The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1912-10-31
CHAPTER xII.-(contInued.)

The acute question pierced deep
Out OF Stanton's suffering leaped the
truth In cry OF vehement passion
and force
Il do not knowI Jessica, Jessica,
do not knowl want both. love
you. want you for my wife; left with
him. I would have missed you. II
cared for you because you were like
him, II see him now In you, what
matter? tell you l want you, but
shall want him all my life / want the
one who rode beside me. the one who
stood with me through rough or
smooth. the one who knew me and
him-I want my comrade, Jes Floyd"
The naked strength of pain. the
fierce cutlery of savage bereavement
left the atmosphere swept to print
tive clarity, free OF all small things.
The girl drew herself erect, even her
lips colorless In her absolute pallor
but her eyes meeting him on his own
ground OF desperate honesty, and
raised her hands to her head.
Stanton saw her lace sleeves fall
back, and a zigzag scar start into
view on her slender left arm. Like
bands of silk ribbon she unwound the
heavy braids of hair and flung them
aside. letting mass of short, boyish.
bronze curls tumble about her fore
head.
There was no mistake possible, ever
again. He did not know that he spoke,
yet bis cry reached the street below.
Floyd Floyd"
81 am Floyd"
You" r.
IT am Jessica-"
The room reeled giddlly, his vision
blurred. And as his composure went
down in chaos. her courage rose up to
AID his need
You're goin' to take It hard" COM
passioned her earnest voice. i've
been dom wrong to you. while
thought was only hurtin' myself. I'm
sorry"
The lisp. the soft excitement-born
accent SO blent with memories OF
splendid peril and comrade risk. fell
on ready ears.
God" breathed Stanton, and sank
into chair. dropping his face upon
his arm as It rested on the little tea
table.
you've got to bear 1t; there's only
me. But that's the only way I've de-
ceived you. Stanton" The rustic OF
her dress came strangely with his
name In those clear tones. "All that
| 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. 1t was for fun he called me les
when 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 one |
except my nurse believed Jes and |
Jessica twins, we let II go on n
made 1t easier for him In trainin' me-
TO be his partner. For he said was
man-ft for that. So Jes studied an,
raced an worked with him all dav. IN
The evenin' Jessica wore frocks and
'rills- We lived alone In the bIg
house; It was so easy. | used to dark.
en- my skin bit: that was all You're
,ot listenin'-you want time To tbint
I out"
He neither moved nor contradictsa
Time for readjustment he did need
or realization of this and himself
slim. upright figure she
ave II to him, waiting while the LITTLE
swiss clock on the mantle chattarad
through many minutes.
When my father died" she ~
umed. at last. after | found ont that
wasn't goin' to die. too I saw To-
vas able to earn his livin' while les.
lea was liable to starve. had II IN
ny blood to love that work. I supposs.
told you once that the very smell of
xhaust gas drove me out of myself
Nth speedfever. Every racer knows
!, you know II. that feelin'. So I got
place In the Mercury factory: an
nat way met you. don't know how
make you UNDERESTIMATE"
he interrupted her ruthlesslv al
lost roughly, as he might once have
poken to Floyd; not looking IN.
what OF all that? You ara von
ow. You've let me think You de.a
'r TWO months-you left me in hell"
NO. mol" she denied In swift de-
'nse Not that. never guessed that y
gu could believe me dead: thought
ou must know me-Jessica."
How should I known You nevar
'me near me. The Floyd knew
ould have come" the bitterness Of '
lose desolate nights and days choked
,eech.
There was pause. filed with some =
range significance beyond his faith v
ming =
-