The Project Gutenberg EBook of Dust, by Mr. and Mrs. Haldeman-Julius

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Title: Dust

Author: Mr. and Mrs. Haldeman-Julius

Posting Date: July 26, 2008 [EBook #945]
Release Date: June, 1997

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DUST ***

Produced by Charles Keller

DUST

By Mr. And Mrs. Haldeman-Julius

CONTENTS

I. THE DUST IS STIRRED
II. OUT OF THE DUST
III. DUST IN HER HEART
IV. A ROSE-BUD IN THE DUST
V. DUST BEGETS DUST
VI. DUST IN HIS EYES
VII. MARTIN BATTLES WITH DUST
VIII. THE DUST SMOTHERS
IX. MARTIN'S SON SHAKES OFF THE DUST
X. INTO THE DUST-BIN
XI. THE DUST SETTLES

I. THE DUST IS STIRRED

DUST was piled in thick, velvety folds on the weeds and grass of the
open Kansas prairie; it lay, a thin veil on the scrawny black horses and
the sharp-boned cow picketed near a covered wagon; it showered to the
ground in little clouds as Mrs. Wade, a tall, spare woman, moved about a
camp-fire, preparing supper in a sizzling skillet, huge iron kettle and
blackened coffee-pot.

Her husband, pale and gaunt, the shadow of death in his weary face
and the droop of his body, sat leaning against one of the wagon
wheels trying to quiet a wailing, emaciated year-old baby while little
tow-headed Nellie, a vigorous child of seven, frolicked undaunted by the
August heat.

"Does beat all how she kin do it," thought Wade, listlessly.

"Ma," she shouted suddenly, in her shrill, strident treble, "I see
Martin comin'."

The mother made no answer until the strapping, fourteen-year-old boy,
tall and powerful for his age, had deposited his bucket of water at her
side. As he drew the back of a tanned muscular hand across his dripping
forehead she asked shortly:

"What kept you so long?"

"The creek's near dry. I had to follow it half a mile to find anything
fit to drink. This ain't no time of year to start farmin'," he added,
glum and sullen.

"I s'pose you know more'n your father and mother," suggested Wade.

"I know who'll have to do all the work," the boy retorted, bitterness
and rebellion in his tone.

"O