Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1909-07-30
CHAPTER XIX.
THE CALL or TIE BREADS.

CHAPTER XIX.
THE CALL or TIE BREADS.
TwN HERE were mingled rejoicing
"a aud lamentatIon in the house
la hold Of john Gale this after
noon. Molly and johnny were
in the throes Of an overwhelming sor-
row the noise of which might be heard
from the barracks to the Indian vii
lage. They were sparlng Of tears. as
n rule, but when they did give way TO
woe they published 1t abroad yelling
with utter abandon, their black eyes
puckered up, their mouths distcnded
into Squares. from which came such
n measure of sound as to rack the ears
and burden the air heavily with sad.
ness. Poleon was going away-their
own particular Poleon. They had
found the French Canadian at the riv-
err with their father loading his canoe,
and they had asked him whittier he
Jared. When the meaning OF hi;
words struck home they looked at each
other in dismay; then, bred as they
were to mask emotion, they Joined
hands and trudged silently back up the
bank with filing eyes and chins
a-quiver until they gained the rear Of
the house. Here they sat down all for
lorn and began to weep bitterly and In
an ascending crescendo.
whats the matter with you tlkes,
anyhow" inquired the lieutenant. He
had always filed them with speech
less awe. He was q nice man, they
had both agreed long ago, and very
splendid to the eye, but he was moth
ing like PoleOn. who was one Of them,
only somewhat bigger.
"Come, now! Tell me all about it"
the soldier insisted. Has something
happened to the three legged puppy"
Molly denied the occurrence OF any
such catastrophe.
'"Then you've lost the little shiny rife
that shoots with air. But Johnny
dispelled this horrible suspicion by
drawing the formidable weapon out
Of the grass behind him.
"Well, there isn't anything else bad
enough to cause all this outlay Of an
guish. Can't help you out|
"Poleon's goin' away" said Johnny.
"Now, that's too bad, of course" the
young man assented. "But think what
nice things he'fl bring you when he
comes back"
"He amt comm back!" walled the
little girl and. being a woman. yielded
again to her weakness, unashamed.
Burrell tried to extract more de-
tailed explanation. but this was as far
as their knowledge ran. So he sought
out the Canadian and found him with
Gale in the store, a scanty pile CT food
and ammunition on the counter be-
tween them.
"Poleon." said he, you're not going
away?"
EYES," said Doret. I'm takin' 1T
trip"
'Oh. but you can't" cried Burrell.
Up He paused awkwardly. while
down the breeze came the lament Of
the two little Gales well. feel just
as they do" He moticned In the d.
rectiOn of the sound. IL wanted you
for a friend. Doret. hate to lose
you"
81 ain never got my satisfy yet, so
oil do tn
Mebbe dis trip fin' de place"
"I'm sorry -because-weil, I'm self
ish sort Of cuss-and"- Burrell pulled
up blushingly. with Il strong mans dis
play of shame at his own emotion. 81
owe all my happiness to you. old man
| can't thank you-neither Of us can
We shall never live long enough for
that. But you mustn't go without know
ing that feel more than I'll ever have
words to say"
He was making 1t very hard for the
Frenchman, whose heart was aching
already with dull, amending pain.
And then, as If he were not tried sulli-
GENTLY. the girl herself came flying in.
whats this ! hearY she cried. al
luna tells me- She saw the telltale
pile on the counter, and her face grew
white. Then it's true? Oh. Poleon!"
He smiled and spoke cheerily. Eyes.
I been tinkin' bout dis trip long TAM"
Its the wanderlust," murmnred
Burrell to himself. He'll never rest
What a child you are" cried Necia.
half angrily. Cant you conquer that
rowing spirit ard settle down like
man." She laid her hand on his arm
appealingly. Haven't told you there
isn't any far countryT"
He laughed aloud. for all the world
as if the sun were bright and the fret
for adventure were still keen in him,
then. picking up his bundle, SAID:
"Dere's no use argue wit Canayen
man Mebbe some day come pad
die back roun de ben down yonder
an you hear me singin' dose chanson.
But now de day she's too fine, de river
she's laugh too loud, an de birds she's
sing too purity for Frencheman to stop
on shore. Ba gosh, I'm glad" he
haoon to hmm and they heard him