The Mena weekly star. (Mena, Ark.) 1904-1977, 1911-05-25

Her
until just now. that he had used my
name as his own with her, to screen
himself from possible trouble. But
that may net have been the case. He
may simply have spoken OF me as his
friend.
The girl was In love with him,
and it would be natural for her to
give her father my name instead of
Hunters. and make the accusation
against me. suppose he thought
that | could. probably, clear myself
easily enough, without involving him.
and that the whole row might blow
over without doing any frreparable
damage to either of US. And then,
when 1t didn't blow over-when It got
worse and meant ruin for somebody
the fact that he hadn't spoken at first
would have made 1t ten times harder
to speak at last. | might have help
ed him. He sent word to me once,
when l was under arrset, to ask If
would see him. and | refused was
very His speech was punctu-
Ated now by longer and longer pauses,
but still Jeanne waited.-"Very sure
OF the correctness Of my own
attitude then. Correct is, perhaps, the
exact word for it, | wouldn't turn a
hand to save mana man who had
been my friend, too-from living out
the rest of his life In hell" He shud-
dered little at that and she quickly
laid her hand upon his lips.
That was long ago." she said. You
can see now what a God. perhaps,
would have seen and done then. And
II you did wrong, then it's you who
have suffered for it-you who have
paid the penalty. You have paid for
the thing you left undone as well as
for the thing he did. But we must
not talk about it any more, now.
You're not strong enough. ought
not to have spoken of 1t at all, but,
somehow, l couldn't wait any longer"
Just this much more, Jeanne, and
then We will let 1t go: You see now.
don't you. dear, why I said | never
could go back to the world, never clear
expense - Perry Hunters expense
now that he is dead; and don't you see
that that's as impossible now as 1t was
when | first said it?'
1t was with a half laugh and half
sob that she kissed him.
"Oh. my DEAR" she said, what does
the world matter? This is the world
here. You and |. The space OF this
great bear-skin we are lying on. The
past can't come between us. and what
else is there that matters? Come, it's
time for you to take another nap. Are
you warm enough out here, or shall we
go back to the hut?"
I'm warm. soul and body, thanks
to you." he said.
But 1t was Jeanne who went to
sleep. Somehow. since that last ex-
PLANTATION wonderful great. soft calm
seemed to envelop her. She slept
there like child beside him, his hand
still half-clasped In hers.
1t was Philips voice that wakened
her. How long afterwards she did
not know He was sitting erect on the
great hear-skin. and all she could see
of him was the dim silhouette OF MS
back against the sky.
What is it?" she asked, drowsily.
Is anything the matter?"
He could hardly command his voice
to answer
It's that aurora, over there he
said. No, it's gone now. 1t may
come back. It's right over there In
the south straight in front of you
But. my dear--my dear" she per-
sisted, why should an aurora
Is 1t because of the one we saw the
night you killed Roscoe2 Is 1t that
old nightmare that 1t brings back
She was speaking quietly, her voice
caressing him just as her hands were
She was like mother trying TO reas-
sure a frightened child.
No. It's not that" he said. uneasily.
don't know think | may be so
ing mad, perhaps. | know | WASH
dreaming | thought so at first, but
know I'm not now Then she felt
MS body stiffen. he dropped her hand
and pointed out TO the southern no
rizon.