Justin Wingate, Ranchman
Page 38
CHAPTER XXII
THE DREAMS THAT CAME TRUE
The colony from the East had been established, and the harnessed waterwas doing the will of man. At the head of the valley, where thecultivated fields began to widen into a green expanse of gardens andsmall farms, Steve Harkness stopped his buggy in the trail and awaitedthe coming of another buggy he had seen issue from the town. WithHarkness sat Pearl and Helen, the latter a slender, awkward girl now,but in the eyes of her father beautiful beyond the power of words toexpress. The three were dressed in their best--they had been attendingchurch. Harkness shook out his handkerchief to wipe his perspiringface--church services always made him perspire freely--and the scentof cinnamon drops thickened the air.
"It's Justin and Lucy coming," said Pearl.
"Yes, I knowed it was; that's why I pulled in. I don't reckon ahandsomer couple rides this valley trail, present company alwaysaccepted. Davison was with 'em at church, but I s'pose he stopped intown to take dinner with some one."
Harkness tucked his handkerchief into his pocket and looked down thevalley, where the fruitful fields were smiling. In the midst of thefields and the gardens were many houses and clumps of shade trees. Theflat-topped mountain behind the town lay against the bosom of thesummer sky like a great cameo. A Sabbath peace was on the land, and agreat peace was in the heart of Steve Harkness.
"It's nice to have a home," he declared thoughtfully, as he looked atthe quiet valley, "and it's nice to see other people have homes. Butuntil a man is married and has one of his own he don't know how 'tis."
Pearl glanced down at her dress of China silk and settled its foldscomfortably and proudly about her.
"I think farming is better than the cattle business, anyway."
"Yes, farmin' this way, with irrigation; irrigation with plenty ofwater beats rainfall in any country under the sun. I'm satisfied. Butyou don't never hear me saying anything ag'inst the cattle business;it's all right, and it will continue in this country fer a good manyyears yit. But Paradise Valley was cut out fer farmers and theirhomes. I'm always reckonin' that the Lord understood his business whenhe made men and land and cattle. The valleys that can be irrigated ferthe farmers, and the high dry land that can't be fer the men that wantto raise cattle. And things will always come out right, if you'll onlygive 'em time. It's been proved right here."
When, after pleasant greetings, Harkness had driven on, Justin, whodid not care to proceed straight home on that beautiful day, turnedinto the trail that led to the higher land on the edge of the mesa,where the view of the valley was better. Coming out upon the highestpoint, they saw the valley spread wide before them, green as anemerald. The few groves were many times multiplied. On every hand werehomes, girt by gardens and embowered in flowers. Irrigating canals andlaterals glittered like threads of silver. Warrior River, uniting withParadise Creek, had furnished means for the transformation of thedesert, and it was literally blossoming as the rose.
Thus surveying the valley, Justin saw the fulfillment of the dream ofthe dreamer, Peter Wingate. More, he had the satisfaction of knowingthat in the position he held, that of superintendent and manager ofthe irrigating company, he had done his full share in bringing thatdream to its beautiful realization. He had helped to make the one-timedesert bloom. Years had run their course, yet the dream had come true.He had prospered also, not only financially, but in other ways; he wasin the state senate now, the position Fogg had held. And, though hewas a farmer and irrigator, he was, also, a ranchman.
As he sat thus viewing the smiling valley, with his wife beside him,seeing there the fulfillment of the dream of the preacher, Justinturned to her whom he loved best of all in the world. Looking into hereyes, where wifely love had established itself, he beheld there thefulfillment of another dream; and beholding it, he bent his head andkissed her.
"Lucy," he said, with tender earnestness, "this, too, is Paradise."