ÿWPCÚ Dí‚ÊÝE‰3ØXSp}ó(e?ÝßücòÈðµ’Õb—jÖ“6p6f ÑE•œúºØç¢]nèð4ç'ú~y觉Ÿ¶RX•hÙœ€ª.Èãí/´ýšlKË‘˜/ º‘w[‘C®‡Žcó£ƒMJYHª7ÑâÃ3öMAÑW^_‰¥õë7} ¸Û•›}èî©ãÒü˜oßáô ¦‰@Fºà²KRU .¤ÎÇâã’›œ>¿tªkë¨ØóøGÑb‘š ° aÔ#'Ü&°´š¶s‚vXwñ»[R12>›vÚoÈîæRJ²$•ÚE‰fÓŒ»Çä£S Ó‚±rõàة¡ÿoŒ¬”Òt¼¨'ƽ—±4Ž.t:º³yª¯‚>Q=€9ÁKÿ ¥•vP´¤“™•°rntÐ<ŒtXô«©ëP²í3áØadùìÛ†fx‹&ù´ºªìBj1!> Sü¸šÅ·•16Ë®ÎÔ: [‚~ ”ô5Ñ4 U:¶ %ðön«± 0(±w@Ù4- m/UNFUF”< Œ 9`("Courier 10cpiX#|xN«< Œ 9`("Courier 10cpiXôx Œ @É“8çX@($¡¡ E{FDGHEI{JvK¿LvMUNU»y/€˜‚ô°‚–ÿU‹ÿÀÀÀxÖÃ9 Z‹6Times New Roman Regular´¾½Q 9Z+‹.Courier New RegularÝ ƒ!ÝÝ  Ý›ñLññJñØ‹ØñJññLññLñØŒØñLñÔ‡ XJ~XXXÔñJñØpØñJñÓ  ÓÓÓÑ8€XXdÔdÈ8ÑÑ  ÑñKñÔ#†XXX XJ~\#ÔÔ€ XXXXÔñKñÌÌÌÌà@tt)ìàò òXVˆÐ ì   ÐÌÌó ó€Ð ,à  Ðà  àThe€pipe€was€too€soon€done.€€Dora€sat€a€while€longer€to€let€itÏcool€and€to€give€herself€courage€for€this€next€part€of€the€journey,Ïthen€picked€up€the€pack€and€put€it€on€her€strengthening€back,€beganÏwalking€toward€that€fall€of€dancing€water.€€She€could€hear€insectsÏbegin€their€sunlight€noises€now,€and€the€songs€of€them€kept€herÏcompany€across€the€stony€waste.€€Swallows€began€to€appear,€and€forÏa€moment€she€had€a€wild€hope,€thinking€they€had€come€from€thoseÏmountains€that€seemed€so€many€days€distant.€€But€of€course€they€hadÏwinged€up€from€the€ravine.€€The€long€walk€would€be€long.€Ìà  àThe€sun€was€beginning€to€burn€down,€and€the€distances€of€shaleÏbegan€to€shimmer€with€the€heat.€€Soon€the€heights€before€her€wereÏwavering€as€though€they€were€buried€deep€under€water.€€She€could€noÏlonger€make€out€the€fall€that€was€her€goal.€€But€the€gap€in€theÏpeaks€was€still€there€and€she€headed€doggedly€in€the€direction€sheÏhad€chosen,€head€down€most€of€the€time€to€keep€her€face€under€theÏshade€of€her€hat.€€She€watched€the€ground€pass€beneath€her€feet,Ð ¬,`&. Ðwatched€the€tiny€plants€she€had€noticed€earlier€clinging€to€theirÏspots€of€shade.€€Some€of€them€were€so€well€hidden€that€drops€of€dewÏstill€hung€from€their€leaves€and€petals€even€in€this€unrelentingÏheat.€Ìà  à"Slowly,€slowly,€dearie€my€dear.€€No€need€for€hurry.€€I'llÏrest€and€rest€my€way€across€this€¢cookin£€pot."Ìà  àThe€birds€had€gone,€and€little€by€little€the€sounds€of€theÏinsects€died€away€until€all€there€was€around€her€was€the€vastÏglowing€furnace€of€rock,€and€even€the€small€plants€vanished€in€theÏshimmering.€€It€was€put€one€foot€before€the€other,€over€and€over,Ïnot€even€stop€to€take€a€sip€of€water€but€drink€as€she€walked.€€TheÏsweat€ran€down€and€soaked€her€clothes,€which€after€all€was€aÏblessing€for€it€kept€her€some€sort€of€cool.€Ìà  àThere€came€a€point€then€when€she€lost€awareness€of€what€wasÏaround€her.€€All€she€felt€was€the€slow€walking,€the€plodding€stepÏafter€step,€no€consciousness€of€distance€passed,€only€foot€up€afterÏfoot€down.