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meaning of those mysterious movements of the night。 Her voice cut across
the vague murmur of the open plain：
〃You only came once！〃
Although her eyes were wide； she was apparently but half…awake； not
a muscle moved as she looked into his face。 〃I thought；〃 she murmured； 〃it
was on account of Annabel。〃
〃I went away because I loved you；〃 he answered softly。 〃I promised
Brick I'd go if I felt myself caringand nobody could help caring for you。
That's why I left the country。 Just as soon as we laughed togetherit
happened。 That's why I didn't come again。〃
〃Yes；〃 sighed Lahoma； as if it was not so hard to understand； now。
〃And that's why I've come back；〃 he added。 〃Because I've kept on
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loving you。〃
〃Yes；〃 she sighed again。 She closed her eyes and seemed to fall asleep。
Perhaps it was a sort of knowing sleep that lost most of the world but
clung tenaciously to a few ideas。 The noises of the night died away。
Presently he heard her murmur as a little smile crept about the parted lips；
〃The cove's pretty big 。。。 there's more room than I thought。〃
When she was wide awake； daylight had slipped through the windows。
〃Oh； Wilfred！〃 she exclaimed； sitting suddenly erect； and putting her
hands to her head mechanically。 〃Isare we all right？〃
〃All right；〃 said the young man cheerily。 〃There's a good deal of snow
on the ground but it was blown off the trail for the most part。 Some friends
have provided us with the means of going forward。〃
〃But I don't understand。'
〃We'll finish the sandwiches； and melt some snow for water； and then
mount。 Looksee those two Indian ponies fastened to the tongue of the
stage？ They'll carry us to the next station like the wind。〃
She stared from the window； bewildered。
〃I don't know any more about them than you；〃 he answered her
thoughts。 〃But there they are and here we are。〃 He said nothing about the
bodies evidently carried away by those who had brought the ponies。 〃It's
all a mysterya mystery of the plains。 I haven't unraveled the very first
thread ofit。 What's the use？ The western way is to take what comes； isn't
it； whether northers or ponies？ There's a much bigger mystery than all that
filling my mind。〃
〃What is that？〃
〃You。〃
She bent over the sandwich with heightened color。 〃Poor Brick！〃 she
murmured as if to divert his thoughts。 But his sympathy just then was not
for Brick。
〃Lahoma； you said that this is a subject a man should bring up。〃
She looked at him brightly； still flushing。 〃Well？〃
〃I'm bringing it up； Lahoma。〃
〃But we must be planning to save Brick from arrest。〃
〃I'm hoping we'll get home in timenote that I say HOME； Lahoma。 I
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refer to the cove。 I'm hoping we'll reach home in time to forestall Red
Kimball。 We've lost a great deal of time； but Brick doubtless is safely
hiding。 And when we get to the journey's endLahoma； do you know what
naturally comes at the journey's end？〃
〃A marriage。〃
〃I thought that was what you meant。〃
〃Will you marry me at the journey's end？〃
Lahoma turned very red and laid down the sandwich。 Then she
laughed。 Then she started up。 〃Let's get on the ponies！〃 she cried。
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CHAPTER XXII
JOURNEY'S END
The snow； that morning； lay in drifts from five to eight inches across
the trail； and to the height of several feet up against those rock walls
raising； as on vast artificial tables； the higher stretches of the Kiowa
country。 But by noon the plain was scarcely streaked with white and when
the sun set there was nothing to suggest that a snowflake had ever fallen in
that sand…strewn world。 The interminable reaches； broken only by the level
uplands marked from the plain by their perpendicular walls； and the
Wichita Mountains； as faint and unsubstantial to the eye as curved images
of smoke against the skythese dreary monotonies and remotenesses
naturally oppress the traveler with a sense of his insignificance。 The vast
silences； too； of brooding； treeless wastes； sun…baked river…beds；
shadowless brown squares standing for miles at a brief height above the
shadowless brown floor of the plainsilences amidst which only the wind
finds a voicethese； too； insist drearily on the nothingness of man。
But Wilfred and Lahoma were not thus affected。 The somethingness of
man had never to them been so thrillingly evident。 They saw and heard
that which was not； except for those having eyes and ears to apprehend
roses in the sand； bird…song in the desert。 And when the rude cabins and
hasty tents of the last stage…station in Greer County showed dark and white
against the horizon of a spring…like morning； Wilfred cried exultantly：
〃The end of the journey！〃
And Lahoma； suddenly showing in her cheeks all the roses that had
opened in her dreams； repeated gaily； yet a little brokenly：
〃The end of the journey！〃
The end of the journey meant a wedding。 The plains blossom with
endless flower…gardens and the mountains sing together when the end of
the journey means a wedding。
Leaving Lahoma at the small new hotel from whose boards the sun
began boiling out resin as soon as it was well aloft； Wilfred hurried after a
fresh horse to carry him at once to the cove； ten miles away。 Warning must
be given to Brick Willock first of all。 Lahoma even had a wild hope that
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Brick might devise some means whereby he could attend the wedding
without danger of arrest； but to Wilfred this seemed impossible。
He had gone but a few steps from the hotel when he came face to face
with the sheriff of Greer County。 Cutting short his old friend's outburst of
pleasure：
〃Look here； Mizzoo；〃 said Wilfred； drawing him aside from the
curious throng on the sidewalk； 〃have you got a warrant against Brick
Willock？〃
Mizzoo tapped his breast。 〃Here！〃； he said； 〃know where he is？〃
Wilfred sighed with relief： 〃At any rate； YOU don't！〃 he cried。
〃No'rat him！ Where're you going； Bill？〃
〃I want a horse。。。〃 〃No use riding over to the cove；〃 remarked his
friend； with a grin。 〃That is； unless you want to call on some friends of
minedeputies； they're living in the dugout； just laying for Brick to show
himself。〃
〃But； MIZZOO！〃 expostulated Wilfred； 〃why are you taking so much
trouble against my best friend？ The warrant ought to be enough； and if
you can't get a chance to serve it on him； that's not your fault。 Your
deputies haven't any right in that cove； and I'm going to smoke 'em out。〃
Mizzoo chewed； with a deprecatory shake of his head。 〃See here； old
tap；〃 he murmured； 〃don't you say nothing about being Brick Willock's
friend。 The whole country is roused against him。 Heard of them three
bodies？〃
Wilfred explained that he had just come to town。
〃Well； good lord； then； the pleasure I'm going to have in telling you
something you don't know； and something that's full of meat！ Let's go
wheres we can sit downthis ain't no standing news。〃 The lank red…faced
sheriff started across the street without looking to see if he were followed。
He did not stop till he was in his room at the hotel。 〃Now；〃 he said；
locking the door； 〃sit down。 Yes； you BET。 I got a warrant against Brick
Willock！ It was sworn out by a fellow named Jeremiah Kimballyou
know him as 'Red。' The form's regular； charges weighty。 Brick Willock
was once a member of Red Kimball's gang； he's the only one that didn't
come in to get his amnesty。 See？ Well； he killed Red's brothershot 'im。
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