Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1935-06-01
By Ida M. EUa,,s

cas- wrist. you won't tan him that
Sanaef ValenciR's nod Wan mechanical
xou see, he ran away. And he did right
tooi was the most cantankerolas olc
woman who ever lived. I tainted him
aecAtlse he wouldu't earn his board. Yea
he did right-but. Oh. the thousandr T'vs
spent looking Tor the Wfetchl Driver
tsxn aroundi No--tomorroW when
feel stronger"
Valencia watched the car until Il wa
mere glossy black blur on the sum
neated road. Her face was curiously
drained OF color. like an emptied glass
Well. he had told her about his rum
ming away. And he had been q fool. he
had told her. Hitch-hiking across Ne
praskas he'd almost bawled from plain
homesickness.
4 Foolishly the listening girl had fam
cied that he implied that. after know
ing her he recovered wonderfully from
any nomesickneaa. Now, leaning her
fellows on untyped statements. she Won
dered.
She wished this disagreeable and I'm
pertous grandmother had not found him.
He-he would go back with her. Glad
Suppose this imperious old woman
interfered with New Years afternoon in
the Rose BOWL That would be cruel,
ton.
Yet, II Valencia had had time to re-
fleet. probably she would not have even
tually done what now came into her dis
ordered mind to do. It seemed a simple
and harmless idea. at the moment.
Everything assisted her. too. Nike was
IN Los Angeles. Her father was called
10 the air express office IN haste as dusk
crept foggily over the blue haze OF late
afternoon.
Leaving. he tossed a paper with twen-
ty-odd names to Valencia. Lay those
men off tonight. Sign their checks"
For picking was thinning as December
days went.
That list Of names took the girls few
erish attention. Aimlessly she added
Russell Downes At the bottom
She did not really mean to do it.
Merely it was tempting plan.
Children should not play with sciss-
sors. VaIeria reflected that the old
lady in sable and diamonds was too i'm
perious to prove a pleasant household
tyrant for a dependent young man. and
It would serve her right II she found |
Russ not on hand on the following |
morning. Then. the men filing UP for /
their pay checks took her attention.
She was conscious that Russ was
oe0-.3A4B Dcoa~S ASf AAu ueE HiiAAe tuhAe1 1
up toward him.
he was looking at his name at the
bottom Of the list.
Russ" she said. turning pink. don't
be silly. That's q mistake"
"Yes2 Looks like a hint to me TO
scram. understand one OF your old
friends arrived yesterday from Stan
THAT fat boy2 He drops around every
L. % all
"Yesi Wen, good by. Give me my
check"
"Russl Let me tell you what hap
5ened, why scrubbed your name"
Il thought the handwriting was yours.
Keep your news" OFF he strobe.
But In the road q bus cleaved into
light, like q gray schooner on dusky
veters- He jumped at the step. Was on.
Valencia went back TO the office and
allied one OF the older hands to take
harge and she got into small car and
vent in the direction taken BY the
ls-
she did not overtake It, but she waited
{ Russ rooming house In Van Mugs for
i'm.
But he did not come and presently
be heard from the lRndiady who had q
ermont accent, angular nose and orange
Aa
ne didn't know where.
Valencia doubted the story. But she
1uld only so home.
She was not really frightened. He'd
Una back. She knew that The way
ed acted about the tickets and his
leeptah smile when he came TO patch
? the matter.
But her throat felt tight, unhappy.
ell, he'd probably appear In the morn
wrs I
tween small occurrences Of fear, eams
q picture Of the little imperious old
imam.
Morning came. Breakfast was hardly
er when the rented black car again
opped. And now the old lady got out
Valencia helped her. Gilbert Redd
V leaving the office for the fields.
lssen Downes had not yet appeared.
BUT Valencia began, rather shyly.
our grandson isn't here this morning.
e you mustn't fret. Wen have him
re soon"
She was astounded. The old frail dis-
md covered hand struck away the
10 arm as If IL were q thorny branch.
what do you mean, girl7 Why the
sedood2 / see himl"
md the old trail feet stumbled to-
Gilbert Redd. And the
shriveled lips emitted a little whim-
Ing CRY. like an animal
Gilbert, my boy"
md Gil Redd. tan. gray. black OF skin
% years IN his alien hot fields, turned
e bullet had entered him.
Grant"
e brushed his tanned hands over his
8 as II seeing q vision.
thought you were dead years aRol
I'd come back to see you"
couldn't die without finding you.
bert
he was giggling and crying In his
q and he was kissing the small white
q. crying himself And Valencia now
ed and saw the enormfty OF her
nder.
resently, standing aside, she became
lvtAs angry. Why hadn't her father