Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-02-23
Bv REX BEACH,
Author of THE SPOILERS"

ample answer.
well, what's your plan2'
Ill don't know. / am so torn ana
| twisted with It all that 1 can't plan, but
I have thought I-ought-to go-away."
Good! he said, quickly, but his ac-
| ouiescence, instead of soothing her, had
the contrary effect, and she burst out inn
pulsively:
"Oh-I can't-I can't! can't go away
and never see himl I can't do 1t! L
want to stay where he Isl" She had been
! holding herself in stubbornly, but at last
/ gave way with abandon. why wasn't l
| born white like other girls? I've never
| felt like an Indian I've always dreamed
and fancied 1 was different, and am, in
| my SOUL know l ami The white is so
/ strong in me that It has killed the red,
/ and I'm one Of fathers people. I'm not
like the other two; they are brown and
| silent, and as cold as little toads; but I'm
white and full of life, all over. They
never see The men and women that see
in my dreams. They never have my
visions of the beautiful snow-white moth
| er, with the tender mouth and the sad
| eyes that always smile at me-"
You have visions Of such things, eh?'
| Yes, but 1 came a generation late,
| that's all, and I've got that other wo-
mans soul. I'm not a half-breed-Im not
me at all. I'm Merridy-Merrtdy! That's
who am" t
Her face was turned away from him,
so that she did not notice the frightful
| effect her words had upon Stark.
Where did you get-that manner His
voice was pitched in a different key now.
Then, after a moment, he added, From
the story I told you at the mine that
night, / suppose?'
"Oh no." she answered. I've always
| had II, though they call me Necia. Mer-
ridy was my fathers mother. guess I'm
| like her in many ways, for often mag
j inc she is a part of me, that her spirit
| is mine. It's the only way can account
for the sights l see."
Your fathers mother?' he said, me-
chemically. That's queer" He seem
ed to be trying to shake himself free
from something. It's heredity, l sup
pose. You have visions of white wo-
man, a woman named Merridy, eh?" Sud
denly his manner changed. and he spoke
so roughly that she looked at him in
| vague alarm,
How do you know? How do you
know she was his mother?"
He told me So" ....,
Stark snarled. He lied!''
II can show you her wedding ring
I've always worn it." She fumbled for
the chain about her neck, but it eluded
in it-From Dan to Merridy.
Stark's hand darted forward and tore
the thing from her shoulders. then he
thrust it under the lamp and glared at
the inscription, while his fingers shook
so that he could barely distinguish the
words. His eyes were blazing and his
face livid.
Necia cried out but he dropped the or
nament and seized her fiercely, lifting
4 .1.,E- A,v- han xrrffh
one swift, downward clutch, he laid hold
of her dress at the left shoulder and
ripped II half to her waist. A hoarse
sound came from his throat, cry half
of amazement, half of triumph.
Let me gol Let me go!' She strug-
gled to free herself, but he held her in
a vice-like grip, while he peered closely
at a blemish well down upon her back.
Then he let her slip from his grasp, and
seized with terror, she staggered away
from him. He was leaning heavily with
both hands upon the table, his face work.
ing, his head drawn down between his
shoulders, his thin lips grinning, his whole
manner so terrifying that she shrank
back till she brought up against the bark
walls. She turned and made for the
door, whereupon he Strengthened up and
said, in a queer, commanding voice:
"Wait-don't go! I-I-you-" He lick
ed his lips as If they were dust dry, pass
ed an uncertain hand across his beaded
brow, and, raising the water pail beside
the door to his mouth, drank heavily in
great, noisy gulps.
Let me out of here!" the girl demand
ed, imperiously.
Don't be scared" he said more quietly
now. You must excuse me. You--you
gave me an awful fright. Yes-that was
It. Don't worry. 1 didn't mean any
harm"
You hurt my shoulder" she said, al
most ready to cry. And you tore my
Dress" she added, angrily-''my fine dress
Are you crazyT"
You see, it's like this, that name of
Merridy and that ring-well. the whole
thing was SO startling. IL went off my
head. 1t came sudden, and L thought
I thought-it don't matter what I thought,
but I'm sorry. I'll apologize-and I'll
get you a new dress, a whole lot of dress
es. If you like" This seemed to amuse
him, and he began to laugh silently.
His first impulse had been to tell her
everything, but his amazement had rem
dered him speeches., and now he was
thankful for 1t. Following his discovery
of her identity, he had been stricken
dumb, staring at her like one dement,
ed; then, as he was about to explain,
his mind suddenly grasped the signifi-
canoe of this revelation and the advan-
taRe 1t gave him over his enemies; a
plan began to unfold, vague at first, its
details not worked out, but plan where
by he could by keeping silent use this
, knowledge to serve his vengeful ends
In an instant his vision cleared and his
brain became active and alert, like that
of a man brought suddenly under the
stimulus of strong liquor. Care must be
exercised-she must not learn too much
for If she suspected the truth she would
go to her soldier lover at once, and nc
power on earth could hold her back
That would block the vengeance that he
saw shaping in the dark recesses of his
distorted brain.
First, and above all. he must get the
} girl away from Flambeau.
IT went clear off my head" he heard
} himself saying, "at that name of Mer-
{ ridy, that ring, and all. Why-why,
. thought you might be the missing girl
told you of-you remember, that day III
on Lees creek-so 1 had to see; but, dear
me, 1 should have been more consider
ate-I should have explained. The
trouble is I'm a nervous man, and l ge
impulsive streaks on me sometimes thai
I can't control. I'm sorry 1 spoiled youi
dress, but I'll get you another-you bet
will"
This explanation OF his strange be-
hayior seemed plausible enough to ban