The midland journal., 1945-09-28

erl What do you think? / was won
dering il / was getting little bit
muscle-bound."
She squeezed the small egg Of his
muscle and looked solemnly at him.
His shoulders were narrow, his
smooth chest very childish, his ribs
stood out bravely over little waist
she could almost have clasped with
her hands. But she had to reach
up to slip her arm around his neck.
He gave her a shy, naked hug and
she laid her cheek against his.
''What do you think?" he insisted.
''No-I wouldn't call you muscle
bound. Howard-go to bed. You
must get your Sleep"
On the day before the departure
Rob, with Howard and Ken as flank
riders, took the horses over to Tie
Siding and penned them in the load
ing corrals there. Not a horse on
the Goose Bar ranch but knew what
was happening.
4NSAI Qdy tilG AlUiSCS WCAC lOooONs
Rob led them up the ramp one by
one, reassured them with his voice,
put them in their places. They were
sardined in-head to tail, alternate
ly, tightly enough to support them
and hold them steady when the train
was moving. At certain stations
there would be long enough stops
for the horses to be taken out, fed,
watered, walked around.
Nell watched them 60 up the gang
way. Taggert, Highboy, Pepper, Hi
dalgo, Cheyenne, Tango, Injun, and
a lot of others. If things had been
different between her and Rob-
perhaps she wouldn't have felt so
terribly. 1t seemed like an end of
things.
Rob and Howard were dressed In
bluejeans for the trip. When the
horses were loaded and the big doors
closed, Rob came to stand beside
her near the car. He was very quiz
ct, almost distrait. There had been
no shouting. His thoughts were all
for the horses-he hardly seemed
aware of her there beside him.
81 often wonder" he said medi-
tatively, ''if we should ever have
anything to do with animals or ever
do anything for them. We make
them helpless. Without us, they take
care of themselves so well, but when
we have once taken charge Of them
they depend more and more on us,
and what do we do but harm to
them? And yet they look at us so
itrustingly." - !.
= Nell found no words to answer.
She was wondering if in the moment
Of goodby his hard shell would
crack. Would there be, when he
put his arm around her and held
her against him while he kissed her,
any reinsurance, any promise, any
warmth?
Rob and Howard were to ride in
the day coach next to the freight
cars in which were the horses. While
they waited they all stood near the
steps Of this car. The brakemen
were attending to the last business
they had in the station. Up front,
the engineer was hanging out Of his
cab window. He waved his arm,
and at the call "All a-bo-oardl"
goodby kisses were exchanged and
Rob and Howard went into the car.
AS Rob bent his head for the kiss
his eyelids had covered his eyes.
The kiss was as cold as knife. But
when he had taken his place in the
car with Howa., !, while Howard and
Ken grinned md waved at each
other, through the window, mouthing
words, he did look at Nell and meet
her eyes. And it was one of those
hard looks by which he served no.
tice on her that she had offended
him and was not forgiven.
Eat something, said Nell to her
self, as if she were speaking to q
child. You'll feel better if you do.
You must.
But she continued to stare out the
window, sitting in the arm chair in
her bedroom wrapped in her dark
blue robe, her feet drawn under her
because Of the chill that filled the
house. There was no fire, on the
hearth and the bed was not made
and her hair was not brushed.
It was one of those raw October
days that should be shut out by
fires and curtains and cheerful
voices. On some such days Nell
worked furiously from dawn till
dark, cleaned and mended and made
new curtains and counted and took
out and packed away and potted ge-
ranium slips and cleared the flower
borders. And there were other days
when, If she moved at all, it was
to wander listlessly, pausing at ev-
cry window, wondering what she
had come into this room for, Won
dering If it was morning or after
noon-what day Of the month
Gus's heavy tread was on the
stairs, coming slowly. He raped on
the door.
"Come inl"
HRrinp Won some wood MisslIs /"