Otherdays like it passed swiftly, and each one
brought more hope of prolongingMrs.
Didnt your mother ever tell you why she married
your father? One other desert man, atleast, had corroborated Dismukes.
In summer he hurls the lightning and thunder. You
know how the dead cones fall off andlie around.
They tried place after place, trying to find
aclimate that would cure them. And then the beautiful, graceful,speckled bird
proceeded to tear and devour him. Some dark-red drops of bright liquidshowed against
the brown of Genies hand.
All right, Genie, said Adam, and he permitted
himself to be led to adoor of the hut.
One morning, as he finished his camp tasks, he
missed her.
Frogs weretrilling from the gloom, a sweet,
melodious music seldom heard by Adam.
Genie laughed when he bumped against a cross-beam.
But I cant leave you alone here, he protested.
In summer he hurls the lightning and thunder. Well,
no lizard ever gets away from a road runner.
Its a sad story, little girl, replied Adam. Of
course love isnt one-sided, declared Adam,getting bewildered. Adam led the way out
of camp without another glance at the two men, oneof whom was groaning.
We buried him by the running water where he loved
to sit. In summer he hurls the lightning and thunder.
If they want anything, they want itbadly. Oh, I
know all about him, declared Genie, brightly.
Youre not old, she replied, with a finality that
admitted of noquestion.
Everywhere the desert had its evil, itssuffering,
its youth and age.
Then the sun rose like liquid silver, bursting to
flood the desert world. And always, by day and night, he rolls therocks. It waved
and curled rebelliously, a rich, thick, ripplingmass falling to her
shoulders.
The desert glowed soft and greyand beautiful. Sir,
you are a man such as I have neverseen, she said, at length.
Ive known all about people starving and thirsting.
Genie responded slowly to the Spartan training. Didntyou ever have Indians camp
here, and learn from them? Adam had hischance to live awhile in one of the deserts
fruitful and blossomingspots. I know he squirted the drops of blood from hiseyes! He
gazed out across the level grey and drab desert.
Why, Genie, Ive lived so long on thedesert, so many
years! Genie, he called, sharply, intending to startle her.
It was merely a matter of animals fighting
tosurvive.
And in thatsilent shadow slept a child who would
soon be an orphan. Genie, I must be honest with you, replied Adam.