Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-01-12
COpvEAgit, 1908 H
Harper q Brothers.
An Rights Reserved


at know; and look at the heels
couldn't walk a mile to save my life"
And they will come OF If they get
wet"
But they make me very tall"
''They don't wear as we'll as mecca
sins" Both laughed delightedly till he
broke in, impulsively:
tiful you areT
''Of course, 1 dor she cried, initiating
his change OF voice; then added, naively,
That's why hate to take it on"
where did you learn to wear things
like thatT' he questioned. Where ola
you get that-well-that air7'
''It seems to me I've always known
There's nothing strange about 1t. The
buttons and the hooks and the Dyes are
all where they belong. It's instinct,
suppose, from father's side"
probably. 1 dare say should under
stand the mechanism OF a dress-suit even
IL I'd never seen one,' said the man.
amused yet impressed hR her argument
1--WE always had visions Of women
dressed IN this kind OF clothing, white
women-never natives-not dressed Ike
this exactly. but in dainty, soft things
not at all like the ones I wear. seem
to have a memory, although It's hardly
that, either-it's more like dream-as
II Il Wof1 6OLCbOAy CaoCs a 6~AA~A 49, -
II from reading too much
"a memory OF whatr'
TITS too vague and tantalizing to tell
what Il is, except that should be called
Merridy."
''Merridy7 Why thatf'
'-I'll show you See" She slipped her
hand inside the shawl and drew from her
breast a thin gold chain on which was
strung a band ring. "It was grandmoth-
er's-that's where 1 got the fancy for the
name OF Merridy. 1 suppose"
May lookH"
'Of course. But / daren't take 1t of.
haven't had II of my neck since was
a baby" She held It out for him to ex-
anime, and, although It brought his head
close to hers, there was no trace of CO.
auetry In the invitation. He read the in
scription, From Dan to Merridy." but
had no realization OF what It meant,
for he giimpsed the milk-white flesh al
most at his lips and felt her breath stir
ring his hair while the delicate scent Of
her person seemed to loose every strong
emotion in him. She was so dainty and
yet so virile, so innocent and yet so
wise, so cold. and yet so pulsating
'Tt is very pretty" he said, namely.
At the look In his eyes as he raised his
head her own widened, and she with
drew from him imperceptibly, dismissing
him with a mere infection.
IT wish you would send Poleon here.
It's time he saw his present"
AS Burrell walked out into the air he
shut his Jaws grimly and muttered:
Hold tight, young man. She's not your
kind-shes not your kind"
Inside the store he found Doret and
the trader in conversation with a man he
had not met before, ragged monde
script, whose overalls were blue and fad
ed and patched, particularly on the
front of the legs above the knees, where
a shovel handle wears hardest: whose
coat was Of yellow maclCinaw, the sleeves
worn thin below the elbows, where they
had rubbed against his legs In his work
AS the soldier entered the man turned
on him a small, shrewd. weather-beaten
face with one eye, while he went on talk
ing to Gale.
'Tt amt nothin' to git excited over. but
it's worth folIerin. If wasn't so cussed
unlucl1y I'd know there was a pay streak
som'ere close by"
your luck is bound to change,
Lee" said the trader. who
helped him to roll up pack Of provi-
sions.
'sMebbe so. Who's the dressmaker?'
He jerked his bushy head towards Bur-
rell, who had stopped at the front door
with Poleon to examine some yellow
grains in a folded paper.
He's the boss soldier"
Purity, amt her.
'Tf you amt good he'll get you" said
Gale, a trihe cynically, at which Lee
chuckled.
'T reckon there's several OF us In
camp that amt been whole lot too
good" said he. Has he tried to git
anybody YETI"
mo, but he's liable to. What would
happen If he did? Suppose, for in
stance, he went after you-or NOR
The onereyed man snorted derisively.
1T amt with considerin'!'
why not7" insisted Gale, guardedly
Maybe I've got a record-you don't
know"
'If you have, don't tell me nothin'
about it." hastily observed Lee. I'm
a God-fearin' citizen myself, leanin'
ever towards peace and quietudes, but
what's past is dead and gone, and Id
hate to see lispin' child like that blue
and-yeller party try to reezureck It."
Hes got the American army to back
him up-at least I'VE OF them"
Five agin a hundred. He aims to
overawe US, don't her" snickered the
unregenerate Lee, but his wrinkles
changed and deepened as he leaned
across the counter confidentially.
take some Teller along to help me. and
well transfer this military post.
There's plenty that would like the job
If you give the wink"
'Pshaw! I'm just supposing," said
the trader. "As long as they play
around and drill and toot that horn, AMI
don't bother anybody, allow they're
not in the way
"An right It's up to you. However.
II happen to leap down on this pay
streak before it sees me comm, I'm
goin' to put my friends in first and
foremost and shut out these dressmalS
ers complete. So long!" He thrust
his arms beneath the legs of a new
pair Of blue overalls that formed his
pack-straps. wriggled the burden COM
fortably into place between his shoul-
ders, and slouched out past Doret, TO
whom he nodded, ignoring the dress
maker"
Having given Necia's message to Po-
leon, the lieutenant took up his busi-
ness with the trader. 1t concerned the
purchase OF certain supplies that had
been omitted from the military outfit
and when this was concluded he refer
red to the encounter OF that morning.
II don't want you to think I bungle
everything in that manner" he said,
'Lor 1 don't. I want to work with you,
and / want to be friends with you.