Page:Laughing Boy-1929.djvu/76

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CHAPTER VI I AT first light, before dawn, the desert is intimate, and each man feels the presence of others as an intrusion. Blinding colour has not supplanted soft greys, uncertain forms; cliffs harsh by day- | 1 light, and thunderous-walled cafions loom soft with wells of coolness. The east is white — mo- ther-of-pear]l — the world is secret to each one’s | I self. Slim Girl, sitting apart, watching the slow in- crease of visible forms, looked towards the gam- bling hogahn. She heard them announce sunrise I. with the Magpie Song, and, after the last ringing ‘It dawns, it dawns,’ saw the straight dark forms | i coming out, moving away; some alone, some to- | | gether talking, their voices intruding upon the | hushed world. She rose to intercept the path of one. He stood | - before her, answering her smile with a smile, tall J and straight and shameless as he let his blanket | fall to show — no silver belt, no jewelry, only the | a lucky bow-guard on his left wrist. ‘Take this bow-guard, now, to keep. By first | cold moon you will hear from me again. My | uncles will look for you, or I shall.’

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