The Enchanted Canyon

and their generosity. They had so much of both! And I be

iritually lazy to fight his inner devils to the death. But Enoch had fought so terribly that it seemed to him that he could surely win this new struggle. Nothing should induce hi

Mexican cloud thickened. Alaska developed a threatening attitude over her coal fields. The farmers of Idaho suddenly withdrew their

t, Charley Abbott came

uld like to see you

ret

Ask her to excuse me, Mr

for an instant, th

d, boss," said Jon

gone?" as

I guess. He's sure gone on that young lady. How

autiful, Jonas, ve

etary. He had not missed the appearance of a l

on't you ever think

"A man with my particular history

ain't the woman ever born f

ice. But Charley Abbott, returning at two o'clock with the complacent look of a man who has lunched with a beautiful girl, showed no int

ashington learned of its existence, spoke of it and went to see it. It seemed

aid, "Boss, I saw Miss Allen's pictures this evening. They sure are queersom

en't seen them, Jonas?

ce you go, boss? Didn't

me you think I'd forge

Abbott, he's got a bad

dollar's worth of ten

ke and let him tal

h gr

he-" Jonas

up stiffly. The Secretary laid his own broad palm over the black hand that sti

's shoulder. "Are you sure you'r

I'm righ

right for you is right for me. Good night, sir,"

ll. One day, after Cabinet meeting, the President,

iss Allen's pictures last night. My word! What a sense of heat and peace and, yes, by jove, passion! those photographs tell. The

President," said Enoch slowly,

some one said you di

t I don't deserve a

imed the Secretary of State, who

Huntingdon, it's very painful for me to have to chide you for dereliction in office. But a man who

cried the Secr

keen interest in Indian ethnology?" Enoch nodded, and the President went on. "If this girl has the brains and breadth of vision I'm sure she must have to produce a se

quick leap of his heart, he answered. "A man

hind him, the President

orking too hard, I'm af

t he's a woman hater. At least

the President. "I

is a stage shower unlike an actual thunder storm. There was indeed a subtle passion and poignancy about the pictures that it seemed to Enoch as well as to the President, only a fine mind could have found and captured. He had made the rounds of the little room twice, threading his way abstractedly thr

out his hand. "These ar

see them," said Diana. "It makes

sked Enoch q

ted and looked from Enoch's

For heaven's, sake, treat me as

s turn to

gton Monument?"

"Am I as bad as

on't understand, I've had the feeling that you would like the

t own them, instead of the Indian Bureau. The President, to-day, told me the Indian

oses in Diana's beaut

gdon, how am I ever

all. It was entirely t

intended to come

ll, Mr. Secretary, if the pictures are interesting, the fact

have to get Jonas to tell you what a really gentle and affectionate

and he's a devoted admirer

urs," rejo

corners of her mouth deepening. "But you shall not evade me thi

see them. Women are always inaccur

subject of women than you, Mr. Secretary. You really ought to get him t

with extra work of

thetic, that he bit his lip and turned from her to the Navaho, who prayed in the burning desert before him. The reporters, who had

coming over to my office at twelve to-morro

lied Diana, with the deepening of the corners of her mouth t

try in the black

troubled! I shall never, never, ask you. Your pictures moved me more than I dared try to express to you. It was as if you had carried me in a breath to the Canyon and once more I beheld the wonder, the kindliness, the calm, th

lve the next day, wh

h was deep in a confer

ne

is here," he

tes!" exclaimed th

d fellow, but this is an appointment with the President. C

I'm afraid," said t

es from Mexico by then that may somewhat change our angle of attack. A

e brown silk suit, and Enoch thought she looked a

yes. "You'd scarcely believe how many total strangers have asked me to

d Enoch. "I hope that you are circumspect also, a

swered meekly, as Enoch fol

to display myself before Washington with you. I've been called indifferent to women. I'm hoping now that t

. "That doesn't sound

," she m

Abbott, I suppose

like Mr. Abbott's method. I would say that

hool does Abb

Abbott is a finished ladies' man. It almost discourages me when I contemplate

s you?" que

t on, "while Charley is a graduate o

pa

I-," pre

r condescension by tel

d the Secretary

oment, laughed with her, and they entere

nd daughter about," he said, as he shook hands with Enoch, "but I certainly ha

quered, Mr. Presid

that I had to force this fellow into going to s

lied Diana, in an enigmatical

said complacently. "Sit down, children, and Miss Allen, talk to me

years ago. Those pictures have been si

er pictures during th

sid

hic history of the spiritual life of some of the South-western tribes. It didn't occur to me that anything but a museum or possibly a library would care for such a collection. But to my surprise there w

na's half eager, half

hawk-like face,

dea to begin with?"

