Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-02-12
THE BARRIER
Copyright, 1908, by
Harper q Brothers.
All Rights Reserved
Sf Nove1 by REX BEACH
AUTHOR OF THE SPOILERS"

| AN you mean for marry, eh?" probed
the other.
| Now no man could have answered such
a direct question easily, and in this case
it was especially hard for the Kentuckian,
who was torn between his ungovernable
| desire and that decision which cold rea-
son had thrust upon him. He wanted to
say, Eyes, I'll marry her tomorrow" but
something bade him pause before he sac
! rificed upon this altar Of youthful love
| his life, his hopes, his ambitions. Had he
not wrestled with himself for months In
thinking It all out, until his mind was
weary and listless with the effort? For
| the great test that tries mans soul and
| compels him to know himself had not
vet come to Meade Burrel; wherefore,
he hesitated long.
81 did not say So" he declared at last.
| TITS a thing I can't well discuss, because
doubt If you could understand what
would say. This life Of yours is differ
ent from mine, and 1t would be useless
4 for me to explain the reason why cannot
marry her. Leaving out all question of my
| sentiment, there are insurmountable OBJ
stacles to such a union; but as to this
| talk, I think that can be stopped with
| out annoyance to her, and as for the
| rest we must trust to time to bring
about a proper adjustment"
| A low, discordant sound Of laughter ar
rested his words, and, turning, he beheld
Necia standing revealed in the dimness.
| What an amusing person you are!
| she said. i've had hard work holding In
all this time while you were torturing
your mind and twisting the honest Eng
fish language out of shape and meaning.
1 knew I should have to laugh sooner
or later"
what is the meaning of this?' he de-
manded. rs it a joker
! Indeed it is'' she declared, laughing
afresh, land the best I've ever enjoyed.
Wasn't it funny, Poleon"-she turned
gayly to the Frenchman, but he stood like
one petrifed-"to see him debating coolly
whether he cared for me enough to face
the world with me, and trying to explain
to you that he was too good to marry a
squaw? Oh, you were very gentlemanly
about it, sir, and you wouldn't have hurt
my feelings for the world"
"Necial"
That's your Dixie chivalry, I suppose.
Well, I've played with you Ions enough
Lieutenant Burrell: I'm tired of the game,
and you interest me no longer"
"You-you-say you've been playing
| with mel" stammered the man. The bot
! tom of things seemed suddenly to slide
from under him; he was like one sinking
in some hideous quagmire, He felt as If
| he were choking.
"Why, of course" she cried, scornfully,
''just as you took me up for amusement.
You were such a fine. well dressed, I'M
rnaculate mound of conceit that 1 couldn't
| resist the temptation, and you hid your
| condescension so poorly that thought
! you ought to be taken down a peg. l
knew l was a squaw, but wanted to see
If were not like other women, after all,
and if you were not like other men !"
| She was talking rapidly now, almost
snrilly, while he stood dazed and
| speechiess, fumbling at his throat
while she rallied at him. you needn't
waste time debating whether I'm good
enough for you, because I'm not-de-
cidedly. I'm not your kind, and you
are a joke to me-"
| He uttered an inarticulate cry, but
she ran on unheeding, her eyes wide
and glowing like Goals, her lips chalk
white. you see, it's time I stopped
such foolishness, anyhow, for I'm to
be married on Sunday
| You are going to be married?" he
muttered laboriously.
YES, to Poleon. Why, that's been
understood for years"
He whirled upon the Canadian in a
fury, and his words came hot and
tumbling.
80 you're in this, Doret. You're a
part Of this little farce. You trapped
me here to make a fool of me, did
/ you? Well, 1 can settle with you"
"D-don't blame him. cried the girl,
Historically 1T is all my doing. He
had no part in it."
YES" said Doret in a restrained
voice. Dis ain no work Of mine"
You're a Iiarw breathed the Ken
tucxian, now fairly wild with anger;
but the other looked him squarely be-
tween the eyes and made no move.
"Msieu," he cried, I'm Twin forty
year, an never took no nam lax dat
before, but dere's reason here wy l
can't max no answer" He inclined his
head towards the girl, and before Bur-
rell could break out again he check
ed him.
Its no good max fight wit lesser
dan two people. You've tot me dat you
are gentleman. Wal, I ain nobody but
trapper an trader, but I don spoil
de name of no good girl, an 1 don
quarrel in presence Of lady, so mebbe
after all, dere's mistak' somewhere, an
I'm gentleman mesf stead of you"
why, you aren't really angry, Lieu
tenant?" Knocked Necia. It's only the
joke Of an ignorant half-breed girl
whose sense of humor is all out of
i gear. You mustn't quarrel over
squaw!"
| She tainted him like a baited badg-
err for this thing was getting beyond
her control and the savage instincts
of the wilderness were uppermost.
you are quite right" he replied. Il
am very foolish, and the laugh is with
you" His lips tried to frame a smile,
but failed, and he added: Your wit is
not my kind, that is all I beg you
both to accept my congratulations on
your nuptials. Undoubtedly, you will
be happy together; two people with
such similar ideas of humor must
have much to enjoy in common" He
lowed low and, turning, walked out
The moment he was gone she cried,
breathlessly:
You must marry me, Poleon. You've
got to do it now"
BAmsm~ hm4 GAuwNM