For a long time she sat on El Rey’s heaving back and stared unseeingly at the green earth where the short grasses quivered in the little wind.
There was a deathly white line about her lips, but her eyes blazed with the fire that had characterized them from birth, the flickering, unfathomable flame that came and went.
Then, presently, new lines came in her young face, unstable lines that quivered and worked, and all the good green earth danced grotesquely before her vision, for a wall of tears shut out the world. ... She laid her head down on El Rey’s cloudy mane––and wept.
* * *
It was early dawn at Last’s Holding. The sun was not yet up behind the eastern ramparts. The cottonwoods whispered in the dawn-wind, the spring beneath the milk-house talked and murmured. Out in the big corrals the cattle were beginning to stir and bawl.
In the kitchen old Anita and young Paula had breakfast waiting for the men.
Deep in that dim south room where the pale Virgin kept watch and ward, Kenset of the foothills slept in healing peace.
And at the step of the western door, Billy stood by Golden––Golden the beautiful, who ranked next to El Rey himself––and his face was lifted to Tharon who drooped against the lintel with her forehead on her arm.
The boy held her hand clasped in both of his own, and there was a yearning tenderness in his soft voice when he spoke, a pride and joy ineffable that glowed above the pain that was never to leave him.
“It ain’t that I love you less, Tharon, dear,” he said gently, “that I must go. Not that, little girl. I’ll love you till I die––that I know in dead certainty. But I can’t stay here––not where I’ll have to see you givin’ all your sweet self to another man. A good man, too, Tharon––I think there ain’t a better one in th’ land––but––well,––I can’t––that’s all. I can’t thank you for all you’ve done for me sence you was a little mite of a girl––five years back,”––his voice broke a bit, but he controlled it, “nor for th’ joy you’ve given me––th’ rides together––an’ th’ jokes an’ playin’–––”
He paused a moment, unhappily, and the mistress of Last’s drooped more heavily against the old adobe wall.
“Nor for Golden here,” went on the rider, “we’ll be pals as long as we both live––nor fer-fer––” he stopped again, hesitated, looked yearningly at the quivering cheek against the curving arm, and went on to the finish.
“Nor fer that one kiss, Tharon––it’s my one treasure for life, so help me, God––that you give me that night. An’ over all I want to thank you fer––fer––killin’ th’ Pomo half-breed in th’ Cup o’ God––fer you done that trick fer me! Th’ one stain on your dear hands––fer me––the only one, fer Fate killed Courtrey, not you. His neck was clean broke when they picked him up.... That memory will keep me alive, will save th’ beauty of th’ stars at night fer me, will make th’ rest worth livin’.... That one kiss.”
He stopped again and stood for a long time looking at her as if he would fix forever in his memory the beauty of her, the fire, the spirit, the elusive quality that was Tharon Last herself.
Then he sighed and smiled and gently shook the hand he held.
“Come––tell me good-bye, Tharon, dear,” he said softly.
For answer the mistress of Last’s once again reached out her arms and drew his head to her heart––once more pressed her lips upon his own.
“Oh, Billy,” she said with a sound of tears in her voice, “Kenset’s th’ one man––that’s true, an’ I’m helpless before th’ fact––but there’ll never be another can take your place in my heart––there’ll never be no one to ride with me in th’ Big Shadow in just th’ same way, Billy––to hold my hand as we come home to Last’s with that same sweet, honest friendship, that don’t need words! I’ve got my life-love, but I’ve lost my life-friend––an’ my heart’s sore––sore with pain!”
The rider lifted his face and it was glorified in the first rays of the sun that was rising over the eastern mountains. His gayly studded belt and riding cuffs, his spurs and the vanity of silver on his wide hat caught the glow and sparkled brightly. Joy became paramount over sadness.
“Don’t you fret, Tharon,” he said, still in that soft voice, “I’m always at your shoulder in spirit––in body, too, if you ever want me or need me. So long.”
And he kissed both the hands he held, dropped them, turned and mounted Golden, waved a hand to all the Holding, and putting the horse to a run, went down the sounding-board as if he dared not look back.
Until horse and rider were a tiny speck on the living green––until they passed the Silver Hollow and the mouth of Black Coulee, Tharon Last stood in the western door and watched them with dim blue eyes.
Ail the wide expanse of Lost Valley was still and sweet with dawn, smiling as if with a new and wondrous peace, the Vestal’s Veil shimmered on the Rockface, the distant peaks above the Cañon Country cut the skies.
She scanned the little world about and felt this peace press down upon her soul––as if the questions all were answered, the duty done.
Never in all her life before had Last’s Holding seemed to her so secure and settled, so sweet and to be desired....
Within it lay her destiny––the man in the cool south room.
Without in the great Valley lay a future.
Love was with her––friendship would be with her always in memory, one glowing with its vital presence, the other softened and doubly sweet with the sorrow of absence.
She raised her hand and made the sign of the Cross between herself and that disappearing speck, then she turned and followed old Anita carrying gruels to that dim south room.
THE END
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Tharon of Lost Valley Page 20