Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1911-12-08


silence after that. Then, with little
effort, the girl spoke.
Philip, do you remember my say
ing what a contempt you must have
for the world that didn't know how to
fly? Do you remember that. and the
answer you made to 1t?
He nodded.
Philip, is that still there? Your
contempt, l mean, for the world?"
Il don't believe" he said, that you
can even ask that seriously-you, who
gave me first my soul back again and
then, in these last weeks, my life.
For it's been your life that has lived
in me these last days-they must be a
good many-just as 1t was your
warmth and faith and fragrance that
gave me back my soul. long ago." He
paused a moment; then. when 4e 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 half-reclining 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,
in & matter-offact tone, though there
was an undercurrept Of excitement in
1t. Phillip, / have been trying to
solve a puzzle since you were Ill.
hoped | could solve 1t by myself. II
/ we're intelligent enough I'm sure
could; but I'll have to ask you to help
me It's q string of letters written
around a picture, ia 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. IF you'll make light and
show me the thing I'll see what
can do"
Perhaps you won't need that" she
said. II 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 little, with sudden
" aroused attention, and heard his
breath come little quicker.
The first letter was all by itself,
she said, trying to keep her voice
steady. 1t was N. And then, IL
one word. came the letters p-b-j-n-e-q.'
That means A coward" he said
His voice was unsteady, and be
clutched suddenly at her hand. She
could feel that his was trembling. Sc
she took 1t in both Of hers and helt
it tight
Its a CODE" he said. "a boyish code
of my own. / remember that for I
long time after | invented 1t be
lieyed it to be utterly insoluble; yet /
was childishly simple. 1t consists
simply of splitting the alphabet II
two and using the last half for tn,
first, and vice versa 1t must have oc
CURED to hundreds of boys, at on
time and another, and yet" his voic
faltered. yet, it's a little odd tina
you should have stumbled upon an
other example of it."
THE next word was o-r-g-e-n-l-r-q.
THAT means betrayed he saic
almost instantly. "Was-was there an
more"
"One little word. three letter:
'u-v-z But know already what the
; mean, Philip" There was a momen
! airy silence, then she repeated tn
whole phase" coward betraye
: him." She was trembling all eve
now, herself. Il knew" she said,
knew it was something like that.
. Then she dropped down beside hil
and clasped him tight In her arm
:. Philip, that was written around you
:, picture, an old picture of you it mu:
have been, which fell out of you
= pocket when l was undressing 20
/ that night after your fight with Ro
y coe. recognized the locket it was el
Q closed in as Mr.. Hunters. had ofte
8 seen 1t on his watch fob, and it's e.
I graved with his initials"
1T fell out of my pocket" sal
Philip, incredulously.
8 Yes she said, that puzzled m
y too. for awhile; and finally | figure
q 1t out. You must have found it"
4 That night in Roscoes cave. whe
L was waiting for him. | had forge
Il ten it until this moment"
/ II knew Il must be like that" 81
o said, something like that And WASH
q 1t she began
}. Hunters code as we'll as mint
s Yes. We made 1t up together whe
o We were boys" he said, "and we use
a It occasionally ever after we left Il
d Point We wrote in Il, both of us,
!, easily as in English; and read 1t Il
t same way"
f5er 5opns arms still held him fast
o Philip. he must have been sorl
e long time-almost since it happene
e it's an old. old picture of yo
d dear, and the ink of the letters
faded. He's carried 1t with him ev
Q since, as reminder of the wrong
did you. and of his cowardice in Il
ting you suffer under it."
Il suppose IL was that from Il
l. first"
4 Il don't believe he ever meant
She let the sentence break on ther
8 and there was long. long silence.