quilt, and times were better now.
The flocks had become herds. He had
Indians with them In camps all over
the sage.
Hello. Sonya," said Lila. FLOWS
Two Fingers wlfe7"
Bad" said Sonya. I'm afraid I'm
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 II
she had to go away. why sorrow7 1t
was the common lot"
"Poor creature" said Lila her eyes
filling. what more can you do. dear7"
"Only very little more. I'm going
back early tomorrow and stay with
her till the. crisis passes"
III she dies" said Lila, @what will
become of the babies7'
1.-TWO Fingers has 4 sister over 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 4 woman's
love, not 4 routine"
Lila sighed and looked at Babs
through the open door.
"This world Is hard ON children
and women" she said, "and 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 un-
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 long kiss.
smiled at Sonya.
"Wheww he said. "Sure Is good to
get home"
Rodney Blake came In, his hands
In the pockets of his plus-fours
'4This Ia the darnedest family" he
complained, grlnning. Here am |, a
guest under Its roof, and I've twiddled
my thumbs all day waiting for II to
see I'm around"
NOW. Rodi" said Lila. lis that meet
Haven't Babs and paid you all the
attention posslble7"
"Babs The young autocratl She's
slept most of the time and ignored me
Lila, considering the thousand things
you've done today about the house,
but as for these others, well, ! know
should be highly afrronted 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 a pleasant meal that fol-
| lowed, and later the small group sat In
the big patio watching the twilight
march across the mysterious land In
| unspealAble beauty.
SonySs resting her head against the
| long chairs back, sighed In sheer
ecstasy Of appreciation.
"Tired, dearl" asked Rod tenderly.
| Sonya moved and looked at him.
"Tired7 Why. no, I'm not tired
/ now" she said.
Then why the sigh7"
"Oh, don't know. Just-just drink
ing in all this, 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
woman In the lowly hogan beyond Chez
wash, and of the dark-faced man who
loved her In his Silent fashion, and hei
heart was sad and heavy with her feal
for them.
And then, superlmposed upon theii