Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-07-21
THE
BAR RIER
BY Rex Beach
Copyright. 1905. by Harper s Brothers

NidiS ipChSu UP llCLi HIS
thatch of brow and asked quietly:
"Why?"
"You member story | toll you wan
day two, tree mont ago" Poleon re-
marked, with apparent evasion, "bout
Johnny Platt wat ketch on de Por-
cupine all ct up by skeeter bugs?"
II do" answered Gale.
"Waal"-he met their eyes square
~. then drew another long breath
from his cigarette-"I'm JUS hopin'
nobody don pick it up dis Runnion
Teller de same way. Mcbbe dey fin
hees hans tie behin' i'm wit piece of
he's shirt"
Good God" cried the trader. start
ing to his feet. "You-you'-
"Of course I'm JUS s'posin'. He was
feel purity good wen l lef'. He was
feel so good / tax hees coat for keep
in off dem bugs from me, because
lef 1t my own shirt on de canoe. He's
nice Teller dat way. He give up easy.
Ba gosh, l never see worse place for
skeetcrs!'
Gale fell silent, and mo Creek Lee
began to swear in little, useless, inef-
fective oaths, which We're but two
ways of showing similar emotions.
Then the former stepped Up and laid
Il big hand upon Poleon's shoulder.
THAT saves us quite trip" he said.
Father Barnum found the three still
talking III the store when he had fin
ished an hours counsel with Necin, so
came straight to the point 1t was
work that delighted his soul. for he
loved the girl and had formed strong
admiration for Burrell.
The priest returned to Necia after
giving directions about the wedding,
leaving the trader and Poleon alone
81 s'pose it's best" said the former.
Eyes"
Beats the deuce, though. how
things work out. don't it?"
"I'm glad for see dis day." said the
Frenchman. Hes good man. an he
ain never goin' to hurt her none"
He paused. "Dere's JUS wan ting
want for ask 1t of you. John. You
member dat day we stop on dc birch
grove an you spik bout her an toll
me dose story bout her inoder. Waal,
/ was dreamin' dat tam, so I'm goin'
ask it you now don never tell her
wat | said"
Doesn't she know, my boy?"
NO. l ain never spoke bout love-
She thinks I'm broder wit her. am
dat's wat am. BIZ Carl" He could
not hold his voice event. broke with
him-but he avoided the old mans
gaze. Gale took him by the shoulders
There amt nothing SO cruel in the
world as a gentlewomun. said he.
but she wouldn't thurt you for all the
world. Poleon; only the blaze of this
other thing has blinded her She can't
see nothing for the light of this new
love of hers"
II know! OATS w'y-nobody onder-
STAINS but you an me"
Gale locked out through the open
door. past the sunit river which came
from land of mystery and vanished
into u valley of forgetfulrcss. past the
forest and the hills. in his deep set
eyes the light of II wondrcus love that
had lived with him these many weary
years, and said:
Nobody else can understand but
me. know how 1t is hid even Il
: harder thing to bear. for you'll know
she's happy at least. while T." Ills
voice trcmblcd. but after u PAUSE he
continued: '''They neither of them un.
derstlnd what you've done for them.
for it was you that brought her back
But some time they'll learn how great
their debt is and thank you. It'll take
them years and years. however. .st,l.I
when they do they'll telh their babes
of you. Poleon. so that your name will
never die. l loved her mother but I
don't think l could have done what
you did,
shes purity hard ting. for sure but
! ain t'ink bout Poleon Doret none
wen Pm dom it. No; Pm fink bout
her all de tam. She's iii gal, an Pm
beeg, strong Teller wat don matter
much an wat ain know much. 'cep
singin' an lovin' her. I'm see for sure
now dat ! ain fit for her I'm beeg.
rough. lightin' Teller wat can't read,
an she's de beam of sunlight wat blin'
my eyes"
.'If was a fool I'd say you'd forget
in time, but I've lived nv life in the
open, and know you won't. | didn't"
II don want to forget" the brown
man cried hurriedly. lie bon Dieu
would not let me forget. It's all I've
got to keep wit me wen I'm lookin'
for my new countree.'
You're not goin' to look for that
new country any more" Gale replied.
To-day" said the other quietly,
dis afternoon. De blood in me is
callin' for travel, John. I'm livin' here
on dis place five year dis fall, an OATS
long tam for voyageur. I'm hongry
for hear de AK in de woods an de
moose blow ut shutdown. want for
see the campfire trough de brush wen
come from trap de FOX an dem little
wild fellers. want to smell smoke in