Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-08-14
I he Honor
BY James
Oliver CUrTW00@
CHAPTER VIII.
Remuneration.

bfA ilit tfbIiP up 10 tue IOD
Of the ridge an which he bad
= fought the missionary. 10 gather
red SprigS of the naknPesh for the feS-
tival that they were 10 have in the
cabin that night High M on the face
OF n Jagged rock Jan saw u bit Of the
crimson vine thrustin" itself ont into
the sun. and. with Melissa laughing
and encouraging him from below. ne
climbed up until be had secured It
He tossed il down to her
Its the last one" she cried. seeing
his disadvantage. and I'm going hOme
You can't catch me"
Jan sIsckened mis- steps. IL was
Joy 20 see Melissa sprinEing from rock
20 rock and darling across the thin
openings close ahead OF MIN. Der hair
IooseninG and sweeping ont 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 hut ut the foot Of
the ridge Melissa gave MP Never had
ne Eeen her so beautiful. still daring
him with her laugh. qulvering and
painting. fiinCirG back her hair. Hail
reachinE out his arms. he cried:
"Melisse. you are beuutIful-you are
almost woman n you did your hair
NJ like the pictures we have in the
books you would he u woman" he an.
Ewered softly. You are more beauti.
ful than the picturesr
you say that | am pretty and that
am almost woman" she pointed
"anG yet She shrugged her shout
5ers at him In mock disdain Jan
Thoreau. this II the third time IN the
last week that you nave not played
the game right / won't play with
you any more"
10 fash ne was NJ her side her
face between mis- two hands. and.
bending down. he kissed her upoU the
mouth
There" she said as he released her.
isn't that the way we have played it
ever since ! can remember? Whenever
you catch ire YOU may have that"
81 am afraid. Melissa" he said Sc
riously. You are growing SO tall and
so pretty that l am afraid"
Afraid! Ny brother afraid to kiss
me! And what will You do when |
get to be a woman. Jan, which will be
very soon. you sayT"
II don't know. Melisse"
She turned her back TO him and
flung out her haIr. and Jan. who had
done this same thing for her a hun
dred times before. divided the siken
mass into three strands and plated
them into braid.
Il don't believe that you care for me
as much az you used to. Jan. | wish
] were a woman. so that | might
know II you are going to forget me
entirely"
Her shoulders trembled. and wher
he had finished his task he found that
she was laughing aud that her eye.
were swimming with a 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 dispensing him. 1t So
vague sensation OF pleasure trillin;
like n new song within him.
When they reached the post Meliss,
went TO the cabin with her b@Enecsl
and Jan to the company's store. wher,
he met Jean de Gravois.
Blessed saints. man. but is she no
growing more beautiful every dayT
said Jean.
Yes" said Jan. "She will soon be
woman"
"A woman shouted lean. who. no
having his caribou whip. jumped u
and down 10 emphasize his words
she will soon be woman. did yo
say. Jan Thoreau? And If she is not
woman at thirty with two children
God send others like them!-wben Wi
she be. I ask your
II meant MeliSse." laughed Jan.
And | meant Iowaka." said lear
He hoped out Ike Il cricket overbur
dened with life, calling loudly TO hi
wife. who came to meet him. aud say
ing TO Jan:
Hurry 10 the cabin. Jan. and Sc
what sort OF a birthday gift Meliss
has got for you"
The big room was empty when ia
came quietly through the open doc
He stopped 10 listen and caught
AAAhA laugh lIoui NAt OlutE EOOu
then another. and To give warning c
his presence he couChed loudly an
scraped a chair along the foor. A me
ment's silence followed. The farthe
door opened little, aud then IL opene
wide. and Melissa came out.
Now. what do you think OF N,
brother Ianr
She stood in the light OF the window
through which came the afternoon SUI
her hair Piled in glistening coils upo
the crown OF her head rs they had see
them In the pictures. her cheeks Gust
ed. her eyes glowing questioninGly q
Ian.
You are prettier than I have eve
seen you. Melissa" he replied softly
IF ! am prettier and you like 10
this way. why don't von"-
She finished with a sweet. upturne
pouting % her mouth. and with a snt
den. laughing cry Jan caught her {
his arms and kissed the lips she bel
up 10 him. II was but an instant an
he freed her. hot blush burning I
bis brown cheeks
MY dear BROTHER she laughed :
him, gathering mp the bakneesh on tt