The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1909-06-03

Z MhnM dltN hAu ifN away ffNtN thr itA
sous garden In a simple white frcc
one month before Her thin. pensiy
face contrastcd oddly with her CUTIE
Ing attire. Her hair was knotted big
on her head and lntertwincd VII
flowers and jewels Her slender nee
seemed scarcely able 90 support Il
burden Her short full skirt aud 10,
cut bodice were ahlare with whit
aud colored stones.
whats on, JimT' she asked
THE leap o death. You got plcnt
Of time"
Polly's mind went back 60 the Sir
who answered that call year agc
Her spirit seemed very near tonight
The band stopped playing. Barke
made bis Rrandiloquent announcement
about the wonderful act about 10 b.
seen, and her eyes wandered to tn
distant church steeple The moonligh
seemed 10 shun II tonight. 1, lookct
cold and grim aud dark She won
dered whether the solemn bell tina
| once called its flock 10 worship hat
become as mute as her own dead heart
She did not hear the whir OF the great
machine inside the tent as II plunged
through space with its girl occupant
These things were part OF the daily
routine. part OF the strange, vague
dream through which she must stun
Bile for the rest OF her life
Jim watched her in silence. Her
face was turned from him She had
forgotten HIS presence.
"star gain, pollY" he asked at
length, dreading to disturb her reyeric.
IL guess was, jim" She turned to
him with little, forced smile. lie
longed 10 save her from Barker's
threatened rebuke.
How you feelln' tonightT
"l'm all right she answered cheer.
fully.
Anything you waptY"
"Wantp She turned upon him with
startled eyes, There was so much
that she wanted that the mere men
tion OF the word had opened well OF
pain In her heart.
II mean can ! do anything for your
"0h, Of course not" She remem.
bered how little any one could do.
"What Is II, POM" he begged, but
she only turned away and shook her
head with sigh He followed her
with anxious eyes "What made you
cut out the show todayY Was II be-
cause you didn't want TO ride afore
folks what knowed you ride afore
him mebbe"
"Hlmr Her face was white. Jim
feared she might swoon. you don't
mean that he was
"Oh, no." he answered quickly, "ol
course not. Parsons don't come TO
places like this one. | was only flgur-
In that you didn't want other folks to
see an TO tell him how you was rid
In" She did not answ~
"was that II, Pollr he urged.
~ don't know" She stared into space
"Was itT
II guess II was,' she said after a
ong time.
fool to "a brung you back! You don't
belong with US no more"
"Oh, don't, JIM DON'T Don't make
me feel I'm In the way here toor'
Here too?" He looked at her In as
tonlshment. you wasn't In his way,
was you, Poll"
Yes, jim" She saw his look OF un.
belief and continued hurriedly: "0h, |
tried not to bel tried so hard lie
used to read me verses out OF a Bible |
about my way being his way and my |
people his people, but II isn't so, jim. |
Your way is the way you are born, and |
your people are the people you are
born with, and you can't change IT.
Jim, no matter how hard you try"
"You was changln IT," he answered |
savagely "You was gettln' jes' like
them people 1t was me what took you
away an spoiled II all You oughtni
to a. come. What made you nfter you
said you wouldn't"
She did not answer. Strange things
were going through the mind OF the
slow wltted Jim. lie braced himself
Tor difficult question.
"Wll you answer me somethln
,traIghtr he asked
"Why. OF course" she said as she
net his gaze.
"Do you love the parson, Pollr
She started,
as that itW
Her lids auttered and closed; she
.aught her breath quickly, her lips
lpart, then looked far into the dis
ance.
Eyes, Jim, I'm afraid that's H." The
title figure dropped, and she stood be-
ore him with lowered eyes, unarmed.
lin looked at her helplessly, then
hook his big, stupid head.
"Aln't that b-lf"
IL seemed such a short time to Jim
Iince he had picked her up, a cooling
JhDt, Ut nNi h'hh bioihfi y biN's ''N
watched the tender averted face.
Things had turned out 30 differently
rom what he had planned.
AN be don't care about y0u-like
hatT he asked after pause.
mo, not In that way" She WAS anx.
ous TO defend the pastor from even the
hought Of such n thing. "He was
rood and kind always. but he didn't
are that way He's not Ike that
Il guess III have talk with him"
aid Jim, and be turned TO 90.
Talk she cried. 4
He stopped and looked at her IN
stonlshment II was the first time