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

day. They had come up to the top
OF the ridge on which he had
= fought the missionary, to gather
red sprigs Of the bakneesh for the fes-
tval that they were to have in the
cabin that night High up on the face
OF jagged rock Jan saw bit of the
crimson vine thrusting itself out into
the sun, and, with Melissa laughing
and encouraging him from below, he
climbed up until he had secured It.
He tossed 1t down to her.
tits the last one" she cried, seeing
his disadvantage, "and Pm going home
You can't catch me-"
Jan slackened his steps. II was a
Joy to see Melissa springing from rock
to rock and darting across the thin
openings close ahead Of him, her hair
loosening and sweeping out In the sun,
her slender figure fleeing with the light
ness Of the pale sun shadows that ran
up and down the mountain.
He would not have overtaken her Of
his own choosing, but at the foot Of
the ridge Mellsse gave up. Never had
he seen her SO beautiful. still daring
him with her laugh. quivering and
painting. Hinging back her hair. Half
reaching out his arms, he cried:
"Mellsse. you are beautiful-you are
almost woman! II you did your hair
up like the pictures we have in the
books you would be a woman" he an
swered softly. "You are more beauti.
full than the pictures!'
"You say that am pretty and that
] am almost woman" she pouted.
''and yet She shrugged her shout
ders at him In mock disdain. "Jan
Thoreau. this is the third time In the
last week that you have not played
the game right. won't play with
you any morer'
In flash he was at her side. her
face between his two hands. and.
bending down. he kissed her upon the
mouth.
"There," she said as he released her.
isn't that the way we have played 1t
ever since l can remember? Whenever
you catch me you may have that"
II am afraid. Mellsse," he said Sc
riously. You are growing so tall and
SO pretty tnat am AFRAID.
Afraid! My brother afraid to kiss
me! And what will you do when
get 10 be woman, Jan, which will be
very soon, you sayT
81 don't know, Melissa"
She turned her back to him and
flung out her hair, and Jan, who had
done this same thing for her hun
dred times before, divided the sllken
mass into three strands and plated
them into braid.
81 don't believe that you care for me
as much as you used to, Jan. i wish
/ were woman, SO that / might
know II you are going to forget me
entirely"
Her shoulders trembled, and when
he had finished his task he found that
she was laughing and that her eyes
were swimming with new mischief
which she was trying to hide from
him. In that laugh there was some
thing which was not like Melissa.
Slight as the change was he noticed It;
but, instead Of displeasing him, 1t set
a vague sensation of pleasure trilling
ilhc u lcW SouS WithiH uii1
When they reached the post Melissa
went to the cabin with her bakneesh
and Jan to the company's store. where
he met Jean de Gravois.
BLESSED saints, man. but is she not
growing more beautiful every day."
said Jean.
Eyes," said Jan. "She will soon be n
woman"
"a woman"" shouted Jean, who, not
having his caribou whip. jumped up
and down to emphasize his words.
"She will soon be woman. did you
say, Jan Thoreau? And II she is not
woman at thirty with two children
God send others like them!-when will
she be, ask your"
81 meant Melisse," laughed Jan
And | meant Iowaka," said Jean.
He hoped out like cricket overbur'
dened with life, calling loudly to his
wife. who came to meet him. and say.
ing to JAM
"Hurry to the cabin, Jan, and see
what sort of birthday gift Melissa
has got for you"
NO biB Toohi was empty Wuch Juu
came quietly through the open door.
He stopped to listen and caught
faint laugh from the other room and
then another, and to give warning Of
his presence he coughed loudly and
scraped a chair along the floor. A mo-
ment's silence followed. The farther
door opened little, and then 1t opened
wide, and Melissa came out.
snow, what do you think of me,
brother Ian?"
She stood IN the light of the window,
through which came the afternoon sun,
her hair piled in glistening coils upon
the crown Of her head as they had seen
them In the pictures, her cheeks flush.
ed, her eyes glowing questloningly at
Jan.
"You are prettIer than ! have ever
seen you, Mellsse," he replied softly,
"If | am prettier and you like me