The Washington times., 1937-03-30

the London season so specially gay
because of Jubilee year, the quiet
ness of Gilbert's ocean crossing as
compared to the quietneSS of
keith's ocean crossing. They told
Gilbert of the condition of health
of Mr.. and Mrs. Rendale. He told
them about drought conditions N
the year before. Keith, in response
to polite inquiry from Gilbert, de,
clared his fathers health to be eS'
cellent. Felicia's eyes went from
face to face. AS dessert was being
served, she said to Gilbert:
1T was my fault that Denise did
not meet you. 1 copied down the
telegram and told her that you
were coming on the Normarrie to.
morrow"
Gilbert said. Yes, I quite under.
stand" and no one else made any
comment.
Halfway through the dessert,
Gilbert was called to the te!e.
phone. If you'll excuse me,
Denise. I didn't suppose anyone
knew 1 had arrived yet"
When he went away, Felicia said
quickly, Sorry, Denise" as If,
strangely, she meant it.
Gilbert was gone rather long
time. When he came back, one
glance at his face told Denise he
had dreadful news for them.
will you come INTO the draw.
ing room with me, Felicia? And
perhaps, Denise-youd better"
The hot dry air of the desert
was like a flame against EuStace's
cheeks, his first day back in New
Mexico. His foreman was sur
prisingly pleased to see him. and
the horse Dark Lad nuzzled his
shoulder.
His foreman came riding in one
afternoon, with the mail and some
Eastern newspapers. You know,
our boss is a racketeer, like me
and the boys thought. Look"
The newspaper account was that
the owner of the ranch had been
arrested on his return from
Europe. and was to be tried for
non-payment of income-tax. There
followed an account of his various
Interests" When Eustace saw a
line about "an organization OF
book1nakers which he is supposed
to control" he knew where those
fine horses came from.
The foreman said, shreWdly:
Suppose when the boss gets
through paying his lawyers, he'll
have lost this place, and we'll be
looking for jobs
Suppose So" said Eustace
Well, he would manage to keep
Dark Dad somehow.
From Felicia he had no word,
nor from his people. When grief
for her tore at him, and danger
and despair, he mounted and gal
Topped cross-country, with the
horse under him as wild as him
self. There was a curving trail,
halfway up a hillside, with a vista
Of mountains and mountains piled
beyond, and below. sharp drop
to a canyon always misty in the
dawn or in the gathering dark
when he rode there.
So one morning he rode in a
clear dawn after a brief desert
storm, up that path with the great
mountains beyond, and mist in
the canon below him. Where the
path curved, the storm had
loosened a foot or two of bank, on
the canon's edge.
There was an instant when
Dark Lads hoofs clutched at NOV
ing earth. An instant long
enough, surely, for man who had
only loved one woman in his life,
to remember her face, perhaps
even to remember that some one,
far away, had promised to take
care of her. Then man and horse
went over, down through the
mists
The foreman found them, some
hours later. 1t was clear that they
had died instantly against the
rocks at the bottom of the canon.
When he brought Eustace home,
the mail was arrived. There was
a letter, that said, Return to Gil
bert Windon," with a New York
address. After some hesitation,
the foreman decided to open it.
The letter offered Eustace work
In Vancouver, and gave an ad-
dress in Sussex, England. which
of course you know, since Felicia S
with U.s." as the best place to
write. Il shall be there with
Denise another month.
The foreman had never made
O long-distance call in his life,
much less a transatlantic call. But
h knew there was a transatlantic
telephone. 1t seemed to him that
Gilbert Windon was the best per-
son to reach, to tell Mr.. Dayne's
poor wife. She would be grieved
now, for all her folly!
He got Mr.. Windon on the tele-
phone by l o'clock which was }
O'Clock in the evening in England.
Always afterward Denise was to
remember that draWing-room, the
dresses of herself and Felicia, the
light on Felicia's hair, her face ut
terly immobile. Gilbert's face
grave-and little puzzled, like the
face of one confronting an incred-
ible and stupid accident.
She remembered the order of
the things they did: That Felicia
seated herself first, on low green
sofa by coffee-table, and that she
sat ve-y erect, her hands light
against the chair-arms, that the
ruffled skirt of her pale yellow
organdy frock spread like fan.
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