Heart's Desire

y of Curly, the Can of Oyst

lers between the county-seat and Heart's Desire; partly because it was a summit reached only after a long climb from either side of the divide; partly, perhaps, because it was a notable view-point in a land full of noble views. Again, it may have been a customary tarrying point because of some vague feeling shared by most traveller

ar state. I noticed the nice distinction in Curly's tenses. He knew the man more recently arrived west of the Pecos, possibly later to prove a backslider. As for himself, Curly knew that he would never return to his wild East; yet it may have been that he had just

upon as good a horse as each of us now bestrode. I nodded. "And it's some more'n two whoops and a holler to my ole place," said he. Curly remained indefinite; for, though presently he hummed something about the sun and its brightness in

portion of the highest peak of the Capitans carried a blanket of white; but all the lower levels were red-brown, calm, complete, unchanging, like the whole aspect of this far-away and finished country, whereto had come, l

ooked again, turned back for one last look before we tightened the cinches and started down the winding trail whic

irecrackers then. And eat! Why, man!" This allusion to the firecrackers would have determined that Curly had come from the South, which alone has a midwinter Fo

e cabin, with a bunk, a few blankets, a small table, and a box nailed against the wall for a cupboard. I knew what was in the box, and what was not in it, and I so advised m

Christmas dinner at Andersen's 'dobe in town to-morrer. You're in. You mayn't like it. Don't you mind. The directions says to take it, and you take it. It's goin' to be one of the

m I could

searched in his pocket for a match. He had rolled a cigarette with one hand, and now he called it a

ot it. Billy Hudgens had just this one bottle in the shop, left over from the time the surveyors come over here and we thought there was goin' to be a railroad, which there wasn't.

ing resembling cake. Any of the boys could fry bacon or build a section of bread in a Dutch oven-they had to know how to d

the pinons. "Heap o' things happened since you went down to tend co'te," said he

e Pecos came from Kansas, the same as all the baled hay and all the fresh butter. Potatoes came from Iowa; bu

to another well-known fact in natural history as observed west of the Pecos; for it was matter of common knowledge among all W

d be postmaster or somethin' for us here for a while. Can't be Justice of the Peace; another Kansas man's got that. As to them two girls-man! The camp's got on its best clothes right this instant, don't you ne

mildly. "You have my consent. Hav

yet," said he. "

e family?" I asked as

services'n breakfast sometimes. Tom, he says old Whiskers-that's our next postmaster-he sings a-plenty, lifts up his voice exceeding. Say," said Curly, turning on me again fiercely, "that's one reason I'd marry the girl if for nothing else. It takes more'n a bass voice and a copy of the Holy Scripture

him in this banquet at Heart's Desire, knowing as I did Curly's acquaintance with the fact that young attorneys had not always abundance during

to send him to Congress if we ever get time to organize our town, or find out what county we're in. How'd our Delergate look spreadin' jelly cake? Nope, he didn't make it. And does it look any like Mac has studied bakery doin's out on

it recent and we're night-herdin' it where it's cool. Cost a even ten dollars. The old lady said she'd make the price all right, but Mac and me, we sort of sized up things and allowed we'd drop about a ten in their receptic

f to circumstances, ain't it? Why, man, I'd marry intoe that fam'ly if I didn't do nothing else long as I lived. They ain't no Mexican money wrong side of the river. No

hat he believed these newcomers to be of proper social rank, and that he was also of the opin

shortly, "I ain't told y

to say-

o have oysters

perhaps marry the girl-I don't care anything about that. But as to oysters, you know

"Huh!" And presen

it's so,

he's handin' out is just the plain, unfreckled truth, for onct at least. We got oysters, four cans of 'em, and done had 'em for a month. They're up there." He jerked a thumb

four cans of 'em. You know where the Carrizo spring is? Well, there's a snowbank in that ca?on, ab

," he continued pridefully. "Now I want to ask you, friend, if this ain't jus

you are a continuo

from the top of the divide. Never mind about home and mother. Them is States institooshuns.

iously, "I do like it, and

"I got my own eye on that girl from Kansas, and I serve notice right here. No use for

he scarred flanks of big Carrizo came farther and farther forward along our left cheeks as we rode on. Then the trail made a sharp bend to the left, zigz

nset, trailed like a robe across the shoulders of the grave unsmiling hills, which guarded it round about. In Heart's Desire it was so calm, so complete, so past and beyond all fret and worry and caring. Perhap

fit capital for the malcontents who sought oblivion, dreaming, long as they might, that Life can be left aside when one grows wear

on the ground as he did so. There were a few cabins built of logs, but very few. Only one or two stores had the high board front common in Western villages. Lumber was very scarce and carpenters still scarcer. How the family from Kansas had happened to drift into Heart's Desire-how a man of McKinney's intelligence had come to settle th