Page:Son of the wind.djvu/96

RV 84 closure. Within was a level space, clear of pines and perhaps thirty feet across. In the center of this Blanche Rader was standing when he came up to her, standing by a circular railing closely boarded below, and with a broad ledge around the top of it inclosing what looked to be a well. An iron bench, scarlet with rust, was toppled upon the ground. The helplessness of its aspect, four legs in the air, and the staggering white rail, gave an air of forlornness to the spectacle which in no way seemed to touch the girl's consciousness. Custom, no doubt, had taken away her vision of the place.

"This is where they used to come in the morning to drink the water," she explained.

Carron was astonished and enlightened. "Do you mean to tell me that this was a health resort, off here at the end of creation?"

She nodded. The Giant Mineral Springs Hotel.' Remember the tumble-down sign as you came in the gate? I supposed you knew—but of course mother never speaks of it. She feels so badly about it."

Carron raised interrogative eyebrows at her. "What is wrong with having a health resort?"

She gave him all her smile. "Nothing, if it is a real one. But you see—well, we didn't know when we bought it."