Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1911-09-22


feel Quarreisome any more, and
thought my big brothers hand would
feelHwell-grateful and comforting.
you know"
She was curious as to why he want
ed the explanation, but she give 1t to
him unhesitatingly. without the faint
est touch Of coquetry or embarrass-
ment.
Il can't remember back to the
time" she continued, when dfdn do
things like that to you, just as you
did to me, and neither OF US ever
wanted an explanation before. Are
you trying to make up your mind to
disown me, or something?"
He leaned back moodily into his
chair without answering her.
After a little perplexed silence, she
spoke again. Il didn't know things
were going wrong with you. ! didn't
even suspect 1t 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
playing in rather hard luck, he
thought, and that was to be nice to
you. Is the world going badly real
ly badly-reslly badly?"
yes" That curt monosyllable was
evidently all the answer he meant to
make. At that she gave up all at
tempt to console him. dropped back
in her chair and cuddled little deep
er 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 l really deserved the
Job of being your big brother; that
/ was that quite as genuinely as II !
had been born that way?"
NO." she said; ''of course not, Tom.
dear. What put such an idea into
your head"
He paled little. and 1t was min
ute or two before he could command
the words he wanted. to his lips. BE
cause Of my hopes, l suppose" he
said unsteadily; because had hoped.
absurdly enough, for the other an.
swer. You asked as e joke a while
back II / meant to disown you. Well.
/ do, from that ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS,
I'm not fit for the job; because-be-
cause-rve come to love you in the
other way"
She looked at him in perfectly blank
astonishment He would not meet her
eyes, his own. their pupils almost
parallel. gazed out. unseeing, beyond
her.
Slowly her color mounted until she
felt her whole face burning. Il didn't
know" she said. You shouldn't have
let me go on thinking"
Il didn't know myself until today
he interrupted her stormily: Il didn''
know knew, that is. But when | saw
you put your hands on that villain
Cayley, / wanted to kill him. and in
that same flash / knew why / wanted
to-"
Turning suddenly to look at her. be
saw that she had buried her face II
her hands and was crying forlornly
"Oh, am a brute" he concluded, ''tt
have told yor about it In this way"
What does the way matter? That's
not what makes 1t hard. It's loving
yourso much, the way do, and having
to hurt you. It's having to lose m,
brother-the only brother l ever had
There was long, miserable silenc'
after that. Finally he said: Jeanne
I If yeH de le4e me as much as that
the way you do. not the way ! low
you, but love me any way-could yol
could you-marry me Just the same
I'd never have any thought in thu
world but of making you happy. Ant
I'd always be there; you could coun
on me. you know"
DON'T" she interrupted curtly
Don't talk like that. Tom" She shiy
cred, and drew away from him witt
a little movement somewhere .nea
akin to disgust
He WINGED at It, and Redeemed
Then, in q voice that sounded curious
: ly thick to her. curiously unlike hi
own. he asked a question: IF l ha
told you all this a month ago-tol
you how felt toward you, and aske
you, loving me the way you do, Z
marry me Just the same. would your
Oh, / suppose you would have n
fused But would you have shuddere
and shrunk away from me-like that?
did shudder and shrink away?
she asked. Il didn't know It.
wasn't angry; I'm not now. But
but that was q terrible thing 20
asked Of me-"
Would it have struck you as no
rible," he persisted. If had asked
. q month ago?"
. thoughtfully. I've changed goo
: deal in the last month-since "
! sailed away from San Francisco an
. left the world behind us-our worl
a and came out into this great whit
I empty one. don't know why that is
Il know" He was speaking with
I sort of brutal intensity that startle
d her Il know. It's not in the la
!. month you've changed; it's within II
a last "a hours; it's since you saw an
fell in love with that murderous lyir
brute Of Cayley."
: Il don't know" she said very quis
II ly, whether you're trying to kin Il