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Doctor Widney, in the article before alluded to, has well treated this subject, and at the time of the publication of his paper much interest was manifested in A large area of the depressed basin could be covered with water from the Gulf of California; the evaporation from this would supply an additional rain-fall, and, by lowering the temperature of the surrounding country, diminish the general evaporation. The springs and streams that formerly nourished palmtrees and grass might be refilled; large areas of country put under cultivation, especially in the New River basin; by a system of irrigation from the Colorado River, crops of cotton, tropical fruits, and other valuable productions raised; and what is now a desert waste, dangerous and difficult to cross, might be made to support a large population. That it did support a considerable number of Indians, not long ago, is shown by various remains, among them fragments of pottery, which are scattered about in many places. Nor are these all the changes that might be brought about. The country west of the mountains, in San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Bernardino counties, which shows in a less degree the same signs of a gradual drying-up process, might be restored or

improved. A greater rain-fall, fuller streams, the growth of timber, and crops and means of subsistence for a larger population than the country is now capable of sustaining, would be brought about, probably much sooner than is imagined; and the only drawback now affecting the whole of southern California, its liability to drought, might be mitigated or removed.

It is seldom possible for man to do so much to change the climatic conditions of a large area of country, as might be effected by an expenditure of money and labor so small as compared to the great enterprises of modern times. The New River basin in the southern part of the desert is rendered fertile by occasional overflows of the Colorado River, and in some places, where the Indians have been able to irrigate, the soil yields wonderfully, containing a large percentage of mineral salts. The amount of water carried by the Colorado River would not probably be sufficient to fill the depressed desert basin and compensate for the great evaporation; but if this were filled with sea-water, the Colorado would furnish means for irrigating the surrounding country, and so make it one of the richest agricultural regions in the world.

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progress in German and Latin, under Mr. Forsyth's instruction; of every little episode that varied the monotony of existence, till her mother became half jealous of the heedless home-forgetting bliss of the young exile.

As little did Mr. Gale comprehend the dreary loneliness of her lot. When she ran, flushed and eager, to be lifted to the saddle before him, she forgot the pain of the hours of his absence, and was so arch and piquant in her delight that he felt no compunction at leaving her next morning.

So spring glided into summer. Sometimes a group of half-clad Diggers fished in the turbid brook; every fortnight a brace of them came to wash and iron, bringing a queer baby, tied in a basket; occasionally a bachelor friend of the partners dropped in to dine, curious to see the feminine member of the household; more frequently a gentleman, known as Hog Harry-not, as Daisy artlessly believed, in compliment to his personal habits, but with reference to his being a trafficker in swine-came to drive off a herd of these animals; once in a while the great corral was filled with cattle and horses, and the Crosskey brand was imprinted by Mexican vaqueros on the young stock.

Such slight events formed the only variety in Daisy's early wedded months. Fred was at times called away for longer periods than at first, in the effort to dispose of property, to obtain evidence, or to assist in the incipient political campaign of the year. When at home, he was often gloomy or petulant to a degree incomprehensible to Daisy, who was ignorant of the uncertain tenure by which the great rancho was held.

Mr. Gale was feeling sorely aggrieved by fate. His life had hitherto been far from blameless, yet fortune had smiled upon him. Now, when he turned his back upon his excesses and dissipations, and gave hostage to society for his good

intentions, his farm was in danger of being snatched away, and with it the accumulations of years of toil. Therefore he execrated his luck in unmeasured terms when out of Daisy's presence. Further cause of grief arose from the supineness of his fellow-ranchers, in regard to contesting the fraudulent claim of Suñol.

August came, arid and oppressive; the sluggish stream near the house, muddy from mining operations, grew stagnant and filled the air with miasma. Mrs. Gale drooped perceptibly; her eyes were heavy, her step languid, and the flush on her cheek was too deep for health. Charlie Forsyth affirmed that she was ill, but she steadily denied the charge. "If I could only see some one from home for a half-hour it would cure me," she whispered to herself.

Business took the two partners both from the premises for a day, and Daisy, with a great show of heroism, made light of their unwillingness to leave her alone. A hysterical storm of tears relieved her as soon as they were out of sight; she washed off the traces, dressed herself with her unvarying scrupulous neatness, and then sat down to write her journal. She religiously chronicled a record of her daily occupations, though the transcript of her inner life was inane and vague. Not even to her diary, open of course to her husband if he chose to read, could she confide the failure of her maiden expectations.

Having discharged this item of regular duty, she proceeded to translate a page of German and to make an abstract of a chapter of Macaulay's history. In this task she was interrupted by the protestations of the mastiff at the approach of a carriage, within which-strange and delightful apparition-was a lady. Daisy rose in a fever of glad surprise, fluttering to the gate.

