e evil ones purified in Thy
mercy. Amen."

Happy congratulations of the Mormon family, a merry romp of children
flinging flowers, marriage-dance of singing Navajos--these, with the
feast spread under the cottonwoods, filled the warm noon-hours of the
day.

Then the chief Eschtah raised his lofty form, and turned his eyes upon
the bride and groom.

"Eschtah's hundred summers smile in the face of youth. The arm of the
White Chief is strong; the kiss of the Flower of the Desert is sweet.
Let Mescal and Jack rest their heads on one pillow, and sleep under the
trees, and chant when the dawn brightens in the east. Out of his wise
years the Navajo bids them love while they may. Daughter of my race,
take the blessing of the Navajo."

Jack lifted Mescal upon Black Bolly and mounted Silvermane. Piute
grinned till he shook his earrings and started the pack burros toward
the plateau trail. Wolf pattered on before, turning his white head,
impatient of delay. Amid tears and waving of hands and cheers they began
the zigzag ascent.

When they reached the old camp on the plateau the sun was setting behind
the Painted Desert. With hands closely interwoven they watched the color
fade and the mustering of purple shadows.

Twilight fell. Piute raked the red coals from the glowing centre of the
camp-fire. Wolf crouched all his long white length, his sharp nose on
his paws, watching Mescal. Hare watched her, too. The night shone in her
eyes, the light of the fire, the old brooding mystic desert-spirit, and
something more. The thump of Silvermane's hobbled hoofs was heard in
the darkness; Bolly's bell jangled musically. The sheep were bleating. A
lonesome coyote barked. The white stars blinked out of the blue and the
night breeze whispered softly among the cedars.

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Heritage of the Desert, by Zane Grey

*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HERITAGE OF THE DESERT ***

***** This file should be named 1262.txt or 1262.zip *****
This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
http://www.gutenberg.org/1/2/6/1262/

Produced by Bill Brewer, and Rick Fane

Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions
will be renamed.

Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no
one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation
(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without
permission and wi