€€She€had€forgotten€her€plan€to€build€a€tent.€€She€knewÏwithout€thinking€that€if€she€stopped€the€slow€moving,€the€heatÏwould€take€her,€and€she€would€fall€and€lie€on€the€ground,€no€tentÏabove€her,€no€shade.€€Time€was€not€relevant€until,€how€many€stepsÏlater,€she€blessed€the€great€mountains€that€towered€up€ahead.€€TheyÏhad€swallowed€the€sun€long€before€its€usual€setting.€Ìà  àAt€first,€dazed€as€she€was€she€didn't€notice€the€cooling,€theÏslow€relief€from€the€dazzle.€€And€then€she€realized€she€could€stop.€ÏSo€stopped€and€half€fell,€half€sat€to€the€top€of€a€flat€boulderÐ  .À'0 Ðthat€pointed€like€an€arrow€the€way€she€was€going.€€The€pack€shookÏfrom€her€shoulders,€she€started€crying€with€the€tiredness€and€theÏpain€of€the€daylong€burn.€€Her€sobbing€was€weary,€and€the€thoughtÏflickered€and€laughed€at€her€that€here€she€was€now€wasting€most€ofÏthe€water€she'd€drunk€during€the€day.€€Oh,€this€desert€walking.€€ItÏwould€not€do,€no,€would€not€do€at€all.€€Never€get€there.€€Hadn'tÏeaten€all€day,€no€rest.€€The€days€might€be€short€but€they€wereÏstill€too€long.€Ìà  àWell,€now€for€another€pipe€and€eating.€€Dora€quickly€gatheredÏmore€lichen€before€it€should€get€dew€damped.€€She€gathered€moreÏthan€she€needed€for€one€pipe.€€Perhaps€it€would€stay€dry€for€theÏnext€day.€€It€was€easier€by€a€long€way€to€light€than€it€had€been€inÏthe€morning,€dry€as€a€bone.€€She€was€surprised€the€stuff€could€liveÏat€all€in€such€a€place.€€While€she€sat,€back€against€that€arrowÏrock,€and€enjoyed€her€pipe€more€than€she€could€ever€remember,€theÏshadow€of€the€mountain€reached€and€reached€till€the€whole€plain€wasÏcovered.€€The€great€moon€was€already€rising€behind.€Ìà  àNow€that€she€could€think€again,€she€decided€quickly€that€sheÏwould€sleep€just€enough€to€recover€and€then€walk€on€in€the€brightÏmoonshine€night.€€As€she€went€she€would€have€to€plan€some€shelterÏfor€the€day.€€She€would€never€reach€the€waterfall€walking€in€theÏmerciless€light€of€the€sun.€€So€it's€up€and€unwrap€the€bedding€fromÏthe€pack.€€Spread€it€out€on€the€cooling€stones€just€by€the€side€ofÏthis€new€reached€rock.€€When€the€bed€was€ready,€Dora€laid€aside€theÏcoal€from€her€first€pipe,€filled€another€and€lit€it€with€the€coal.€Ð  .À'0 ÐShe€lay€back€on€the€blanket,€her€head€propped€up€on€a€bundle€ofÏclothes,€and€watched€the€evening€come€slowly€in.€Ìà  àShe€had€searched€out€some€food€too€and€eaten€it€before€thisÏlast-before-sleeping€pipe.€€The€food,€the€pipe,€the€cool€of€the€endÏof€day,€gave€her€more€gratefulness€than€many's€the€big€meal€inÏcompany€that€she€could€remember€in€her€days.€€She€watched€the€airÏpale€and€pale.€€The€swallows€returned€and€chased€their€dinnerÏaround€the€skies.