Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1911-08-18

| locked into his and pressed It to his
lips before he spoke. There was a
| silence after that. Then. with a little
effort, the girl spoke.
Philip, do remember my say
ing what a contempt o must have
for the world that didn't know o to
fly? DO you remember that, and the
answer you made to it,"
He nodded.
philip. Is that still there? Your
contempt, | mean, for the world?'
Il don't believe" he said, that you
can even ask hat seriOusly-you. who
gave me first my Oul back again and
then, In these last weeks, my life.
For It's been you life that has lived
in me these last days-they must be a
good many-just az It was your
warmth and faith and fragrance that
gave me back my soul, long ago" He
paused a moment; then, when ne went
on his voice had a somewhat different
quality. But the other contempt,
Jeanne, that still exists, or would ex-
list If | gave 1t the chance. the worlds
contempt for me. Not even your faith
could shake that"
She had been h~alfreclining beside
him, but now she sat erect purposeful-
ly, like one who has taken a resolu-
ton.
I'm not so sure OF that" she said,
Ia a matter-of-fact tone, though there
was an undercurrent Of excitement in
it. philip, | have been trying to
solve a puzzle since you were III. |
hoped | could solve 1t by myself. II
| were intelligent enough I'm sure |
could; but III have to ask you to help
me It's a string of letters written
around a picture, in a locket."
"A locket of yours?" he asked. sur
prised.
Never mind about that just now"
She spoke hastily and the undercur-
rent of excitement was growing
stronger In her voice.
DO you want me to try it now?" he
asked. III you'll make a light and
show me the thing I'll see what I
a do"
perhaps 0 won't need that" she
said. Il can remember the letters.
They are divided up into words, but
I'm sure they are not any foreign Ian
guage; they are in a code Of some
sort"
She did not turn to look at him, but
she felt him stir a little, with sudden
ly aroused attention, and heard his
breath come a little quicker.
The first letter was all by Itself"
she said. trying to keep her voice
- l than w
one word. came the letters p-b-j-n-e-q."
That means "A coward" he said.
His voice was unsteady, and he
clutched suddenly at her hand. She
could feel that his was trembling, SO
she took 1t in both of hers and held
1t tight.
It's a CODE" he said, "a boyish code
of my own. l remember that for a
long time after l invented 1t l be.
lieved it to be utterly insoluble; yet It
was childishly simple. 1t consists
simply of splitting the alphabet In
two and using the last half for the
Cured to hundreds Of boys, at one
time and another, and yet" his voice
faltered. Yet, it's a little odd that
you should have stumbled upon an
other example of It."
The next word was o-r3-e-n-lr-Q.'
That means betrayed" he said,
almost instantly. "Was-was there any
more"
lone little word, three letters,
'u-v-z. But I know already what they
mean, Philip" There was a moment
airy silence, then she repeated the
whole phase-"'A coward betrayed
him" She was trembling all over
now, herself. Il knew" she said, 81
knew it was something like that
Then she dropped down beside him
and clasped him tight In her arms
philip, that was written around your
picture, an old picture Of o it must
have been, which fell out OF your
pocket when l was undressing you
that night after your fght with Ros
coe. I recognized the locket 1t was en-
closed in as Mr.. Hunters. l had often
seer it on his watch fob, and it's en-
graved with his initials"
1T fell out Of my pocket" said
Philip, incredulously.
Yes" she said, that puzzled me
too, for awhile; and finally I figured
1t out. You must have found it"
That night in Roscoe's cave, when
l was waiting for him. I had forgot
ten 1t until this moment"
II knew 1t must be like that" she
said, something like that. And wasn't
1t - she began
Hunters code as well as mine
Yes. We made 1t up together when
we were boys" he said. and we used
1t occasionally even after We left the
Point. We wrote in II, both of lis, as
easily as in English; and read it the
same way"
Esr young arms still held him fast.
Philip. he must have been sorry
a long time-almost since 1t happened
it's an old, old picture Of you
dear, and the ink of the letters is
faded. He's carried 1t with him ever
since, as a reminder of the wrong he
did you, and of his co%wardice in let.
ting you suffer under it."
Il suppose 1t was hat from the
first"
II don't believe he ever meant"
She let the sentence break off there,
and there was a long, long silence.
IHnTH G VINO