Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-17
CHAPTER W-Continued.

CHAPTER VI-Continued.
"Why-because I was feeling a little
lonesome. 1 suppose, and sort of tender
hearted and we'd been about half quar-
reling all day, and l didn't feel quarrel
some any more. and I thought my big
brothers hand would feel-well-grateful
and comforting, you know
She was curious as to why he wanted
the explanation, but she gave 1t to him
unhesitatingly, without the faintest touch
of coquetry or embarrassment.
Il can't remember back to the time"
she continued, when 1 didn't do things
like that to you, just as you did to me.
| and neither of us ever wanted an ex-
PLANTATION before. Are you trying to make
| up your mind to disown me- or some
thing?''
| He dropped back moodily into his chair
without answering her.
| After little perplexed silence. she
| spoke again. II didn't know things
were going wrong with you. didn't
even suspect it until this morning, when
Uncle Jerry said"
What" Tom interrupted. What does
the governor know about it? What did
he say?"
"Why. nothing but that you were play
ing in rather hard luck. he thought and
| that I was to be nice to you. Is the
world going badly-really badly-really
badly?"
yes" That curt monosylable was
evidently all the answer he meant to
make. At that she gave up all attempt
| to console him, dropped back in her chair
and cuddled a little deeper down under
her bear skin. her face, three-quarters
| away from him. turned toward that part
of the sky that was already becoming
glorious with the tints OF sunset.
you've never had any doubt at all.
have you. that I really deserved the job
of being your big brother: that was
that quite as genuinely as if 1 had been
born that way?'
mo" she said: "of course not. Tom,
dear. What put such an idea into your
| head?"
He paled little, and it was a minute
or two before he could command the
words he wanted, to his lips Because
Of my hopes, I suppose" he said. un-
steadily; because 1 had hoped. absurdly
enough, for the other answer. You asked
as a Joke a while back If meant to dis
own yous Well I do. from that relation
ship-because I'm not fit for the job; be-
cause-because-Ive come to love you In
the other way"
She looked at him in perfectly blank
establishment He would not meet her
eyes, his own, their pupils almost paral-
| lei, gazed out, unseeing. beyond her
| But. Tom." she cried, you can't mean
| tndt! Ou, yes, L KNOW you Hlcdl H. pol
it's only temporary alteration. 1t can't
be more than that! We've known each
other from the time when we were quite
small kids-yes, 1 was kid as much as
you: no potter term would describe u.s.
| We've always loved each other and play
ed together. and spatted and plagued each
| other, and made up again. and relied on
| each other to see US through each other
scrapes, and pointed out each others
faults and gloated over each others
| WINNINGS W0'Va got more civilized. or
course. now that we've grown up. but
| the relation is really the same. There
can't be any romance about IT.; no mys-
| terry about me for you. You can't pos
sibly love me like that"
Cant II" he said. Cant /? VIII
you give me the chance and see II l
| can't? Love you7 l love you 80 that the
touch of stray lock of your hair drives
| me half mad! 30 that the sound OF your
step makes my heart stop beating: 80
that the sight Of little commonplace OBJ
jects that happen to have an association
with you-things that don't realize are
bring up with them a picture that has
you In it-inake q lump come In my
| throat, And when you caress me with
your hands, He flung out his own
with an impulsivs gesture e tnat tns
tightly together, for they were trembling.
| Slowly her color mounted until she felt
her whole face burning. II didn't know"
she said. You shouldn't have let me
go on thinking-"
IT didn't know myself until today" he
| intsrrupted her stormily: II didn't know
| l know, that is. But when I saw you
put your hands on that villain Cayley l
wanted to XIII LII, him. an n,.d IN to 'nA' same
| Turning suddenly to look at her he saw
| that she had buried her face In her
hands and was crying foriornly. "Oh.
am q BRUTE" he concluded, TO nave
| q In hfa NAV
What does the way matter! That's
not what makes 1t hard. It's loving you
80 much. the way l do, and having to
hurt you. It's having to lose my prother
There was a long. miserable silence
after that Finally he said: Jeanne, II
| you do love me as much as that-the way
| you do, not the way love you. but love
me any way-could you--couno y4uutnarry
| thought in the world but of making you
| happy, And I'd always be there: you
| could count on me, you know,
talk like that, Tom" She shivered, and
drew away from him with little move
ment somewhere hear akin to disgust.
He WINGED at 1t ana reddeneh. Ihen.
in a voice that sounded curiousiy thick
question:. If had told you all this
month age-teid you how I felt toward
you, and asked you. loving me the way
| you do, to marry me just the same,
weu,d YOU? Oh, I suppose you would
have refused, But would you have shud-
dered and shrunh away from me-like
| that?"
"Did l shudde# and shrink away?" she
Asaed II didn't know 1t, / wasn't
angry; I'm not now. But-but that was
! a Horrible thing you asked of me-"
"Wouid it have struck you as horrible"
he persisted, ''if had asked it month
ago?"
| "Perhaps not" she answered, thought
| fully i've changed good deal in the
| last month-sincs We sailed away from
| San Francisco and left the world behind
us-our worid-and came out into this
great white empty one. / don't know
| why that is"
| II know He was speaking with
sort of brutal intensity that startled her.
| II know It's not in the last month
| you've changed it's within the last