€€She€put€the€pipe€by€and€gave€herself€over€toÏdreams.€ñMñÌñMñÌ€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€.€€€€.€€€€.€ÌñNñÌñNñà  àThe€night€folded€in€over€her,€sleeping.€€So€tired€Dora€was,Ïshe€was€deep,€deep€before€the€pipe€was€cold.€€There€was€none€of€theÏmuttering,€murmuring€that€usually€betrayed€her€dreams.€€She€wasÏsuddenly,€as€though€she€had€gotten€up€from€her€bed€and€flown€there,Ïat€the€foot€of€those€sky€high€mountains.€€She€knew€she€had€beenÏthere€before.€€In€the€broad€daylight,€there€was€a€path,€recentlyÏcleared€and€much€used.€€She€followed€it€up€as€it€wound€itselfÏdrenched€with€spray€beside€the€topless€waterfall.€€There€was€humorÏin€the€climbing,€for€she€knew€if€she'd€just€pick€up€her€skirts€andÏthink€the€right€thoughts,€she€could€fly€to€the€top€of€this€blessedÏthing€in€an€eye's€wink.€€But€that€was€not€the€way.€€It€must€be€footÏâ âafter€foot.€Ð d,&. Ðà  àThe€brilliant€green€ferns€and€crowded€plants€growing€besideÏâ âher,€brushing€her€skirts,€nodded€their€heads€and€hummed.€€OneÏyawned€cheekily€right€in€her€face.€€The€sun€hit€down€as€hot€asÏever,€but€here€in€the€watered€garden€of€the€falls,€the€earthÏsteamed.€€Dora€steamed,€soaked€to€the€skin€by€the€flashing€waterÏand€the€plants€brushing€by€her€as€she€walked.€€The€path€was€notÏhard€as€it€had€looked€when€she€stared€from€the€plain.€€It€wasÏnarrow€but€very€smooth€and€rising€in€gentle€curves€up€theÏimprobable€cliff.€Ìà  àDora€began€to€sway€from€side€to€side€in€time€to€the€humming€ofÏthe€plants.€€Everywhere€before€her€eyes€were€shades€of€green,€fromÏbrilliant€to€more€brilliant,€some€almost€blue.€€She€felt€herselfÏgrowing€softer,€lazy,€bigger.€€Her€shoulders€felt€feathery,€herÏlegs€were€growing€like€tree€trunks,€the€fingers€sprouting€from€herÏlengthening€hands.€€Still€walking,€still€moving€upwards,€swaying,Ïdancing€to€the€hum,€slowly€like€a€ship€in€shallow€seas.€€RainbowsÏin€every€drop€of€water€scattered€about€her€head.€Ìà  àShe€was€not€old€any€more€but€a€young€tree€growing€here€in€theÏbumblebee€jungle,€flowers€in€her€hair,€birds€swarming€her€leaves.€ÏNo€more€aches€in€the€joints€that€were€shooting€out€and€greeningÏunder€her.€€The€plant€life€called,€and€Dora€answered.€€Moss€hungÏdown€from€her€arms€and€swung€to€and€fro€as€she€swirled.€€Beetles€inÏthe€bark€of€this€tender€of€gardens.€€A€job€she€had€not€foreseen.€ÏShe€was€still€stepping€up€the€path,€looked€up€and€could€see€theÏspray€and€rainbow€clouded€edge€dripping€with€vines.€Ð  .À'0 Ðà  à"Heart,€heart,€¢heartly£€and€tempestuously€singing.€€Volumes€ofÏvolumes€and€deliciously€drenched€down."Ìà  àThe€voice€came€suddenly,€growing€from€a€tiny€whine€to€a€softÏroar€and€back€again€and€drifting€down€beside€the€path€she€stood€on.