The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1934-06-01

ever. And this Is not the one"
She had almost said, "he rode on
Lone Mesa" but checked herself.
"Well," she said instead. II must get
| going. Long ride home. You take
good care of Little Moon. I'll come
back in three days."
So she logged away down Chez wash,
her hat down over her eyes, smiling a
little just In the joy of living and the
beauty Of the desert
There was no one sick about, now
that Little Moon was getting well, and
she would do some of the things she
had wanted to do for herself for q
long time. For one, she would go over
and spend couple of days with her
friend Myra Little. on the Black Sheep
ranch. She hadn't seen her for three
months, and she was very fond of her.
Lila agreed heartily with Sonya's
plan to visit Myra Little, and two days
later the girl departed on Darkness.
She started early to avoid as much
of the days heat as possible, and made
the long hard ride in good time, trot-
ting into Myra's door yard just as she
was putting dinner on the table.
Myra. a tall gaunt woman, desert
bitten of face and form but dawn fair
inside her soul. was at her stirrup be-
fore she could dismount.
"My soul alivel' she cried catching
the girls hand, "now just isn't this a
treat! All, Sonya, how glad 1 am to
see you!"
She put her. arm around the girls
waist and the two women entered the
wide low ranch house where the savory
smell of baked mutton and potatoes
scented the warm air.
Sonya smiled around at the cool,
deep room, so plain, so comfortable,
where this courageous and intrepid
Myra lived her hard working life, laid
her saddlebags on the couch, ran her
comb through her short hair, and was
ready. She went out through the big
room and washed at the bench on the
back porch, drying on the clean roller
towel Myra was hastily hanging up.
The meal steaming on the table was
ton and potatoes, onions sliced in vine
gar, and a can of fruit opened in her
honor. There were Indians here, a
woman with a shy child Of four, a
half-grown girl, two men. These ate
at long table on the pleasant porch,
while the two white women sat at
Myra's own small table in one end of
the living room. Myra owned and ran
the Black Sheep ranch.
"Oh, Sonya," said Myra happily, II
just can't tell you how good it is to
see you! It's been a long time since
we had a talk, an I'm just goin' to
lay off the whole afternoon for the mat
ter. Come on, Sonya, let's go an rest"
Sonya followed her into the dark
ened room beyond, which served as the
best room of the house. On its walls
were astonishing paintings Of the des-
ert land in oils: rich, true, glowing
canvases that would have drawn their
crowds in any gallery Of the world.
These were Myra Little's romance, her
satisfying draught of beauty, her out
let for that inner fineness which found
so little chance in the stark service OF
the sheep.
Always they struck Sonya anew with
their austere magnitude, and always
as now she stood before them marvel
ing.
ITS shame, Myra," she said now,
shaking her head, shat these pictures
can't be hung in New York. Maybe
some day when I'm there I'll see about
the matter"
"You goin' there. Sonya? Takin'
trip?" asked Myra quickly.
mo-" said Sonya, "and yes. No trip.
Going to stay, guess"
"What?"
The word came quick and sharp.
Sonya moved uneasily, nodded.
II think ~" she said, turning to look
at Myra gravely. "When woman Is
engaged to marry man, she goes
where he lives, doesn't she"
"Why, l didn't know"
mo. 1t isn't public property, but l
am. Rodney Blake, an old college
friend Of Serge's. Fine man."
Myra stood silent, searching Sonya's
face with her clear gray eyes.
"Why, Sonya," she said presently,
show will we all ever do without you?
An yet that's only selfishness. 1t will
be fine for you. You've lived SO fast.
and deeply in this desert that it's only
right you go back where you belong,
get the rest an life that's comm to
you. You deserve it"
"Well-maybe. But now let's sit
down and visit. We haven't had a
real talk-fest for months and months"
Sonya heard that the Brights still
farther over east had pair of twins,
and that Sam Savina, notorious Bor-
der thief, had been found just across
the Rio Grande crucified, a grim Mex
lean warning to his kind.
Also that the Servant of the LORD
was coming in to the Black Sheep
that very night on one Of his constant
journeys. The two bits Of news seemed
RI suooost aach other. the crucif1XtOn