The Holly chieftain., 1909-04-09
! !. The Barrier
BY -
Rex Beach
oosva,o.r,soo. ~ nARPsa . eRornsas

VAtvN' t"hNS
"Your supper n getting cold" sbe
called To him.
He took seat beside her "n pile
of bOughs where the smoke WAS least
troublesome. He had chosen sInt
that was sheltered by ilch~n .s,r+r~.i
ledge. and this low wall behind. with
the wickiup Joining II. formed sm in-
closure thai lent them y certain air of
privacy. They ate ravemnssis and
drank deep cnpfuls of thu unfiav"red
tea. BY the time they were finished
the night had fallen and the mir WIS
just cool enough to make the fire
agreeable. Burrell heapd an nnre
wood and stretched out InsItip her
'.'his day has been w WONDERFUL
said the girl. THAT | shall never <" to
sleep can't bear to end II
But you must be weary. little
maid," he said gently. II am
Wait Let me see" Che stretched
her limbs and moved slightly to try
her muscles Yes ! am very tired.
but not the kind Of tired hat maker
you want to go Ia bed want to talk.
talk. talk. and not about ourselves ei-
luST. Dut utNbut NeNSIuItS ISu tO&
about your lH.ople-your sister
He had expected her to ask this. for
the subject seemed to have All inex-
haustibie charm for her She wnud
sit rapt and mOtioniess as inng NJ be
cared 20 talk Of his sister. II, her wide.
msditative eyes the shadow OF grea.
unvoiced longing. He told her Of his
father. the crotchety old soldier whose
absurd sense Of duty and whose elab-
crate southern courtesy had become
byword in the south. He told her
household tales that were priced like
pieces Of the Burrell plste. beautiful
heirlooms Of sentiment That mark the
honor Of high biOoded houses. follow
ing which there was much to recount
Of the Aeades. from the admiral who
fought ~ a hoy in the bay Of Tripols
down to the cousin who was at An
napolis. the while his listener hung
upon his words hungrily, her mind 70
quick In pursuit Of his that 1t spurred
him unconsr'".s!!y. her great. dark
eyes A4ir closed In silent laughter oa
wide with wonder. and in them Al.
ways the warmth Of the lenping nre.
light. blended with the trust Of new
born virginai love.
Then he began to laugh silently.
"What il 1t p she said curiously.
"Oh, nothing! was just wondering
what my straitIaced ancestors would
say II they could zee me now"
'.What do you meant" the gffi asked
+ In open eyed wondermsnt.
~ don't care" be went on, unheed-
ing her question. "They did worse
things in their time. from what hear"
He leaned forward to draw her to
him.
Worse things! But We are doing
nothing bad seid Necia. holding him
otf. There's no wrong In loving"
"Of course not" be assured her.
Il am proud Of It" she declared. ut
IL the finest thing. the greatest thing.
that has ever come into my life. Why.
! simply can't hold It. want to sing
It to the stars and cry IT out to the
whole world Don't your
II hardly think we'd better adver-
tise," he said dryly
Wny nOty
"weli, l shouldn't care to publish the
tale Of this excursion Of ours. Would
your
81 don't see any reason against it.
have often taken trips with Poleon
and been gone with him for days and
days At time"
''But you were not woman then"
he said softly.
''No. not until today. that's true.
Dear. dear how did grow all Of
sudden! And yet I'm just the same a.
was yesterday. and I'll always be
the same. just Wild little. Please
don't ever let me be 4 big tame.
don't want to be commonplace aud or.
dinary ! want to be naturaI-and
good"
"You couldn't be like other women"
he declared and there was more ten
derness than hunger in his tone now
as she looked up at him trustingly
from the shelter Of his arms 1T
would spoil you to grow up"
ut IL so good to BE- alive and TO love
| you like this!' she continued dreamily.
staring into the Dire. II seem to have
come out of gloomy house into the
glory Of warm spring day. for my
eyes are blinded. and can't see half
the beautifuls want to. there are no
many about me"
Those are my arms" interjected the
soldier lightly In nj, effort to ward of