The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-06-07


"You are very impudent," she re-
marked, coldly. 'You seem to forget
that 1 don't even know you. l don't
know why I sit here and listen, ex-
cept that I am comfortable, and don't
care to be driven away"
You wanted to capture me some
way or another" he went on, musing-
ly, catching a glimmer of the truth;
same as those poor fools out there In
the sun. I'd just like to know how
you meant to do 1t and what you'd
have done to me. Would you have
f1attered me. or coaxed me, or what?"
The girl did not reply.
"How?" he urged expecting an an
CRY outbrust, but profounding indiffer-
ent to it.
'You are cruel" she answered softly
after a pause, land very unjust" Her
cheeks were glowing and there was a
CLINT in her eye, but he could not see
that. They are only kind and good
not fools"
"Of course, they're good, but they
are good because you fool them into it,
persisted Graham, spitefully pressing
home his point. you want to win
'em all, just like woman, but you're
too clumsy about it. Anybody can see
through that sort of tommyrot, if he
isn't fool. So l call them fools, and
stick to It,"
with you it's different" she re-
piled, hesitating almost before each
word. You amt the same kind. l
know it's foolish, but l can't help 1t,
and don't think I'm so much to blame.
Perhaps / am trying to make them like
me- Is there so much harm in that?
Nobody has ever liked me before. have
no mother and no sisters-only Mike.
want to be liked ,and-and-Im sorry
If you don't think 1 ought to, but 1t
can't be helped"
She looked out again at the eagle
slowly circling over Tom Custer, with
eyes vaguely troubled. Graham could
examine her closely without the dan
ger of detection. He did so.
There was something pathetically
child-like about her after all, some
thing delicate in the oval of her face
and the sensitive modelling of her chin,
which appealed to a mans protective
instincts. Her eyes were so wide and
blue and wistful, and again so pa
thetically young, like those of a little
child gazing upon the shower-wet
world from the safety of a window.
Graham suddenly realized that this was
no self-sufficient, capable woman whom
he was so bluntly antagonizing. but
only a pinafored innocent playing
with forces of which she did not know
the meaning. He began all at once to
feel sorry for her. Against her prob
able future in this rough camp. how
small the present looked, how little
were her coquetries, her innocent wiles!
She sighed almost inaudibly. The
eagle folded his wings and dropped
like a plummet from the upper air,
only to swoop upward on outspread
pinions a moment Eater.
Graham began to be ashamed Of
himself. His thoughts took new d.
rection. He wondered what her pre-
xrfa education could
have been. Her face was pure, her
eyes clear Could she have lived al
ways with the half-breed? Both spoke
English of an excellence beyond the
common-in that country, at least.
Then he began idly to watch the sun
light running nimbly up and down
single loose tress of her hair, as the
wind lifted it and let 1t fall.
The girl turned and caught his eyes
fairly.
What is it?" she asked, simply
IT was wondering" he replied with
equal simplicity, whether you had al
ways lived with him"
mo" she replied, without pretend
ing not to understand the purport of
his question. Then, in the same little
voice, in which was a trace, just a
trace, of an infinite dreariness: II
have lived all my life at an Indian
agency. He came and took me away
a little while ago. He is good to me-"
she said, doubtfully, land 1 am glad
TO be away The agent was good to
me, but there were only a few people,
and / only read and read and read
or rode and rode and rode, and knew
nothing at all of people. / got tired Of
1t. Nobody cared for me there. Mo-
body cares for me, anywhere. reckon,
except Mike, and his caring for peo-
pie doesn't count so very much"
She turned upon him again that
vaguely troubled gaze, which seemed
to see him. and yet to look beyond him.
Poor little girl" said Graham, on a
sudden deeply moved.
Poor little grill" he repeated, with
infinite tenderness, and took her idle
hand in both of his.
poor little girl" he said for the
third time. She put her other hand
before her eyes; then, releasing her
self, gently she rose and glided through
the door without a word.
Once inside the portal her eyes clear
ed with a snap. She laughed.
Continued in Next Sundays News)