Copyright, 1897, by Harper & Brothers. All Rights Reserved.
| published weekly. | NEW YORK, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1897. | five cents a copy. |
| vol. xviii.—no. 904. | two dollars a year. |
THE PAINTED DESERT.
A STORY OF NORTHERN ARIZONA.
BY KIRK MUNROE,
Author of "Rick Dale," "The Fur-Seal's Tooth," "Snow-Shoes and Sledges,""The Mate Series," etc.
CHAPTER I.
A DESERT PICTURE.
As far as the eye could see, and for leagues beyond the reach of vision,one of the most wonderful landscapes of the world was outspread in everydirection. Castles of massive build with battlemented towers, Greektemples, slender spires, columns, arches, and walled cities with loftybuildings rising tier above tier met the view on every side. Not onlywere these structures of the most graceful modelling, but they were ofsuch a brilliancy and variety of coloring as may only be seen in thatland of wonders. While the prevailing tints were red or crimson, thesewere toned and contrasted with every shade of yellow from orange tobuff, by greens, purples, and pinks, white, brown, and in fact everyvariety and combination of color known to nature. Some of the slendercolumns were even frosted as with silver, while others were surmountedby groups of statuary.
Broad avenues wound in and out among these gaudily tinted structures,and from the