The Coolidge examiner., 1934-11-30
CHAPTER IX-Continred
IL


Nancy laughed.
Il was merely wondering how
loug the JOB would last Time goes
80 rapidly: and some day we've rot
20 turn our faces 20 the East. you
know
Jack said nothing. and suddenly
Matf's color rose.
-Why-yoV're not leaving Us this
spring. are youf IL mean Miss
Columhlne said you'd stay a year r.
Il know. but such a though,
never catered our heads. Matt And
now Dads made another star; I'm
pretty sure they'll want Us 10 come
home No; that / don't dread leav-
Ing Cousin Columblne. I'm awfuily
afraid she's going 20 miss Us"
Jack. silll silent. arose and went
over % window Matthew sat
looking into space ~Some-some az
the rest o' Us will miss you. too.
Nancy be said surprisingly.
There's Mother and-and--~
Nance laughed outright. and
asked. eyes lighted with merrl.
neat: WHY spoil a pretty speech
Ike that MairT
spoil ity"
Jack came back. rrinnlng. and
slumred into the cushioned chair
-She means. old man. that this
was no time 20 mention Mother
Honest. Nance. have We cot TO 80
home this sprluEf~
-You don't want toy questioned
his sister.
DO your" be couniered.
The Eirl was silent. looking down
81 the toe of Matthews boot Il
don't know. exactly" she said ht
last. I'm crazy 20 see every one
a; home. of course: though ia ra,h-
er stay here through the summer
Bot wonder ~ Cousin Colnmblne
won't miss Us even more ~ We
leave her In the fall Springs a
cheerful time OF year. you know:
Aad she's getting old
IL vas Matthews turn 20 stand
~ the window. from which safe re-
treat be said over bis shoulder:
You're going 20 leave a biz hole
In Pine Ridge. folks
Well observed Jack. eve
haven't gone yet. feller: and don't
they tel Us that It's better TO have
loved and los; than never 10 have
loved at anT"
He laughed. but Matt. slll gazing
a. Pike's Peak. responded soberly:
-Whosver wrote that bunk was
feeble minded and added. moving
toward the door. eyes turned dis.
creetly away from Miss Aladdin:
Gone on. Jack. We must get going.
Markn drop In tomorrow 10 say
good by. Nancy
Nance went 20 the door 20 watch
the boys depart There was a
glimpse OF the plains from her 1T
tie porch. and as they fingered a
moment the girl asked. her eyes on
that nndulailng vista: Does your
uncle live right on the prairie.
MnttT'
The young man nodded.
"Slxiy miles out. In "A big ram.
bling ranch house surrounded BY
eo;tonwoods-bully place. Those
plains are wonderful. Nancy. and
sometimes treaeherous. too. Wen
take you out after the weather's
settled. No knowing what thrilling
adventures we may hayer-
Light words. Matt little
thought that only a few weeks
later they would come hack to him
during long. tragic hours which
none of them was ever 10 forget
March came In like a lamb
and continued lamb-iike for so long
that Nancy hung her fur coat at
the very back OF her closet. and
concluded that spring had come. II
was on one OF these rare days when
Aurora. deep In an Orgy OF house
cleaning. ordered the girl emphat-
ically 10 clear out" that Nance
decided 10 test the woodland trail
10 the hilltop where sic had gone
with Matthew three months be-
fore; and reaching the summit.
dropped breathless at the foot OF
the old pine.
She had wanted 10 20 out 10 the
Adam ranch that morning. but IL
was library day and Mary Taylor.
who would have taken her place
behind the desk. was visiting In
Pueblo. There was nothing 10 do
but stay AZ home. and this was me
sort OF weather that made one long
90 ''go somewhere"-s too
hne a day 10 remain indoors. So
here she was. gazing or at that
marvellous picture. with Pixies Teak
looking only about a mile away.
Suddenly II struck the girl as
unbelievable that she should be two
thousand miles from home. alone
on a hilltop under a pine that had
tas Matthew Adam pointed outl.
viewed things that were part OF
the history OF her country. II only
this wonderful old tree could talk
Why. II had stood here In silence
and watched that Indian and his
boy approach the lonely cabin
whe~e A guau Colorado Columbine