Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1913-11-12
this way, why don't YOU


"My dear brotherp' she laughed at
him. gathering up the bakneesh on the
table. 81 love to have you kiss me,
and now | have to make you do it.
Father kisses me every morning when
he goes to the store. | remember when
you used to kiss me every time you
came home, but now you forget to do
it at all. Do brothers love their sisters
less as they grow older?"
Sometimes they love the sister less
and the other girl more, Melisse," came
quick voice from the door, and Jean
de Gravois bounded in like a playful
cat, scraping and bowling before Me-
lisse until his head nearly touched the
floor. Lovely saints, Jan Thoreau,
but she is woman, just as my Iowa
ka told meY'
you're terribly in love, JEAN" cried
Melissa, laughing until her eyes were
wet; "just like some of the people in
the books which Jan and l read"
Sand always shall be, my DEAR"
Melissa flung the red shawl over her
head, still laughing.
Il Will go TO see ner, jean.
"Well," said Gravois, looking search.
ingly at Jan when she had left, shall
I give you my best wishes. Jan Tho
reau? Does it signify2'
"Signify-what?"
The little Frenchman's eyes snapped.
"Why, when our pretty Cree maiden
becomes engaged she puts up her hair
for the first time; that is all. my dear
JAM"
He stopped suddenly, startled into
silence by the strange look that had
come into the others face. For a full
minute Jan stood as if the power Of
movement had gone from him.
"No; it-means-nothing," be said
finally, speaking as if the words were
forced from him one by one. He drop
ped into a chair beside the table like
one whose senses had been dulled by
an unexpected blow.
"Jan Thoreau," whispered Jean soft
ly. shave you forgotten that it was |
who killed the missioner for you, and
that through all of these years Jean
de Gravois has never questioned you
about the fight on the mountain top?
Is there anything Jean de Gravois
can do?"
He sat down opposite Jan. his thin.
eager face propped in his hands. and
watched silently until the other lifted
his head. Their eyes met. steady, I'm.
finching, and in that look there were
the oath and the seal of all that the
honor of the big SHOWS held for those
two
Still without words Jan reached with
In his breast and drew forth the lite
roll Which be nad taken from his VIC
lin. One by one he handed the pages
over to Jean de Gravois.
"My God!' said Jean, when he had
finished reading. He spoke no other
words. White faced, the two men
stared, JAMS throat twitching, Gravois'
brown fingers crushing the rolls he
held.
"That was why | tried to kill the
missioner" said Jan at last "And
that-that-is why it could not signify
that Melissa has done up her hair"
He gathered up the papers SO that they
shot back into the little cylinder shaped
roll again.
II understand" replied Jean in low
voice. 81 understand and l praise the
blessed Virgin that it was Jean de
Gravois who killed the missioner out
upon the ice of Lac Bain!
But the other" persisted Jan, ''the
other, which says that r.
'Stop! cried Jean sharply. He came
around the table and seized JAMS
hands in the iron grip of his 1.-THE,
brown fingers. THAT is something for
you to forget. 1t means nothing--nOth-
ing at all, Jan Thoreau! Does any one
know but you and me?"
mo one l intended that some day
Melissa and her father should know,
but waited too long. / waited until /
was afraid until the horror of telling
her frightened me. / made myself for
get, burying it deeper each year, until
today-on the mountain
"And today in this cabin you will
forget again, and you will bury it so
deep that it will never come back.
am proud of you, Jan Thoreau. love
you, and it is the first time that Jean
de Gravois has ever said this to a
man. All, hear them coming!'
With an absurd bow in the direction
of the laughing voices which they now
heard, the melodramatic little French
man pulled Jan to the door. Halfway
across the open were Melissa and
Iowaka carrying a large Indian bas-
ket between them and making merry
over the task. When they saw Gra-
vols and Jan they set down their bur-
den and waved an Invita- ton for the
two men to come to their assistance.
"You should be the second happiest
man in the world, Jan Thoreau," ex-
claimed Jean. 1.-THE first is Jean de
! Gravoisr'
He set off like bolt from a spring
| gun in the direction of the two who
| we're waiting for them. He had hoist
ed the basket upon his shoulder by the
4 To