Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-10-31

III an luStHnC she nUu UuHE the SnaW
from her head and was upon her
knees ut his feet. her white face turn
ed up to him pleadingly, her breath
falling upon him in painting, 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 me that you never will,
Jean-never. never. ~never!'
II 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
done!"
"Whew" gasped Jean when she had
gone. what II IOwaka had been here
them"
The day following the fight in the
forest Dixon found Jean de Gravois
alone and came up to him.
"Gravois, will you shake hands with
meT' lie said. Il want to thank you
for what you did to me yesterday. I
deserved it. I have asked Miss Melissa
to forgive me-and l want to shake
hands with you"
Jean was thunderstruck. He had
never met this kind Of man.
what the deuce!" he calculated,
when he had come to his senses. "Yes,
I will shake hands"
For several days after this Jean
could see that Melissa 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 ut the store, and
just before the trappers began coming
in he went on a three days sledge trip
with Croisset.
The change delighted Jean. TIE
first time he met Melissa after the
fight his eyes flashed pleasure.
Jan will surely be coming home
soon.' he greeted her. What II the
birds tell him what happened out there
on the traili"
She flushed scarlet.
Perhaps the same birds will tell us
what has happened down on the Mel
son House trail. JEAN" she retorted.
"Pouf! Ian Thoreau doesn't give the
snap Of his small finger for the Mac
Weigh girl" Jean replied. warm in de-
Tense Of his friend.
"She is pretty" laughed Melissa, land
I have just learned that is why men
like to-like them. | mean
Jean strutted before her like n pea
cock.
Am pretty, Melisse?"
100000"
"Then why"-he shrugged his shout.
ders suggestively-''in the cabin
Because you were brave. Jean. l
love brave men,"
You were glad that l pummeled the
stranger, thenT
Melissa did not answer. but he
caught a laughing sparkle in the cor.
ner Of her eye as she left him.
"Come home, Jan Thtkeau." he hum.
med softly as he went to the store.
"Come home, come home. come home,
for the little Melissa has grown into q
woman and is learning to use her eyes,
Among the first of the trappers to
rome in with his furs was MacVeigh.
He brought word that Jan had gone
south to spend the annual holiday at
Nelson House, and Cummins told Me.
lisse whence the message came. He
did not observe the slight change that
came into her face and vent on:
II don't understand this in Jan. lie
Is needed here for the carnival. Did
you know that he was going to Nelson
House?"
Melissa shook her head.
"MacVeigh says they have made him
an offer to 90 down there as chief
man." continued the factor. 1T is
strange that he has sent no explanation
10 me-"
1t was a week after the big caribou
roast before Jan returned to Lac Balm.
Melissa saw him drive in from the
Churchill trail. but while her heart
iuttered excitedly she steeled herself
to meet him with at least an equal
show Of the calm indifference with
WdICli ne Auu ICIl ueI SiA WcChS Uc'
fore. The GOODNESS OF his leave taking
still ranked bitterly In her bosom. His
hair and beard had grown. covering
the smooth cheeks which he had al.
ways kept closely shaved. His eyes
glowed with dull pleasure as she stood
waiting for him. but there was none of
the old fash and fire in them. There
was a strangeness In his manner, an
uneasiness in the shifting of his eyes.
Jan" she said.
Her voice trembled: her lips quiv.
cred. There was the old glorious
pleading in her eyes. and before it Jan
bowed his unkempt head and crushed
her hands tightly in his own. For u
half minute there was silence, and in
that half minute there came a century
between them. At last Jan spoke.
I'm glad to see you again. Melissa.
1t has seemed like a very long time."
He lifted his eyes. Before them the
girl i%nvoNuntarily shrank back and Jan
freed her hands. In them she saw
none of the old love glow. nothing OF
their old cOmradeship
"You will come to supper. JanT'
"Surely, Melissa, If you are prepared"
rhAorEo VI