Ìà  à"¢Deleet£,€¢defoot£,€doggerel€me€no.€€I€am€partly.€€Heart,€heart,Ï¢heartly£€this€stormy€descent€and€denuded."€€Dora€moved€no€more.€€SheÏtried€to€peer€into€the€mist€of€water.€€Could€see€nothing.€€TheÏvoice€went€on€descending,€growing€louder€and€softer,€then€roared€upÏagain€to€right€where€she€was€standing.Ìà  à"What?€€A€footed.€€A€dense,€wallowing,€¢pachiderm£€of€mutteringÏmuddle.€€You€are€not€of€this.€€Not€of."Ìà  àDora€could€feel€the€limbs€of€her€shrinking€back€in€alarm,€theÏleaves€withering.€€Then€it€was€she€caught€sight€of€that€mote€ofÏdust€that€danced€in€front€of€her€buzzing€like€a€wasp.€€The€voiceÏcontinued.Ìà  à"Take€thee€away€¢slobbedy£.€€Shame,€for€shame.€€Not€yours€this,Ïmine."€€The€dust€danced€in€fury.Ìà  àDora€turned€and€listened€for€the€hum€of€the€plants€around€her.€ÏSlowly€then€began€to€move€again,€majestic,€solid,€from€the€heart.€ÏThe€withered€leaves€unfurled.€€This€one€would€not€shrivel€her.€€HerÏlearning€was€to€find€the€heart€of€anywhere,€living€there.€€And€soÏthis.€€Dust€mote€she€might€never€be,€nor€¢Sy£€would€she€ever,€norÏeven€Letty,€but€she€did€feel€the€place€and€be€in€the€middle€ofÏâ âherself€right€there.Ð d,&. Ðà  à"The€plants€have€invited€me.€€I€am€rightly€¢yere£.€€Do€not€¢ee£Ïâ âfuss€¢yereself£€¢o'ermuch£.€€The€world€be€more€than€this."Ìà  àThe€mote€slowed€to€a€long€zigzag€in€front€of€her,€keeping€upÏwith€her€dance.€€She€felt€herself€measured,€outlined,€dissected,Ïweighed,€and€accepted.€€It€was€some€sort€of€strange€pleasure€to€beÏacknowledged€by€this€tiny€being.€€She€bowed€a€long,€low€bow,Ïbrushing€the€path€with€her€fingertips--and€woke€up.€Ìà  àThe€moon€was€a€third€of€the€way€across€the€sky.€€Every€boulderÏsent€a€long€shadow€toward€the€mountain€peaks.€€Dora€lay€rememberingÏher€dream€and€still€enjoying€the€fullness€she€had€felt€in€thatÏplantlife€place,€dancing,€dancing.€€But€it€must€be€up€she€wouldÏget.€€She€began€to€push€herself€up€onto€an€elbow€but€then€sank€backÏa€while€more.€€No€hurry.€€Still€she€moved€with€the€plants,€so€sheÏrose€slowly,€deliberately,€rolled€up€her€bedding,€and€packed€itÏaway.€€The€pack€felt€lighter€than€it€had.€€She€looked€around€to€seeÏif€she€had€missed€anything.€€No.€Ìà  àThere€clear€as€daylight€was€the€fork€in€the€mountains€and€theÏfall€shining€silver€under€the€moon.€€Dora€began€to€walk€and€sheÏsang€as€she€went€those€romantic€old€songs€she€had€sung€as€a€youngÏwoman.€€They€had€all€sung€them€as€they€worked€doing€the€washÏtogether€at€the€well,€looking€after€the€animals€or€winnowing€theÏyear's€harvest.€€They€would€sing€as€they€sat€together€darning€oldÏclothes€and€sewing€new€ones€in€the€evenings.€€Gossip€and€sing,Ïgossip€and€sing.€€Nothing€like€it€for€getting€the€work€done.