st. Enoch's rough hewn face, with its unalterably somber expression, was set

nto the work," said Diana slowly. "I was born in a log house

n, an old Yale m

a. "He'll be so delighted! He too

im. Give him my regards

with you

n life. I knew the Canyon well by then and I knew the Indians well and the beauty of their ceremonies was even then more or less merged in my mind with the beauty of the Canyon. Their mysticism was the Canyon's mysticism. I tri

talking. I'm afraid I've given

when one recalls your Death and the N

r. Pres

are Arkwind and Sherman, of the Smithsonian,

! And they have be

hotographed ceremonies so secret, so mystical, that they themselves had only heard vaguely of their existence. And not o

xclaimed. "I was born in the midst of these things. And the Indians love me for my old

ed at each ot

the means to outfit an expedition. How long would it take

s with old nurse Na-che, sometimes alone. The Indians have always known me. I'm as much a part of their lives as their own

an expedition?" ins

e income is enough for both of us, it's enough only if I stay at home and play about the desert with my camera, cheaply as I do, and keep the house.

one friend in particular, a self-made man, of enormous wealth. The interest he and I have in common is American history in all its aspects. It seems t

ed Diana. "There is no hurry. This is my life wo

could complete your work because no one has your peculiar combination of information and

"Why not arrange the

Mr. Pr

! You know what the budget and red tape of Washington does to a temperament like Miss Allen's. On the other han

eep a horse and another dollar to keep a man. Camera plates and clothing-why a hundred dollars a month wo

," said the President, making a memorandum i

his work? Why, Mr. President, this is not a job! It's an av

a, rising too, was surprised at the look t

great fortune he would find satisfaction. He has found that money of itself is dust and ashes and it is too late for him to take up a new work. Miss Allen, I too am a disappointed man. I had believed that the President of a great nation was a full man, a contented man. I find myself an automaton, whirled about by the selfish desires of

ed, with a little laugh, "I think I understand

as still smiling when they descended the steps to the wa

k I will take more than exp

he replied, "I don't th

a yearly sum will be p

use what

easily. "I don't more t

made it very dif

iage stopped before th

ou lunch with

be late getting back to

not to dock you,"

she sprang to the curb, "would be almost like taking something

y, I suppose!" said Enoch, following

searching beauty, Enoch with his great height and his splendid, rugged head. The head waiter did not actually embrace Enoch in welcoming him, but he managed to convey to the dining-room that here was a person

what may we give you?" he ask

ok her head. "This is entirely out of m

t five minutes before two. Something very simple, Gustav." He checked

, Mr. Secretary!" he ex

and we can forget it. Miss Allen, w

d, "not till I've finished the work for Mr. Wat

you must get to your own work, at once. Som

dying in the Congressio

Washington can endure

ecret

tle, and he gave Diana a glance in whic

was broken by the waiter's appearance with

en I write him about this. Do you remem

ook, he asked, "Did your father, ever give you th

me long ago, when you made your famous Boyhood on the Rack speech in Congress. It

to ask you to be my friend, and I would want the sort of frien

paused. "As father told me, it was a story of a boy's s

with astonishment in e

couldn't have told y

t the President said to-day, can mean as muc

are at the lovely, te

am nobody. We are lunching together in a wonderful hotel. I don't even vaguely surmise the names of the th

"And so you are nobody! Curious, then, that you should have i

I don't recall it myself, but Dad has always said that you were

ipped on the home trail and that I

all and there were too many canyon

h a thread of earnestness in his deep voice that mad

arry on your work with the Indians alone as you always have do

I shall have no trouble unless I get soft, living at the Johnstown Lunch! Then I may have to waste time till

r rich boys, and they had glorious summers, lucky kids! But since

"you ought to get up a

River to the Needles.

done it since the

perhaps I shall, if Jonas will let me! How

inder of the luncheon conversation on this topic. But as far as Enoch was concerned, Diana's effort was merely a conversat

ip with a woman before," h

Well, Mr. Secretary, I think the next move is to thin

't know that it's safe for me to rely on you

as interpreter. The stranger was uneasy and suspicious, until the very last of the evening. Then, after a long half hour spent in silent scowling while he stared at Enoch and liste

will tell you the names of th

n notes. When Cadiz's

ch

ertain. They wish the United States to take Mexico over, either through actual conquest or by mandate. They have hired a group of bandits to keep trouble brewing until the United States is forced by England, Germany, or France, to

both here and in Mexico. Why should neighbors hate each other? Mr. Secretary, tell these Americans to get out of Mexico and stay out! We are foolish in many ways, but we want to l

holding out his hand, "Se?or Cadiz, I'll help you to the best of my ability. I believe in you and in the ultimate ability of your country to gove

ll. He has shown no willingness to understand us. You! you are the one we believe

President and the Secretary of Stat

ur hands," sai

he inevitable tinkling glasses, "remain quiet

departing callers with disappr

be setting in the parlors of t

cans, Jonas,"

following Enoch up the stairs. "Don't you trust any

ttled himself to an

sfying of all human relationships. I have been very vacillating in my attitude to you, since you came to Washington. But I cannot lose the feeling that those