The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1934-06-28
CHAPTER w
Tho Spots OF. tho Leopard.

which completed her entire return to
the commonplace. She smiled as she
read them, and for the first time 1t
seemed as Ii there might be a charm
or two In the great city he depicted.
so colorfully.
She rode over to Chez wash to see
TWO Fingers and Little Moon the next
day and found the Indian woman up,
and about the simple matters of her
hogan, her rug, and her family.
1t gave the girl thrill to see her
so, the flush of Joy that such vindica-
tion OF her work always brought
There was something In the knowledge
that she had saved a life that made
her one with the great work OF crea-
tion Itself. She was poor as the goods
OF this world went, they were all fair
ly 80, Serge and Lila and little Babs,
but she felt very rich inside her, ar
rogantly rich, and she could smile up
at the blue heavens with secret sense
Of fellowship.
SO she left her last instructions with
the little family at the hogan. patted
the cheek of the youngest round-eyed
child, and rode away erect In her sad
die and pretty we'll satisfied with her
self and the world at large.
It WAS In this mood that she came
under the tall face OF Lone Mesa.
| Al she swung round Its southeastern
Side, she decided to go up. The trail,
cut Into the sheer face by those long
dead inhabitants OF the pueblo, went
up from here, angling sharply. and 20
steep that none but the level headed
dared to make It. She was such, and
50 was the good horse under her.
though they had both sweated In 4
cool day the first time they had At
| tempted 1t.
II was a stiff and slow climb, but
presently they gained the top and
scrambled up through the small defile
that was the steep trails end
AS they went forward Sonya felt the
surge and thrill she always felt at
sight OF the vast reach of the world
about her, spread out 30 far below.
Taking of her hat, she sat long In con-
temptation, her hands and the hat rest
Ing on her pommel.
Fer \ long time she sat 30, then
| refined away toward the right. She
would circle the mesa, look At tho
silent white houses with their fat
roofs, still amazingly intact, look at
the great stone basin which was near
| ly always sweet with water caught In
the yearly rains.
Presently she left the ancient tank
| and went on toward the north, circling
the huddled houses. and was turning
eastward around them when she
stopped dead still.
| horse stood there In the blue
| shadow of the silent walls and man
sat on his launches smoking 4 Gig
arctic. The horse was golden as a
raw ingot, and the man was bronxed
and lean. The light Of his bare head
shone In the cool shade. He looked
up. and Sonya looked down, and the
| girls eyes dilated with a swift excite
| ment.
| SOL" she said coldly, her lips sud
| denly tight. "You come here again7"
The man arose, single motion
beautifully correlated.
| Sonya, not conscious of what she
was doing, sat looking at him, and
presently he looked up at her, straight
| Ionk hnmhlo and atm
"I-lika the mesa," he said .It'a
| so high and austere, 80 far from-from
everything"
| At the contact of his glance the
strange tense feeling which this mans
presence had caused at every meeting
| took hold on Sonya. 1t was not fear
1t had never been--nor repugnance,
nor tho anger which had stirred her
| but 4 little OF all shot through with
| something which she could not define,
sense Of prophecy. forecast of
| destiny.
| 1t chilled her within and sent wave
| Of FIRE across the chill, and for Wild
moment she felt ~ II the solid rock
were falling away beneath her. Then
she caught herself together severely
and lifted Darkness rein, and the man
spoke again.
Please" he said, please, Miss
Savarin, don't 20 away. I'll 20 right
gladly"
He reached for the bride OF the
| golden horse and drew 1t to him, hesi-
tating.
Il know I've got no right even to
speak to you," he said, "or look at
you after-after-tha day up here,
but II l was to be hung for 1t next
second couldn't help 1t. And don't
want to cause you another minutes
trouble or unhappiness. II this here
mesa's favorite place of yours, I'll
never come again. Don't stay away
yourself. It's too sweet to be lost"
"But you'd lose It," Sonya said
against her will.
| TO Bn CONTINUED.