The Hazel Green herald., 1909-08-12
and cOlOre4 stones.
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Her spirit seemed very near tonight.
The band stopped playing. Barker
made his grandiIoquent announcement
about the wonderful act about to be
seen. and her eyes wandered to the
distant church steeple. The moonlight
seemed to shun it tonight. Ii looked
cold and grim and dark. She won
dered whether the solemn bell that
once called, its flock to worship hao
become as mute as her own dead heart.
She did NOT hear the whir Of the great
machine inside the tent as II plunged
through space with its girl occupant.
These things were a part Of the daily
routine. part OF the strange, vague
dream through which she must STUN
Bile for the rest Of her life.
Jim watched her In silence. Her
face was thrned from him She had
forgotten his presence.
"Star gain, PollT he asked at
length. dreading to disturb her reverie.
81 guess was. jim" She turned to
him with little. forced smile. He
Ionged to save her from Barker's
threatened :rebuke
How yOp feelin' tonightr
"Fm all right" she answered cheer
fully
Anything you want"
"WantY': She turned upon him with
startled eyes. There was so much
that she wanted that the mere men
ton Of the word had opened a well Of
pain in her heart.
81 mean can | do anything for you"
"Oh, Of course not" She remem-
bered how little any one could do.
What Is 1t. POllT be begged. but
she only termed away aud shook her
head with,a sigh. He followed her
with anxiOns eyes. What made you
cut out the show todayT Was 1t be-
cause you didn't want to ride afore
folks what knOwed yon-ride afore
him mebbe.y'
Him." Her face was white. Jim
feared she might swOOn. You don't
mean that he was
"Oh. no,1 he answered quickly, 'Of
course not Parsons don't come 10
places like jthis one. I was only figur-
In that yoh didn't want other folks to
see an to tell him how you was rid
In" She aid not answer
WAS that 1t. POll?" he urged.
"I don't know" She stared into space
"Was it2'
Il guess it was" she said after a
long time.
Il knOwed it," he cried. II was
fool to a brung you back! You don't
belong With us no more"
''Oh, dOn;t, Jim. Don't, Don't make
me feel I'rs in the way here tOor'
Here tob? He looked at her In as
tOnishment You wasn't in his way,
was you. PollT
Yes, Jim" She saw his look OF IN
belief and continued hurfledly: "Oh.
tried not tn be. | tried so hard. He
used to read me verses out Of a Bible
about my way being his way and my
people his people, but II isn't so, Jim.
Your way is the way you are born. and
your people are the people you are
born with, and you can't change 1t.
Jim, no matter how hard you try"
You was changin' it, be answered
savagely. You was gettin' jes' like
them people. 1t was me what took you
away an spoiled 1t all. You oughtnt
to "a come. What made you after you
said you wouldn't?"
She did not answer. Strange things
were going through the mind of the
slow witted Jim. he hraced himself
for a difficult question.
"Will you answer me sOmethin'
straight" he asked.
why. OF course" she said as she
met his gaze.
do you love the psrson. PonT
She started.
''Is that ia"
Her lids nuttered and closed: she
caught her breath quickly, her lips
apart thea looked far into the dis
lance.
"Yes, Jim, I'm afraid that's it." The
little figure dropped. and she stood be-
fore him With lowered eyes, unarmed
Jim looked at her helplessly. then
shook his big. stupid head.
Amt that h-lF'
1t seemed such a short time to Jim
since he had picked her up, a cooling
babe, at ber dead mothers side. He
watched the tender, averted face
Things had turned out SO differently
from what be had planned.
AN he, don't care about you-Iike
thatT' he asked after a pause.
NO. not in that way" She was anx-
ious to defend the pastor from even the
thought Of such a thing: He was
good and kind always. bpt he didn't
care that way. He's not ske that"
II guess; I'll have a talk with him."
said Jim, and he turned TO: go.
Talk She cried.
He stopped and looked at her in
astonishment 1t was the first time
that he hail ever heard thst sharp note
In her vdice. Her tiny; figure was
stiffened with decision. Her eyes were
blazing
"If you ever dare to speak to him
about me, you'll never see me again"
Jim was.perplexed.
Il mean IL, Jim. I've made nv