Carbon County news., 1937-12-31


or of the imminent ruin Of Horse
Dunn's cow kingdom, was to think
about her. After all, the "a was her
brand, and her future was inter-
laced with it's future. So now as he
looked up at the sound Of her light
quick step it seemed a natural,
somehow expected thing to see her
standing there in his door.
'"This is a lonely night" she said.
Nothing anywhere in this night in
tends to Sleep"
II guess that's so. But it's near
morning now."
Without high heels and with her
hair light and loose about her shoul-
ders she should have looked small
er, but she did not. He thought
he had never seen her so slirnly tall,
so gravely steady.
Perhaps that was partly the ef-
feet of what she wore. Because he
had never seen her dressed as she
was now, he had a sudden sense Of
how little he knew her, after all;
just as he did not know what she
wore when she slept, how could he
know what went on in her mind
when she was alone-or ever?
She was wearing pajamas, but
their black silk was cut like Rus
sian smock, with high collar Of
soft black silk about her throat, and
close cuffs at her wrists, so that
standing against the dark she was
! all a part Of the dark, except for
the bright ivory of her face and
hands and the loose simmer Of her
hair.
About this costume, which was
strange to him, there was a bar
baric dignity, as if it were not some
thing to sleep in at all, but the cere-
monial dress of some forgotten
priestess. It was strange to see
this vision here, standing beside
spare saddle that had been flung on
the floor under tangle of brides on
wooden peg. Everything around
her was cow country, but she-she
was something else, something love-
ly from beyond the hi1ls-a daugh-
ter of two worlds.
She came and sat beside him on
the bunk. did you and out any
thing more from Old Man Coffee?
l thought you'd get more out of
him if I left you alone.''
''Not very much. Old Man Cot
fees been a disappointment to me
in a way. Sometimes I think he
doesn't know anything about it,
81 wonder
Marian, what are you going to
do?"
What is there for me to do?
One of two things-Stay here or 60
to Inspiration to be near Horse. Of
course. he ought to be out of there in
few days"
II wouldn't count on that, Marian.
They can't make a case against
him-not even the beginnings Of a
case. They know that. But what
they want to do-and can dds to
tie up the 81 finances by making the
case look as ugly as possible.
They'll point out that Dunn was the
main one who would be expecting
Flagg there: and probably make
Flagg's share of the money the mo-
tive. Of course that's ridiculous.
But for their purpose, all they need
to do is to raise the question and
then cause a delay in clearing it
up"
Her eyes were on distance be
yond the walls - smoky eyes
drowsy, even misty on the surface:
but behind them was that continu
ing deep glow of slumbering fire
the smouldering light of great re
serve vitality.
p ''I'd 60 east now, if were you,'
he told her. well fight this thing
out, and save out of it what we can
you can count on that. But-this
isn't a good place for you any more
There won't be anyone here, excep'
a couple of COW hands to keep ar
eye on things. And it would drive
Horse crazy to have you in tina
hornets nest in Inspiration.
But you-?"
"Tn be gone. 1 have to back |
track Bob Flagg little further. I'll |
have to 60 to Flagstaff; then maybe |
down-country. God knows how long |
I'll be gone. It looks like a dim
crooked trail"
She considered this. when arc
you leaving?"
''Now-before daylight. I'll send
a note to Horse. l don't even dare
see him in Inspiration. for fear
they'll hold me there on some
trumped-up charge"
They were silent again. Through
the window came to them a cool,
clean breeze from the
uplands. with a fall tang in it that
promised frosts before long. He sud-
denly thought she might be cold.
There was clean Navajo blanket
on his bed, and he put this about
her shoulders. She smiled family.
but did not look at him or move.
She said, 1T will be queer and
lonely here: with you gone"
but you'u be leaving too.'' ?,