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brown veil 。。。 and your eyes where your soul keeps her lights flashing
when all the rest of you is in twilight 。。。 and your hands and feet； four
faithful little guides to the wonderful treasures that belong only to
maidenhood 。。。 and your mouth； changing with your thoughtsan adorable
little thermometer； showing how high the smiles have risen in your heart； a
mouth so pure and sweet〃
〃Hey！〃 shouted Bill Atkins； as he and Brick came around the angle of
the hill。 〃Hi； there！ You may call that strolling； but if so； it's because you
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don't know its true name； if you ask ME！〃
Wilfred came to himself with a sharp indrawing of his breath。 〃Yes；〃
he stammered； somewhat dizzily； 〃Yes； II must be going； now。〃
She held his hand beseechingly。 〃But you'll come again； won't you？
When I hold your hand； it's like grabbing at a bit of the big world。〃
〃No； Lahoma； I'm not coming again。〃 His look was long and steady；
showing sudden purpose which concealed regret beneath a frank smile of
liking。
She still held his hand； her brown eyes large with entreaty。 〃You WILL
come again； Wilfred！ You must come again！ Don't mind Bill。 I'll have a
talk with him after you're gone。 I'll send him over to the ranch after you。
Just say you'll come again if I send for you。〃
〃Of course he'll come； honey；〃 said Brick； melted by the tears that
sounded in her voice。 〃He won't get huffy over a foolish old codger like
Bill Atkins。 Of course he'll come again and tell you about street…cars and
lamp…posts。 Let him go to his work now； he's been up all night； just to get
a word with you。 Let him gohe'll come back tomorrow； I know。〃
Wilfred turned to Brick and looked into his eyes as he slowly released
Lahoma's hand。
〃Oh！〃 said Brick； considerably disconcerted。 〃No； I reckon he won't
come back； honeyyes； I guess he'll be busy the rest of the summer。 Well；
son； put 'er thereshake！ I like you fine； just fine； and as you can't come
here to see us no more； being so busy andand otherwise elsewhere
boundI'm kinder sorry to see you go。〃
〃Partings；〃 said Bill； somewhat mollified； 〃are painful but necessary；
else there wouldn't be any occasion for dentists' chairs。〃
〃That's so；〃 Brick agreed。 〃You called Lahoma an oasis。 And what is
an oasis？ Something you come up to； and go away from； and that's the end
of the story。 You don't settle down and live at a spring just because it give
you a drink when you was thirsty。 A man goes on his way rejoicing； and
Wilfred according。〃
Lahoma walked up to Wilfred with steady eyes。 〃Are you coming back
to see me？〃 she asked gravely。
〃No； Lahoma。 At least not for a long； long time。 I don't believe it's
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good for me to forget the life I've chosen； even for a happy hour。 When I
left the city； it was to drop out of the worldnobody knows what became
of me； not even my brother。 You've brought everything back； and that isn't
good for my peace of mind and so good…bye！〃
Tall and straight he stood； like a soldier whose duty it is to face defeat；
and standing thus； he fastened his eyes upon her face as if to stamp those
features in a last long look upon his heart。
〃Good…by；〃 said Lahoma； this time she did not hold out her hand。 Her
face was composed； her voice quiet。 If in her eyes there was the look of
one who has been rebuffed； her pride was too great to permit a show of
pain。
Wilfred hesitated。 But what was to be done？ Solitude and
homesickness had perhaps distorted his vision； at any rate he had
succumbed to the folly against which he had been warned。 He could not
accept Lahoma as a mere child； and though； during the scene； he had
repeatedly reminded himself that she was only fifteen； her face； her voice；
her form； her manner of thought； refused the limits of childhood。
Therefore he went away； outwardly well…content with his morning； but
inwardly full of wrath that his heart had refused the guidance of his mind。
And she had been so simple； so eager to meet him on an equal plane；
even clinging to him as to the only hope in her narrow world that might
draw her out into deeper currents of knowledge。
〃I've always been a fool；〃 he muttered savagely； as he sought his horse。
〃I was a fool about Annabeland now I'm too big a fool to enjoy what
fortune has fairly flung in my path。〃 Presently he began to laughit was
all so ridiculous； beating a retreat because he could not regard a fifteen…
year…old girl as a little child！ He drew several time…worn letters from his
pocket and tore them into small bits that fluttered away like snowflakes on
the wind。 He had no longer a sentimental interest in them； at all events。
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CHAPTER XII
THE BIG WORLD
He did not come again。 Lahoma used to go to the hill…island； which
she called Turtle Hill because the big flattened rocks looked like turtles
that had crawled up out of the cove to sun themselves； among these turtles
she would lie； watching the open mouth of the mountain horseshoe in the
vain hope that Wilfred would appear from around the granite wall。
Occasionally she descended to the plain and scanned the level world； but it
was pleasanter to watch from the cove because one never knew； while in
that retreat； who might be coming along the range。 On the plain； there
were no illusions。
Lahoma courted illusions。 And when she knew that Wilfred Compton
had severed connections with Old Man Walker she merely exchanged one
hope； one dream； for another。 The opportunity to learn about the big world
was withdrawn； but the anticipation of one day meeting Wilfred again was
as strong as ever。 She made no secret of this expectation。
Bill Atkins sought to dismiss it effectually。 〃You don't know about the
big world； Lahoma；〃 he declared； 〃if you think people meet up with each
other after they've once lost touch。 If all this part of America was blotted
out of existence； people in the East wouldn't miss any ink out of the ink…
bottle。〃
Lahoma tossed her head。 〃Maybe the world IS big；〃 she conceded。
〃But if Wilfred isn't big enough to make himself seen in it when I go a…
looking； I don't care whether I meet him again or not。 When I'm in the big
world； I expect to deal only with big people。〃
〃I saw no bigness about HIM；〃 Bill cried slightingly。
〃If he isn't big enough to make himself seen；〃 Lahoma serenely
returned； 〃I won't never〃
〃You won't ever〃 Bill corrected。
〃I won't ever have to wear specs for strained eyes；〃 Lahoma concluded；
smiling at Bill as if she knew why he was as he was； and willingly took
him so because he couldn't help himself。 It was Brick who heard about
Wilfred's adventures on leaving the Red River ranch； and as all three sat
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outside the cabin in the dusk of evening； he retailed them as gathered from
a recent trip to the corral。 That was a strange story unfolded to Lahoma's
ears； a story rich with the romance of the great West； wild in its primitive
strivings and thrilling in its realizations of countless hopes。 The narrative
lost nothing in the telling； for Brick Willock understood the people and the
instincts that moved them； and though Wilfred Compton might differ from
all in his motives and plans； he shared with all the same hardships； the
same spur to ambition。
It was now ten years since the discovery had been made that in the
western part of Indian Territory were fourteen million acres that had never
been assigned to the red man and which； therefore； were public land；
subject to homestead settlement。 As long as the western immigrants could
choose among the rich prairie…lands of Iowa； Nebraska； Minnesota；
Dakota and Kansasand the choice was open to all； following the
agreement of the plains tribes