"Mrs. Gale, I believe? Mrs. James Winn. Allow me to introduce Mr.

Rogers," said the visitor, with a frank sisted upon my going out with Norman smile.

The gentleman-young, handsome, gallant, but sombre-browed-civilly declined to remain, reversing his course in haste; but what cared Daisy for him? Was she not welcoming her first guest of her own sex and race to the Crosskey Ranch?

She ushered Mrs. Winn into the battered adobe with a pulse throbbing with ecstasy, only to be felt by a girl banished from feminine association for months, and now restored to its precious enjoy

ments.

A woman of the Anglo-Saxon type would have seemed comely in her longing sight, if old and ugly, but the stranger was a youthful blonde; from the crown of fair hair that decked her shapely head to her dainty foot, a thing of exquisite curves and dimples. Her white shoulders gleamed through a lace sacque and her round arms were girt by diamond bracelets. Her movements had the easy grace of a being reared in elegant leisure; her voice the low cadence of a gentlewoman.

As she laid aside her hat, she raised her sparkling blue eyes to the face of her hostess, and, meeting Daisy's eager smile, kissed her feverish cheek.

"Your husband is quite an old friend of ours; I have been half vexed that he hasn't called to ask me to visit you, but I took the first opportunity to come."

What winged hours swept by while the pair chatted merrily! Mrs. Winn was musical, and they sung together; Mrs. Winn was fond of reading, and they discussed their favorite authors.

Daisy spoke of Fred's necessary absence and absorption in business.

"Don't tell me about that, dear—you repeat my experience; James is completely immersed in mining speculations. I often tell him we have only a polite acquaintance with each other. I used to mew myself up at home, until he in

Rogers-a great crony of his-and I victimize the poor fellow as often as I please. You shall not mope yourself to death here any longer. You shall spend a week with me at once. I have a piano, and Norman will drive us anywhere we want to go. There are some nice people to be found, even in this barbarous country." And the speaker waved her perfect hand with a gay gesture.

How the horizon of the small matron widened with the admission into its sphere of this graceful, charming friend. As Daisy stood in regret to receive the farewell of this lady and her escort, she was enthralled by an irresistible fascination.

"You will come next week, won't you?" cried Mrs. Winn, kissing her hostess warmly.

Long after the carriage whirled away she paced the yard in a tumult of happiWhat a rapturous day had been

ness.

hers! This lovely gifted woman would be a sister to her, the hopeless yearning for feminine communion and sympathy would be appeased, and her æsthetic tastes, her musical talents, would find appreciation.

In this exaltation of mind she flew to meet the returning partners.

"Hullo, little one, what has happened to make you so bright?" said Mr. Gale, in pleased wonder at her excitement, while Forsyth regarded her with silent fraternal satisfaction.

"I've had a visit from a lady, Fredthe sweetest lady I ever saw! Guess who she is?" she cried, joyously.

"A lady of that description, sweetheart-I know of no one but my wife to fill the bill."

"Guess, you foolish boy; she's an old friend of yours," laughed Daisy. "Give it up, dear," and he reined his horse at the gate.

"Have you forgotten Mrs. James Winn?"

Manifestly he had not; he vaulted from his saddle with a fierce oath and a vile epithet that struck his wife like a blow. "Has that cursed woman dared to visit you?" he demanded, violently, while she shivered like a leaf in the wind, white and mute, with one slim hand pressed to her lips.

Stamping his foot, he broke into furious profanity; but Forsyth, dismounting, caught him by the shoulder and shook him savagely, crying: "Are you crazy? Can't you see you've frightened Daisy out of her wits?"

Recalled to his senses, Mr. Gale stopped, and gathering the trembling girl in his arms, bore her to the house, laying her down on the bed. She burst into choking sobs, and he said: "Forgive me, darling; I was maddened to think a creature like that should intrude into your presence."

"What has she done, Fred?" tremulously asked Daisy.

"She is James Winn's wife, and Norman Rogers is her lover," was his answer, as he walked out to relieve his mind by a free expression of his wrath to Forsyth.

She wept bitterly in the anguish of her disappointment. Her glad anticipations were shattered like Alnaschar's glass-ware; and, sadder still, the beautiful gracious lady was a thing against which the instincts of a pure wife should have revolted.

The frightful passion of her husband shocked and terrified her. Reared in the decorous self-control of a Calvinistic household, she had never before witnessed an outburst of ungoverned temper, and she shuddered at the remembrance that this unreasonable man was her sole protector.

