Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-01-12
THE BARRIER
9f 9Vovs1 By REX BEACH
AUTHOR or THE SPOILERS"

Don forget de little shoes, i say
an OATS how it Gomez
"And you paid three hundred dollars
for itP' .Necia said, aghsst. The Can
adian shrugged.
only for de good heart OF Marie
bourgette I pay wan t'oussn'," said he
II max seven hundred dollar clean
profitF'
TT was very nice OF both Of you, but
u can't wear IT. I've never seen
dress like 1t, except In pictures, and
couldn't She saw his face fall, and
said, impulsively:
TIL wear it once, anyhow. PoleoE.
just for YOU Go away quick now and
let me put IL on"
Oats good" he nodded. as he moved
away. II bet you max dose dance-hall
women look LAX sucker"
No man may understand the girls
feelings as she set about clothing
herself I'm her first hne dress. Time
and again she had studied pictures from
the outside showing women arrayed In
the newest styles. and had closed her
eyes to fancy herself dressed In like
manner. She had always had an in
stinctive feeling that some day she
would leave the north and see the won
derfdl world Of which men spoke 50
much, and mingle with the fine ladies OF
her picture books. out she never dream
cd TO possess an evening gown while sne
lived In Alaska And now, even while
she recognized Che grotesqueness OF the
situation. she burned to wear Il and
see herself In the garb Of other women
So. with the morning sun streaming
brightly into her room. lighting up the
moss-chinked walls, the rough barbar1sm
OF fur and head and trophy, she donned
the beautiful garments.
Poleon's eye had been amazingly cor
rect, for IL fitted her neatly, save at the
waist, which was even more than an
inch too large, notwithstanding the fact
that she had never worn such corset
as the weIl-formed Marie Bourgette was
accustomed TO.
She pondered long and hesitated mod
estiy when she saw its low cut. which ak
posed her neck and shoulders TO q to-
tally unaccustomed manner. for II
struck her as amazingly indecent until
she scurried through her magazines
again and saw that Its construction. as
compared with others. was most con-
servative. Even so she shrank at sight
Of herself below the line of sunburn, for
she was ringed about ike a blue-winged
teal the demarcation being more pro-
nounced because OF the natural white
ness Of her skin. The year previous
Doret had brought her from the coast
Spanish shawl, which a saltwater
sailor had sold him. and which had lain
folded away ever since. She brought
II forth now and arranged II about her
shoulders, but In spite OF this covering
the fair flesh beneath peeped through its
wide interstices most brazenly. She had
never paid marked attention to the fair
ness OF her skin till now, and all at
once this difference between herself
and her little brother and sister struck
her. She had been q mother to them
ever since they came. and had often
laughed when she saw how brown their
little bodies were. rejoicing in blushing
quietude at her own wilderness, but to-
day she neither laughed nor felt any
Joy, rather a dim wonder. She sat down,
dress and all, in the thick softness OF
a great brown bear-skin and thought IL
over.
How odd It was, now that she consider
ed it, that she needed no aid with these
alier garments. that she knew instinct
lively their every feature, that there was
no intricacy to cause her more than an
instant's trouble. This knowledge must
be a piece with the intuitive wit that had
been the wonder OF Father Barnum and
had enabled her to absorb his teachings
as fast as he gave them forth.
She was interrupted in her reverie by
the passing OF a shadow across her win
dow and the stamp OF q mans feet ON
the planks at the door. OF course, II was
Poleon,. who had come back TO see her;
50 she rose hastily. gave one quick glance
at the mirror above her washstand.
choosing the side that distorted her
image the least, and. hearing him still
stamping, perfunctorily called:
Come in! I'll be right out"
She kicked the train into place behind
her. looped the shawl carelessly about her
In way TO veil her mooesty effectively
and, with an expectant smile at his ex-
travaganee Of admiration, swept out
scious and very pleasing TO the
eye She crossed proudly to the reading
table to give him fair view of her splen-
dor, and was into the middle OF the room
before she looked up. Taken aback. she
uttered little strangled cry and made q
quick movement OF retreat, only to check
herself and stand with her chin high in
the air. while wave after wave Of color
swept over her face. -..-.-
Great lovely dove" calculated Burreu.
fervently, staring at her.
''Oh, II thought you were Poleon.
He" In spite OF herself she glanced to-
wards her room as II to fee; she writhed
at the utter absurdity OF her appearance,
and knew the lieutenant must be laughing
at her. But flight would only make. It
worse. so she stood as she was, having
Drawn Dack as 1ar as she could, tiH the
table checked her. Burrell. however, was
not laughing. nor smiling even, for his
embarrassment rivalled hers.
II was looking for your father" he said,
wondering IL this glorious thing could be
the quaint half-breed girl of yesterday.
There was nothing Of the native about
her now, for her 1.-THE young igure was
drawn up to its height, and her head,
upon which the long. black braids were
coiled, was tipped back In a naughty
poise. She had flung her hands out to
grasp the table edge behind her. forget
full OF her shawl, which dropped traitor
ously and showed such rounded lines as
her ordinary dress scarce limited at. This
was no Indian maid, the soldier vowed:
no blood but the purest could pulse in
such veins, no spirit save the highest
could fash in such eyes as these. A jeal-
GUS rancor irked him at the thought of
this beauty intended for the Frenchman's
eyes.
Can't you show yourself to me as well
as TO Poleon?" he said.
Certainly mott" she declared He
bought this dress for me. and 1 put It on
TO please him" Now she was herself
again. for some note in the lieutenant's
voice gave her dominance over him.
After he sees ii will take 1t of, and"
''Don't-don't take IL ofr-ever," said
Burrell. II thought you were beautiful
before. because OF your quaintness and
a..