Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1909-06-18

been talk some bout Necia, an it ain
lice talk neider."
'Who is he?" exclaimed the soldier
IN tone that made the girls heart
leap
"Wait! Lemme tol' you wat he say;
den well talk bout feex i'm plaintee.
He say deres joke down on Stark's
saloon dat Necia Gale is max fool OF
herself on you an dat you ain care for
marry her"
"Runnionw cried Burrell and started
for the door. "I'll settle with him now
for fair!" But Poleon blocked his
way and, observing him gravely, con-
tinued in q tone that the other could
not disregard nor mistake:
"No, msieu. Before you pass on dat
place you'll tor me if it's true"
''Truev' the lieutenant retorted an
grily. What business is it Of yours?
This concerns me-"
San Inc too! I'm wat you call gar
deem for Necia till John Gale come
back. an Pm broder Of her too. You
promis' jus now you dom get mad, an
| don say she's Runnion neider wat
spik dose ting. Deres more dan i'm
been talkin'. Is it true!''
His sternness offended Burrell, for
the soldier was not the kind to dis
cuss his affairs in this way; therefore
he drew back, scowling.
"Poleon Doret," he said, Its not
ones enemies who do him injury; it's
his ID fool friends. l have learn
ed to regard you highly, because you
are q brave man and an honest one,
but it seems that you are sentimental
idiot
Dem is tough word" Doret replied.
Gut dere's reason wy | can't tax on
no madness. You say I'm homes.
WAL, I'm homes now, an | come to
you wit fair words, an | show my
han to you'll don hol out no cards,
m'sieu'-but | don tink it Is you who
have play square altogeder. Pm Ne
cia's frien, an I'll fight for her JUS
so queecller lax you, but mus know
dis ting for sure, so If you have de
good heart an de courage Of good man
you'll tell ne de truth. Do you have
the feelin' for marry on herr
The pause that followed was awk-
ward for both of them, while the girl,
who stood concealed near by, held her
breath and buried her nails in her
palms. Why did he hesitate? Would
he never speak?
II am amazed at myself for listening
to you," he said at last, land quite
shocked, in fact, at my answering your
questions, but perhaps I'd better, after
ALL First, however, let me say that
the little girl Is just as pure now as
she was before she knew me-"
Poleon threw up his hand. "M'sieu,
OATS more closer to de insult dan
wat you call me JUS now. You don
need for spoke it."
you're right There's no need to
tell you that. AS for showing her GER
tain attentions-well, / admit that l
have, as you know; but, thank God. l
can say I've been a gentleman and ad-
dressed her rs l would the fairest lady
I've known"
"An' you mean for marry, eh?'
probed the other
II did not say So" Burrell declared
at last cts thing can't discuss,
because l doubt if you could under
stand what / would say. This life of
yours is different from mine, and 1t
would be useless for me to explain the
reason why l cannot marry her. Leay-
ing out all, question Of my sentiment,
there are insurmountable obstacles to
such IL union. But, as to this talk, I
think that can be stopped without an
noyance to her, and, as for the rest,
we must trust to time to bring about
a proper adjustment
A low. discordant sound Of laughter
arrested his words, and, turning, he be-
held Necia standing revealed in the
dimneSS.
"What an amusing person you are!
she said. 1--WE had hard work hold
ing in all this time while you were tor
turing your mind and twisting the