When he came again to endeavor to pacify her distress, she shrank from him, saying: "She said you were her friend." "My pretty child, when I was single I liked to talk and flirt with her, for she

is handsome and sprightly, but she must not approach my wife. Some people tolerate her on Winn's account, for he is no end of a good fellow; but I could not bear to see her touch your hand," was the soothing response.

After unavailing efforts to calm her, Mr. Gale withdrew, and gave himself up to self-reproaches of the most uncompromising character. Long after midnight he stole in, to find her fallen into a fitful slumber, murmuring, "Mother, mother," in pitiful accents. Throwing himself on the rug he slept until dawn, and, after a remorseful contemplation of her sleeping face, softly betook himself to his usual vocations.

Late in the forenoon Daisy emerged, weak and disconsolate. Charlie Forsyth had awaited her appearance and laid breakfast for her, pitying her heavy eyelids and purple cheeks.

"Fred ought to be caned for losing his temper so, last night," he said, pouring her coffee.

"Charles Forsyth, never dare to blame my husband to me! Fred was right, he always is; but I was half sick and babyish," retorted the wife, with a flash of spirit that amused her loyal friend.

She, however, pushed aside her plate, and barely tasted her coffee. Before night she was in a high fever, the symptoms of which had alarmed Forsyth a week before. The excitement of yesterday had only hastened its development.

Fred, coming home in the depths of humiliation and contrition, hastened after the nearest physician, and gave up his business for days, though his talents did not shine in the sick-room.

Anxious and willing, he was inordinately clumsy and heedless; his boots creaked in an exasperating manner; his tone was changed to an unearthly penetrating whisper; the odor of cigars that distinguished his person nauseated Daisy; if he undertook to administer medicine, he forgot the dose; if he essayed

to watch, he fell asleep on his post; if he gave her a drink, he spilled the contents of the glass over the counterpane. Fortunately, Forsyth was that rare being, a faultless nurse, and he came to the rescue of the suffering invalid. To his untiring care Dr. Ray averred that her convalescence was due. When she could sit up a few minutes, Fred was overjoyed; but in the hundred-andone needs of a recovering patient he was utterly at fault; so, after a few awkward efforts, he resigned to his partner the task of carrying her to the lounge in the shaded corner of the yard, and of slowly and carefully disentangling the fine neglected hair.

Now that he could be spared, he rushed off to look after those monetary and political issues endangered by his neglect, thankful that he left his wife in the hands of a tender and faithful guardian. She did not progress toward health with satisfactory rapidity, spite of Mr. Forsyth's ministrations. She lay for hours with averted face, weeping silently at the memory of her mother's unwearied good offices in her childish indispositions, and turned with disfavor from the delicacies with which Fred sought to tempt her appetite. "I shall soon follow my sisters," she mused to herself. "Fred must take me home and lay me beside them. Poor mamma shall never know I died of heart-break in the very year I thought I should be so happy. Why do girls ever marry and leave home? I know he loves me, but he can not understand me. It is better for me to die than spend a long miserable life." And she fell to picturing the white shaft, with the inscription,

"DAISY,

BELOVED WIFE OF FREDERICK GALE, Aged 18,"

dering over fields of desultory gossip, penetrated the root of her malady, and waylaid Mr. Gale a mile from home to express his views with freedom.

"Look here, Fred," he observed, enforcing his statements with forcible expletives, which I omit as not germane to the subject, "your wife is dying of loneliness and home-sickness. What, in the name of idiocy, possessed you to bring such a little sensitive-plant to this rough country? She ought to be under her mother's wing for the next three years. She has a consumptive diathesis, and will slip through your fingers before spring, I am afraid. Take her out, and get her cheered up, or she won't live three months."

Gale was deeply concerned. "I will get a carriage right off, and if I can't drive her out, Charlie can. The fact is, Ray, that I keep the trouble about our land from her, and I must see to that, or have no home for the poor girl. I think the case will be tried soon, and then I can stay at the ranch."

"Can't Forsyth attend to the suit and to the buying and selling of your stock, and let you give a little attention to Mrs. Gale?" was the trenchant query.

"No, he's not of the right turn; and in these land-suits political influence is worth everything, and Charlie's abolition fanaticism won't win. Come and see Daisy as often as you can." And Mr. Gale pursued his way with a clouded brow, while the physician, muttering, "Confound the fool!" sped in the opposite direction.

The husband bought a vehicle within two days, and laid an injunction upon Forsyth to see that Mrs. Gale had gradually lengthened drives every morning. At first, too weak to walk, she was borne in Charlie's arms to the carriage, and

which might shortly mark her resting- lay back on the cushions, so frail in her place.

Doctor Ray, lingering beside her for an hour of apparently profitless mean

transparent fairness that she looked like a wind-flower. But the unwonted exercise brought a faint glow to the thin

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