The Marshall republican., 1912-09-27


ceived you, Stanton" The rustic Of
her dress came strangely with his
name in those clear tones. "All that
I told you OF my life Is true, except
Jes. My father had to have a son., an
he made me one. At first, when | was
little. II was for fun he called me Jes
when I had my boy-clothes on, an
played there were two Of us. But
when we found that all the country.
side. all the factory hands, every enc
except my nurse believed Jes and
Jessica twins. We let It 90 on. II
made Il easier for him in trainin' me
TO be his partner. For ne sGid ! was
man-fit for that. SO Jes studied an
raced an worked with him all day; in
the evenin' Jessica wore frocks and
frills We lived alone In tie big
house; II was co easy. 7 rsed to dark.
en- my skin n bit; that wac all. You're
not listenin'-you want time to think
&c out"
He neither moved nor c~ontradicted.
Time for readjuetment he did need,
for realization OF this and himself.
Standing. a slim. upright figure. she
gave II TO him. waiting while the little
Swiss clock on the mantle chartered
through many minutes.
When my father died." she re.
sumed. ut last. after I found out that
! wasn't goin' TO die. too. I saw Jes
was able TO earn his livin' while Jes.
sica was liable 10 stnrve. I had II in
my blood 90 love that work. I suppose:
! told you once that the very smell OF
exhaust n drove me out OF myself
with specd.fever. Every racer knows
II, you know II, that fcelin'. SO I got
a place In the Mercury factory; an
that way I met you. I don't know how
to make you understand"
He interrupted her ruthlessiy. al
most roughly. as he might once have
spoken to Floyd; not looking up.
what Of all thatf You are you.
now. You've let me think you dead
for two months-you left me In hell"
mo. mol" she denied In swift de-
fcnse. mot that. I " guessed that
you could believe me dead: ! thought
you must know me-Jessica."
- INV nAVutu 4 hhOW hOu utNtI
came near me. The Floyd I knew
would have come" the bitterness of
those desoiats nights and days choked
speech.
r-Thers-was-a pause. Allied with some
strange Significance beyond his faith.
oming.
IT couldn't come" she deprecated.
A.r ..F xAlA- h-@lE-. NV..p-. s..Lluf
this hard. When I was picked up
stunned. an taken to the hospital. aft
or we went on the bridge. they found
] wasn't Jes. They talked OF me-the
newspapers printed stories about STAN
tons mechaniclan-they said. they
said you knew I was a woman when
We went West"
The movement that brought Stanton
to his feet was gaivanic. He under
stood, finally, In one binding flash OF
full comprehension; understood the
doctor. the nurse. his fellow-drivers'
embarrassed retIcenoe. and Miss Car
Isle. Understood. too. that here had
been q suffering acute an his own. And
In the mans hot outrush OF protection
Jes and Jessica were fused Into one.
They'll talk to me-" he grizzly rs
cured. I'm not shut In q hospital,
now. Why didn't you send them to
msY You knew "a come to you-"'
His sentence broke. as his eyes
caught and held hsrsi Fioyd's eyes.
itraight and true IN spite Of the girls
,carlet shame burning In either check.
II knew. yes. you are that kind. But
Tow could ! tell you would want to
,omes How can I tell It nowf You'd
zee me through safely. anyhow. I'm
'ememberin' that you dismissed Floyd
or one falsehood. an I've tricked you
or weeks"
He drew q step nearer her; the
pulse which had commenced to beat
through him the day they started for
Indianapolissnd which had ceased two
months ago. tuddenly woke anew with
. long steady stroke. The old rich
sense of life ran warm along his veins.
what OF your" he put the question.
Brute enough I've been e Floyd. Per
haps he had too much OF me for you
to want moref"
She gasped before the challenge
then abruptly Jared ont. powder "a
spark. defiance to mastery. az 90 often
on track or course.
you're mockin' me. Ralph Stantonl
An I won't bear II. I've told you toe
often that ! cared. trustin' you'd never
know the rest. I ought to have KEEP
away from ron, an | couldn't do Il
I never meant You TO know ] was AM
one but lea Floyd. l meant to b. youI
partner an m~echanicisn al my HE.
hated bsin' Z stri. But you came herr
an fepnd yeesica whom i wasn't o.
psctinn you. = whoa VOW &beed me !
you might marry ny Sister, there .
~ Genet factory. you almost kilIe'
~. jDbf then ! did wsut u - = girl
~ IN. ~. I'm sayin' =. m
Wenxi naFxy yon. 7 won't. care Jes
uica : chanoo. ~ you didn't love hes
van l0vnA - oouIdnst b ham,