The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1912-08-22

4 hand reached his arm. and she stopped
him, her face lifted pleadingly. the
tears slowly gathering In her eyes.
| "Forgive me- she whispered. her
voice breaking into sob "Dear.
dear Jan. forgive me! Today is your
birthday. Jan-yours and mine. mine
and yours-and we will always have II
that way, always. won't we. JAM"
Jan was glad when the evening
came and was gone. Not until Jean
and Iowaka had said good night with
Croisset and his wife and both Cum
Minis and Melissa had gone to their
rooms did he find himself relieved of
the tension under which he had strug
gled during all of his playing and that
nights merrymaking In the cabin.
From the first he knew that his
nerves were strung by some strange
and indefinablc sensation that was
growing within him-something which
he could hardly have explained at first.
but which swiftly took form and mean.
ing and oppressed him more as the
hours few by.
After the Others had gone Cummins
sat up to smoke pipe. When he had
| finished he went to his room. Jan
was now sleeping In room at the
company's store. and after time he
rose silently to take down his cap and
coat He opened the outer door quiet
ly so as not to arouse Melissa. who
had gone to he'd half an hour before.
| AS he was about to go out there
came sound. low, gentle, whisper
ed word:
| "Jan!'
He turned. Melissa stood 10 her
door. She had not undresspd. and her
hair was still done up In its soft coils.
with the crimson bakneesh shining In
1t. She came to him hesitatingly I'M
til she stood with her two hands upon
his arm. gazing iXo his tense face
with that same question in her eyes.
| Jan, Won were not pleased with me
tonight" she whispered. TELL me
why"
~ was pleased with you, Mellsse."
he replied.
| He took one OF her hands that was
clinging to his arm aud turned his
/ iuNC w 'hS ol'ti uiSht. SoNhtitVs
cleaned in the sky. MS they had shone
on another night fifteen years ago.
Suddenly there leaped up from Jan
Thoreau's breast breath that burst
from his lips in n low cry:
"Meissp. Melissa, II was Just AZ.
teen years ago that | came In through
that forest ont there starved and dy.
ing. and played my violin when your
mother died You were little baby
then. and since that night You have
never pleased me more than now"
He dropped her hand and turned
squnrely TO the door to hide what he
knew had come into his face. He
heard q soft. heartbroken little sob he.
hind him
ian. dear Jam
She lnughed. happy and trembling.
her lips held up TO him
81 didn't please you today" she wills,
pered. II will never do up my hair
again."
He kissed her, and his arms dropped
from her shoulders.
Never, never again-until you have
forgotten to love me-" she repeated.
Good night, Brother JAM
Across the open, through the thinned
edge of the black spruce, deeper and
deeper into the cold, unquivering life
lessness of the forest, Jan went from
the door that closed between him and
Melissa, her last words still whisper
ing in his ears. the warm toucn of her
hair on his cheeks aud the knowledge
of what this day had meant for him
swiftly surging upon him, bringing
with 1t a torment which racked him to
the soul.
He went on until he came to where
the beaten trail swept up and away
from a swamp. He plunged into it,
picking his tangled way until he stood
upon giant ridge. from which he
looked out through the white night into
the limitless barrens to the north.
She was no longer the little Melissa,
his sister, he thought. And yet
He was almost saying her last words
aloud
"GOod night, Brother JAM
She had come to him that day to let
him kiss her as she had come to him a
thousand times before, but he had not
kissed her in the old way. 1t was a
different love that his lips had given,
and even now the hot blood surged
again into his face as he thought of
what he had done. In that which had
stirred his blood, thrilling him with
strange Joy as he held her In II = arms,
he saw rare than the shadow VI sin
sacrilege -ainst thing which was
more precious to him than life.
Ito be Continued.)