The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-07-19

one COuiu Hnu one = nedTt DtdtiHR ldS'-
er. Yet she did not complain; her
proud gaiety was her shield
J After while, as the sodden meal
went on, the Tennessee woman spoke
what they all knew had 10 be broken
TO the last conner Yer pop Lind
strom, he says therell be no more
school, Aurelie He's been a God
'fearin man, and hard-workin'. and no
child o this housell go face the dis
grace o the town. he says. Knute
and Peter and you'll not go. he says.
Aurelie laid down her fork and look
ed AT John. If the hope OF heaven had
been dashed from her she would not
have been more blank with fear.
WHY graduate next year"
You'll go no more" John glowered
at her breathlessly. Damn all the
/ town. Their laws and schools. they re
not for poor folk, say damn the
law, and I'm man o God.
But I? | must get through. And
knute and Peter here"
She looked at them and then at
Michigan, growing more frightened.
some hopeless warming Then. watch
ing Lindstrom moment. she sprang
up quivering. "I'll go-rll GO she
cried
You'll not" he muttered doggedly.
You'll die first"
She stared AT him again, and then
turned flying to her tiny room. They
heard the crash OF her body on her
little white bed, painted and gilded by
her own hands The others went on
docilely with their eating.
Knute. out in the dark, feeding tho
cats later, felt Aurelie seize him
f'ercely She dragged him TO the rail-
fence and shook him again
"Knute, amt you gong any more"
That's what paw said The boy
blubbered, and her hot arm went
about him. her sleeve brushed his
tears. Il gotta stay home and help
clear land All winter. paw says.
And | was a,goin to get elected to
the Literary society and now paw
his voice broke gotta stay home
and cut brush.
NO" she cried out Mono"
Yes. Paw says the jedge, he done
H. lie says the law made us all bad.
'Tain't for poor folks. It's for rich.
Paw says damn every body"
Don't you mind" The girl beat
the rail with her fists. Well run
away. Knute. I'm going TO do some
thing. and you can run of and may
be work on the railroad-a train
agent or something. Or go be
soldier like we used TO play Or
we'll run off and build a boat and
drift down-river.
Whenever Aurelie rebelled II was
always "down-river" with her
no, paw. he said God was with
him. and damn everybody"
She stared into his tear-stained face.
"Knute. I just got TO go to school.
got TO be lady! And have heaps
OF money And do lots Of things for
you and Peter, oh, Knute. I know
how"
He watched her dark and tragic
face Know how What you going
10 do. Aurelie7" He faltered his hor-
ror Whatever 1t was, Aurelie would
do il.
"I"-she breathed tensely-"am a.
going 10 get married,
Knute looked fearfully at the jade.
Married"
Yes. sir, To a rich man, some
time And have everything. But
first | got TO go TO school and be
lady"
"Oh. Aurelie--" Knute gazed wildly
away at the town lights. Who
Then without word she pushed
him aside and fed out into the dark.
He saw a trail of dust arise in the
quarry road. but she was over the
fence and among the laurel and
grape-vines She ran. as the deer
run, from boulder TO boulder Of the
cliff face. and when she came out on
the verge. still ran, her arm against
her beating heart. but her eyes fixed
on the dusk below her.
The tree-enshroude6 town lay there,
few lights twinkling drowsily. the
clock in the COURTHOUSE an opaque
blur. and a single church spire visible
in the shadowy masses. A farmers
wagon ratified up a cut OF hill road
homevard a dog barked sleepily, and
cow-bell tinkled somewhere on the
content Of the rich land. But the
girl raised her hands above the sumac
fringe from which the gossamer
fioated TO her face; she held them of
as II appealing from the fat and sober
deafness OF this life 10 the world be-
yond There was the river winding
south under the first light Of the
September moon. There was the
east She edged forward in the red
s,rmac until her feet were on the last
biz OF the cliff. where one stood with
infinity beneath, the shadows so real,
the wooded valley so much phan.
tom
Now. I'll go. she whispered; now
he'll have to take me-
And staring eastward. her heart
ceasing TO throb with the rapture OF
her fight, little sigh came to her
lips. Listening she heard twig
snap step below on the cliff trail.
She crouched Indian-like in the brush.
and then. when some one uprose in
the path. she flung herself upon him,
clasping him. laughing. crying, kiss
ing him.
"Oh. boy" she cried. I'm going
with you-to east and college-any-
where" She reached a hand out to
the purple gulf beyond the hill
There ! cant keep on meeting
YOU every night alone, here-and be
good. II isn't In mel can't
can't"
She fought TO hold him closer. cry
ing her passion, caressing him with
little love-words Of her vagabond
childhood. in French and Spanish
Ia l.t