Part 51 (1/2)

”Life was unfair to him to give him a greater burden than he was designed to bear,” said Pen. ”I shall miss the care of him. I am going to miss the demands he made on my best spiritual effort. I'm going to sag like a fiddle string released. If only he has gone on now to a better chance! Poor, poor tortured Sara!”

Jim rubbed the little twitching fingers and Pen leaned against his shoulder softly as though she needed his nearness to steady her. She went on a little brokenly:

”'Envy and calumny and hate and pain And that unrest which men miscall delight Can touch him not and torture not again----'

”I guess I won't get over the scarring, Still. I'm so tired.”

”You've the priceless gift of youth, dear Penny,” said Jim softly. ”Go and play, sweetheart.”

There was a long silence. Dawn was marching on the mountain tops.

Penelope watched the silver glory of the star-studded sky and she said in a steadier tone:

”'Life like a dome of many colored gla.s.s Stains the white radiance of Eternity Until death tramples it to fragments----'”

A sudden scarlet revealed itself on a far peak. It was like a marvelous translucent ruby, set in a silver mist.

Uncle Denny turned. ”Henderson says we are right on the railroad.”

”We are,” replied Jim, ”and yonder is the train.”

The automobile drew into the station with the train and Uncle Denny, with Henderson, helped embark poor Sara on his last ride, while Jim put Pen aboard the train. Pen followed Jim back onto the train platform. Jim shook hands with her and stood on the lower step waiting for the train to start. His face in the dawn light was very wistful. Suddenly Pen's lips quivered. Just as the train began to move, ”Jim!” she whispered.

And she leaned over and caught his face between her hands and kissed him quickly on the lips. Then she slipped into the coach. Jim dropped off the train and stood staring unseeingly at Uncle Denny and Henderson. A to-hee sang its morning song from a nearby cactus:

”O yahee! O yahai!

Sweet as arrow weed in spring!”

”Put your hat on, me boy,” said Uncle Denny, who had not seen the little episode, ”and come on.” He led the way to the machine and climbed in beside Jim. ”Well, Still, she's gone!”

Jim turned and looked at his Uncle Denny. ”She's not gone for long. When I have finished the Project fight I shall go after her.”

”Did she agree?” asked Uncle Denny eagerly.

”No,” said Jim serenely. ”She's in the frame of mind that's to be expected after the life she's lived with Sara. She is afraid of everything. After the election, I shall go to her. She and I have missed enough of each other.”

Dennis brought his fist down on his knee. ”Then that's settled right, thank G.o.d!” he said to the dawn at large.

The next day Mrs. Ames came up to the dam. She was inconsolable that she had not been sent for, to help Pen and Mrs. Flynn's air of superiority was not soothing. Uncle Denny took to Mrs. Ames at once.

”I've done nothing but gad for Mr. Manning, lately,” she said.

”How are things going?” asked Mrs. Flynn. ”Has Bill Evans got all the money yet?”

”Eh? What's this?” exclaimed Uncle Denny.

”Mrs. Pen thought it would do a lot of good if we could get the farmers' wives to working against Fleckenstein,” said Jane. ”I've been calling on a lot of them. Bill Evans takes me in his auto.”

”Who pays Bill?” asked Uncle Denny. ”Ames?”

”He does not, though he honestly offered to,” said Jane. ”This is a woman's job. Mrs. Flynn is paying for it. And don't you tell Mr.

Manning. So far he hasn't asked any questions. Oscar says he's too worried over other things.”