The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-08-30
Copyright, 1911, by the Bobbs-
 Merrill Co.


 He dragged the Englishman to the side of the trail and set his back to a tree. When he saw that fallen foe mans breath was coming more strong ly he followed slowly after Melisse. Unobserved, he went into the store and washed the blood from his face, chuckling with huge satisfaction when he looked at himself in the little glass which hung over the washbasin.
 "Ah, my sweet Iowaka, but would you guess now that Jean de GravoiS had received two clouts on the side of the head that almost sent him into the blessed hereafter? I would not have had you see it for all the gold in this world"
 A little later he went to the cabin. Iowaka and the children were at Croisset's, and he sat down to smoke a pipe Scarce had he begun sending up blue clouds of smoke when the door opened and Melisse came in
 Hello, my dear" he cried gayly, laughing at her with a wave of his pipe. s In an instant she had flung the shawl from her head and was upon her knees at his feet, her white face turn ed up to him pleadingly, her breath falling upon him in panting, sobbing excitement
 "Jean, Jean!'' she whispered, stretch ing up her hands to his face. Please tell me that you will never tell Jan please tell ne that you never will, Jean-never, never, never!''
 ''I will say nothing, Melisse."
 For a sobbing breath she dropped her head upon his knees. Then sud- denly she drew down his face and kissed him.
 ''Thank you, Jean, for what you have doner'
 ''Whew.' ~gasped Jean when she had gone. What if Iowaka had been here then?"
 The day following the fight in the forest Dixon found Jean de Gravois alone and came up to him.
 "Grayois, will you shake hands with me?'' he said T want to thank you for what you did to me yesterday. I deserved it. have asked Miss Melisse to forgive me-and I want to shake hands with you"
 Jean was thunderstruek. He had never met this kind of man.
 "What the deucer' he calculated, when he had come to his senses. "Yes, \ will shake hands,
 For several days after this Jean could see that Melisse made an effort to evade him. She did not visit Iowa ka when he was in the cabin. Neither did she and Dixon go again into the forest. The young Englishman spent more of his time at the store, and just before the trappers began coming In he went on three days sledge trip with Croisset
 The change delighted Jean. The first time he met Melisse after the fight his eyes flashed pleasure.
 "Jan will surely be coming home soon," he greeted her. What if the birds tell him what happened out there on the, trail?'
 She flushed scarlet.
 + what has happened down on the Nel- son House trail, Jean," she retorted. "Pouf! Jan Thoreau doesn't give the snap of his small finger for the Mac Weigh grill" Jean replied, warm in de fense of his friend.
 "She is pretty" laughed Melisse, 'and have just learned that is why men Tx %1 I
 Jean strutted before her like pea sock.
 HAm pretty. Melisse2"
 "No-o-o-o."
 "Then why"-fle shrugged his shoul ders suggestively-''i the cabin
 Because you were brave, Jean. love brave men,"
 You were glad that I pummeIed tht stranger, then?"
 Melisse did not answer, but ht caught laughing sparkle in the cor ner of her eye as she left him.
 Come home, Jan Thoreau," he hum med softly as he went to the store Come home, come home, come home for the little Melisse has grown into 2 woman. and is learning to use her eyes. Among tie first of the trappers tc come in with his furs was MacVeigh He brought word that Jan had gone south to spend the annual holiday al Nelson House, and Cummins told Me lisse whence the message came Ht did not observe the slight change that came into her face and went on:
 T don't understand this in Jan He is needed here for the. carnival Die you know that he was going to Nelson House?''
 MeIisse shook her head
 ''MacVeigh says they have made hin