The Washington herald., 1913-07-27

last she seemed to understand that sh.
had been bowed out, dismissed in Z
manner so fnarvelously gracious tha
she, the little. fool, had not known it.
she had stood with a heat so full Of
Sratefulness' that she had not daree
trust her voice; she had given all with
an inexplicable rapture of remuneration
She was burning with fear that sht
had been outrageously tricked, ant
then knowledge that, in some desc
lating way, the mother was right
"She never shook hands with me,
the girl whispered, and climbed on, hei
pale face turned to the hills, "she just
smiled! And had her way! Oh, wish
l could do that-thafs being a lady'
| Then she turned fiercely to look back
Il hate email of 'eml They're diff.
| ferent. Harlan's different-I see nowp
Then a last faint note of the piano
came on the night wind, and she shut
her ears with her hands and fed on
to gain the cliff, up, anywhere, to ST.
lence and to freedom. She burst
around the buttress of rock, where the
road ended in Eagle Point trail, and
there, directly behind the News Office
fence, a man in shirt sleeves was
emptying a basket of bottles down the
creek bank. The girl almost struck him
as she sped across the foot bridge. He
stopped his task, look up, cried after
her, and then followed She reached
the trail and heard him toiling on
| among the boulders.
"Aurelie" he gasped: whats the
matter"
She did not answer, and he leaped
on. But the girl gained swiftly on him,
steep as the ascent was, until he saw
her slip on pinnacle of rock, heard
her cry out and pitch down into a
hollow filled with dry leaves. He
dashed on to find her a prisoner in
the Pocket, waist deep in the leaves,
sullen. breathing hard. her hair dis
ordered. She would not look at him.
"Aurelie-wliat on earth's the mat
ter?"
Il fell and broke my arm"
He leaped down and struggled to
her. They both were painting. you're
suffering!' Mr.. CurSan gasped.
She laughed and flung a bloody little
hand up to him. He saw her tense and
tragic face; there was more than NOR
tai hurt there.
He took her arm and she rebelled,
pulling it away until she writhed with
pain. But he made her sit, and tore
his handkerchief to bind the cut, after
examining it.
ats not broken, Aureliei Only
gashed-maybe sprained."
Il wish it was broken-eYerythingi !"
He could hear her heart beat as he
bent to bind the wrist. You little saw
age-running off wild like this And
the prize winner, Aureliel The most
beautiful girl in all the West, they
say"
She stared dumbly at him. Perhaps
he, too, was mocking her, playing on
her full heart, her needless generosity,
her hungry soul. her love. There was
none of her small poses and airs about
her now, but the Cells romance stirred
in him at some wild beauty in her.
When he had bound her arm she quiv-
cred, and he had a sense she was about
to leap from him like creature of
the woods the chance of freedom.
Then she turned to him.
"She fooled me; and I'm going
away"
Fooled you,"
"His mother. And I said I'd give
him up to her, but now | see she only
fooled me. / hate them now-and
him, toor
.'Aureliew Mr.. Curran was be-
wildered. Il never knew of this affair
you and Harlan. It's astounding
he rubbed his 'impossibleT
you think so, too" she blurted.
"All right. I'm a fool, guess. But
I'll show 'em." She came directly to
away! l told 'em I'd give up this
prize thing. if he wanted me to. But
now it's different. Mr.. Curran, want
to be somebody"
She was staring at him in the moon
light. Mr.. Curran could not stand that
his own vagabond heart throbbed
nightly. He. too, was the exile. the
outlander. To be somebody! Right
then and there, Mr.. Curran knew he
would lead any forlorn hope for her.
for any one who wanted to be some.
body.
you are" he cried. "And you can
60 away, too. and show emf
Her white face stirred bit Then,
with the direct simplicity of her down.
river years, she muttered: Mr.. Cur
ran. could just love you. l never
would have been beautiful girl if it
hadn't been for your
Mr.. Curran sat down and rubbed the
bald spot on his head. He was man
who had walked alone and known. the
sorrow of evil. He put kindly hand
to her shoulder. He was trying to be-
lieve he had great fatherly pity for
her.
"Now, little girl" he said, "let's
walk the trail home. It's beautiful
we can see the river in a moment
therel The Mississippi! Way off
there SOU came from, didn't YOU? II
lived there once, Aurelie. / left bit
of my heart there among your people.
You're something of savage, and
you'll never get rid of what the
wilderness put in you-never, never
God bless you'll People will never un-
but I dow
She sighed. al wish you'd take me
away, Mr.. Curran-and let me do
something. just like Uncle Mich said
To occupy the landP
You shall !" he cried riotously
''Why, what a chance you've got,
You're the little rebel done
come up the river to occupy the land
You must come to the office tomorrow,
for two men are coming from Chicago
to see you. The Sunday editor of the
Chronicle, and an artist to draw you.