€€AndÏthere€were€songs€too€that€did€more€than€make€your€hands€lighter.€Ð  .À'0 ÐThey€brought€a€baby€to€the€womb,€cured€illnesses,€made€the€cropsÏheavy,€and€sent€away€enemies.€€There€were€dances€that€went€withÏsome€of€them.€€She€would€shorten€the€distance€with€these€songs€andÏcall€back€to€her€the€spirits€of€her€old€friends€at€home.€Ìà  àAs€she€sang€she€covered€the€miles.€€There€was€no€meanderingÏand€wandering€about€here.€€There€was€a€place€to€get€to€and€as€fastÏas€possible€thank€you€my€darlin.€€She€began€to€think€about€how€sheÏwould€spend€the€sunlit€hours.€€After€the€sun€was€up€and€before€itÏbecame€so€hot€that€the€earth€burned,€she€would€find€the€largestÏboulder€she€could€and€build€a€tent€with€her€bedding€from€the€top€ofÏit€to€the€ground.€€Under€that€she€would€spend€her€day€sleeping,Ïplanning,€mending,€eating,€singing.€€She€would€not€move€until€theÏsun€had€been€swallowed€again€by€the€mountains€she€was€walkingÏtoward.€Ìà  àDora€felt€content.€€It€was€work€well€done,€the€dream€wellÏdreamed,€her€plan€well€planned.€€As€she€looked€before€her€it€wasÏhard€to€tell€in€the€moon's€light€how€far€she€had€actually€movedÏtoward€the€great€mountains€ahead.€€At€times€she€thought€she€mustÏalmost€have€reached€the€foot€of€them€and€at€others€they€looked€asÏfar€or€even€farther€than€they€had€the€day€before.€€There€was€noÏtelling€how€high€they€really€were,€only€that€the€clouds€swirled€andÏplayed€about€their€tops.€€"And€¢bedamn£,€the€moon€will€vanish€behindÏthey€just€as€the€sun,€¢cuttin£€short€the€night.€€¢Tis£€like€¢walkin£Ïunder€water€for€all€I€know€where€I€be€¢goin£€or€when€get€there."€€SoÏit€was.€€After€a€while,€the€moon€settled€herself€into€the€crags,Ð  .À'0 Ðshining€full€in€Dora's€face€and€slowly€slipped€behind€the€mountainÏtops.€Ìà  àFor€a€moment€she€was€blinded,€had€to€stand€still.€€She€thoughtÏshe'd€have€to€stop€for€the€night.€€Then€gradually€the€sight€beganÏto€return.€€Everything€around€her€glowed.€€It€wasn't€that€the€moonÏwas€sending€beams€through€the€rock€of€the€peaks€ahead.€€SheÏcouldn't€fathom€it.€€The€very€earth€herself€was€shining,€throwingÏback€into€the€sky€the€light€from€all€those€brilliant€days.€€DoraÏtouched€the€rock€she€was€standing€next€to.€€It€was€glowing€asÏsteadily€as€all€the€rest.€€Where€she€put€her€hand€to€cover€it,€theÏlight€went€out€except€where€it€crept€through€her€fingers.€€What€sheÏfelt€was€the€lichen€that€covered€everything.€€She€broke€a€bit€awayÏand€held€it€up.€€It€shone€in€her€hand.€€Mystified€and€a€littleÏfrightened,€she€put€it€back€on€the€rock.€Ìà  àNow€as€she€walked,€she€was€stepping€on€light.€€There€was€noneÏcoming€from€the€sky.€€The€cliffs€ahead€of€her€shone€mistily.