The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-10

he was a determined but unspoiled gentle
man; that under no provocation could he
make a mistake. In any situation of loneli-
ness she would have felt safe with him-"as
with brother thought. Then, feel
ing her cheeks burn, she turned back and
said:
Il must tell you he was my brother-that
man-that night"
He was sorry and glad all at once. The
tional emotion, he started upon an awk-
ward expression of ii, which she inter-
rupted.
Never mind saying that. thank you. Tell
me something about yourself now. l really
would like to know you. What do you see
and hear and do in this strange life?'
There's not much variety" he answered
with convincing droop of depression. For
six months I've been seeing you and hear
ing yOu-seeing you and hearing you; not
much variety in that-nothing worth telling
you about
Despite her natural caution, intensified by
training, she felt herself thrill to the very
evident sincerity of his tones, so that she
had to affect mirth to seem at ease.
Dear, dear. what painful monotony; and
how many have said it since these
rocks were made; and now you say it-well.
l admit
But there's nothing new under the sun.
you know.
mo; not even a new excuse for plagiar-
ism, is there?"
well. you see as long as the same old
thing keeps true the same old way Of tell
After few hundred years of experiment.
you know, they hit on the fewest words
that tell the most, and everybody uses
them because one can improve them.
Maybe the prehistoric cave gentleman, who
proposed to his loved one with war club
just back of her left ear. had some varia-
ton of the formula suiting his simple needs,
after he'd got her home and brought her
to and she said 1T was all so sudden; and
a man can work in little variations Of his
own to-day. For example"
I'm sure we'd best be returning"
For example, 1 could say, you know.
that for keeping the mind active and the
heart working overtime the memory OF you
surpasses the tonic advertised on the backs
of the magazines. Or that"
II think that's enough; see you could
vary the formula, in case"
have varied it-but don't forget pre-
fer the original UNMARRIED. After all, there
are certain things that you can't tell in too
few words Now, you
"You stubborn person Really, know all
about myself. I asked you to tell me about
yourself"
And began at once to tell you every
thing about myself-everything Of interest
which is yourself"
man. I shall question you. Now you are a
miner, and 1 like men of action, men who
do things; I've often wondered about you,
and seriously, I'm glad to find you here do
ing something. ] remembered you kindly,
with real gratitude, indeed. You didn't seem
like a New York man either, and decided
you weren't. Honestly, 1 am glad to hnd
you here at your work in your miner s
clothes. You mustn't think we forget how
to value men that work..
On the point of saying thoughtlessly, But
I'm not working here-I own the mine" he
checked himself. Instead he began defense
of the man who doesn't work, but who could
If he had to. For example" he continued.
there we are at place that you must be
carried over; otherwise you'd have to wade
through foot of water or go around that
long way we've come. I've rubber boots on,
and so 1 pick you up. this way" He held
her lightly on his arm and she steadied
''And staggering painfully under my bur-
den wade out to the middle Of this sub
terranean lake" He stopped.
You see. I've learned to do things. !
could pick you up from that slippery street
and put you in your carriage. and / can
pick you up now without wasting words
about it"
but you're wasting time-hurry. please
and, anyway, you're a miner and used to
such things"
He remained standing.
But I'm not wasting time, and I'm not a
miner in the sense You mean. own this
mine, and / suppose for the most part I'm
the sort of man you seem to have got
tired of; the man who doesn't have to do
anything. Even now I'm this close to work
only because my grandfather wanted me to
look over the properties my father left"
But, hurry, please, and set me down..
mot until / warn you that I'm just as apt
1 was. This is twice I've picked you up
now Look out for me-next time / may not
put you down at all.
She gave a low little laugh, denoting un-
ruffled serenity. She was glorying secretly
In his strength, and she knew his boldness
and timidity were still justly balanced. And
there was the rather astonishing bit Of
news he had just given her. That needed a
lot Of consideration.
With slow, sure-footed steps he reached
the farther side of the water and put her
on her feet.
ing truth about myself while I had you al
my mercy"
IT might have suspected. but I gave the
are the son of the Bines who died some
months ago. 1 heard Mr.. Shepler and my
father talking about some Of your mining
properties. Mr.. Shepler thought the One
Girl was such funny name for your
father to give a mine.
Now they neared the foot Of the shaft
where the rest of the party seemed to await
them. AS they came up Percival felt him.
self raked by a broadside from the mater
nal lorgnon that left him all but disa bled
The father glowered at him and asked
questions in the high key We are apt to
stinctive fallacy that any language can be
understood by any one II it be spoken
loudly enough. The mothers manner was a
crushing rebuke to the young man for his
audacity. The fathers manner was meant
to intimate that natives of the region in
which they were then adventuring were not
worthy of rebuke, save such general re-
Dukes as may be conveyed by displaying
ones natural superiority Of manner. The
other members of the party, excepting Shop
Ter, who talked with Pa4gburn at a little
distance. took cue from the Milbreys and
aggressively ignored the abduotor of an
only daughter. They talked over, around
and through him, as only may those NOR
tails whom 1t hath pleasSd heaven to have
born within certain areas on Manhattan
island.
The young man felt like a social outcast
until he caught glance from Miss Milbrey.
That young woman was still friendly, which
he could not understand. While the temper
AZURE was at its lowest the first load as
cended. including Miss Mibrey and her pa
rents a chatty blonde, and an uncom-
Portable little man who, despite his being
twelve hundred feet toward the center
thereof, had three times referred bitterly to
the fact that he was out of the world"
''I shall see you soon above ground, shall
not?'' Miss Milbrey had asked, at which
her mother shot Percival parting volley
from her rapid-fire lorgnon, while her father
turned upon him a hack whose side lines
were really admirable. considering his age
and feeding habits. The behavior Of these
people appeared to intensity the amusement
of their child. The two solemn young men
who remained continued TO chat before
Percival as they would have chatted before
the valet Of either. He began to sound the
spiritual anguish of a pariah. Also to feel
truculent and, In his own phrase, "Westy."
With him "Westy' meant that you were as
good as any one else land shade better
than a whole lot il 1t came to a showdown. /"
He was not a little mortified to find how
easy ii was for him to fall back upon that
old cushion of provincial arrogance. 1t was
all right for Uncle Peter, but for himself
we'll, it proved that he was less finely East
thau 10 had imagined.