€€SheÏcouldn't€tell€where€the€waterfall€was€any€more€but€she€moved€on€inÏthe€direction€she€thought€was€right,€not€singing€now,€silenced€byÏthis€new€thing.€€She€was€overwhelmed€for€singing.€Ìà  àIt€was€a€long€while,€and€she€had€sunk€into€a€walking€tranceÏwhen€she€began€to€hear€the€small€sounds€that€run€before€the€sun.€ÏSo€gradually€she€could€hardly€make€out€the€change,€the€light€beganÏto€shift€from€ground€to€sky.€€It€happened€behind€her,€and€she€couldÏsee€the€tiny€changes€in€shape€and€color€flash€along€the€surface€ofÏthe€ground.€€Unseen€creatures€stretched€and€rustled.€€Day€had€begunÐ  .À'0 Ðagain.€€No€sitting€down€yet€though.€€Walk€on€until€the€edge€of€heatÏhad€crept€in.€€Then€she€would€build€her€shelter€and€prepare€to€waitÏit€out.€ÌñEñà  àñEñAs€the€light€changed,€she€could€see€she€had€covered€aÏcomforting€amount€of€ground€in€her€walking.Ìà  à"Only€a€night€or€two€more.€€ñFñOyñFññGñIñGñ'll€not€even€wonder€what€might€beÏ¢waitin£.€€More€mountain€and€more€like€as€not.€€More€rock,€more€heat,Ïmore€dust.€€But€there€be€right€strange€and€wild€beauty€¢yere£.€€EyesÏand€heart€take€a€while€to€allow€it."Ìà  àShe€slowed€her€pace€as€the€light€came€up€and€looked€for€a€rockÏthat€would€make€her€a€shady€place.€€The€biggest€one€was€away€to€theÏleft€a€good€walk€still.€€She€turned€and€went€toward€it.Ìà  àReached€it.€€Now€she€begins€building€the€small€tent€that€willÏcover€her€from€the€sun's€madness.€€Not€even€the€bedding€on€theÏground,€make€that€shelter€as€thick€as€she€can.€€So€there's€the€bedÏand€all€the€covers,€light€color€on€top,€stiffened€with€the€packÏpoles.€€Inside€she€spreads€a€layer€of€clothes€and€puts€food€andÏwater€handy.€€There's€not€much€room€for€turning€about.€€AllÏfinished,€stand€up€to€bid€goodbye€to€the€day.€€She€can€see€behindÏher€the€stretch€of€the€way€she€has€come.€€No€telling€how€far€it€is.€ÏAnd€then€away€beyond,€the€stretch€that€is€still€to€be€trod.€€ButÏfor€now€down€into€the€cave€of€this€bedding€house.€€More€sleep€willÏnot€harm€after€a€bite€to€eat.€ÌñHñ€€€€€ñHññIñà  àñIñAnd€so€passed€days€and€nights€of€walking€and€waiting,€tallÏcliffs€drawing€closer€and€closer,€the€waterfall€clearer€everyÐ  .À'0 Ðfootstep€taken.€€Came€a€day€she€could€see€the€swallows€flying€aboutÏthe€face€and€she€knew€the€next€night€would€finish€the€journey.€€TheÏnext€strangeness€to€learn€of€and€more€climbing.€€She€groaned.€€WhenÏwould€she€see€a€gentle€meadow€again€or€an€old€¢pathworn£€woods,€sitÏherself€down€by€a€broad€shallow€stream€under€the€trees?€€She€couldÏwish€for€the€wings€of€that€goshawk€now.€€Clear€the€mountains€in€aÏday€and€no€bother.€€So€Dora€settled€down€among€the€pile€of€clothesÏon€the€floor€of€her€latest€home€and€fell€into€sleep€in€the€shortÏtime€come€of€necessity.ÌñKñÔ#†XXX XY±!#ÔñKñ