Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1913-03-21
Copyright 1911. bD the Bobbs-
Merrill Co.

Cs-s-s-e-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-
The big room was empty when jar
came quietly through the open door
He stopped to listen and caught q
faint laugh from the other room and
then another. and to give warning Of
his presence he coughed loudly and
scraped a chair along the floor. A mo
ment's silence followed. The farther
door opened little. and then 1t opened
wide. and Melisse came out.
Now. what do you think Of me
brother Janr
She stood in the light Of the window
through which came the afternoon sun
her hair piled in glistening coils upon
the crown Of her head as they had seen
them In the pictures. her cheeks flush.
ed. her eyes glowing questioningly at
Jan.
You are prettler than ! have ever
seen you. Mellsse." he replied softly.
III ] am prettier and you like me
this way, why don't you
She finished with a sweet, upturned
pouting of her mouth. and with n sud.
den. laughing cry Jan caught her in
his arms and kissed the lips she held
up to him. 1t was but an instant. and
be freed her. hot blush burning In
bis brown cheeks.
My dear brotherv' she laughed at
him, gathering up the bakneesh on the
table. II love to have you kiss me.
and now I have to make you do 1t.
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
1t at ALL Do brothers love their sisters
less as they grow olderT
Sometimes they love the sister less
and the other girl more. Melisse." came
n quick voice from the door. and Jean
de Gravois bounded In like a playful
cat, scraping aHd bowling before Me
lisse until his head nearly touched the
fioor. Lovely saints, Jan Thoreau.
but she Is n woman. just as my Iowa
ka told mer'
You're terribly in love. jean" cried
Melisse. laughing until her eyes were
wet; lust like some of the people In
the books which Jan and read"
"And always shall be. my dear"
Mellsse dung the red shawl over her
head, still laughing.
Il will go to see her. Jean"
WELL" said Gravois. looking search.
lngly at Jan when she had left. shall
| give yon my best wishes. Jan Tho
reau? Does It signify?"
"Signlfy-whatT
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
jan"
He stopped suddenly. startled into
silence by the strange look that had
come into the others face For full
minute Jan stood as If the power of
movement had gone from him.
"No: t-means-nothing, he said
finally. speaking as II the words were
forced from him one by one. He drop
ped into chair beside the table like
one whose senses had been dulled by
an unexpected blow.
"Jan Thoreau." whispered Jean soft.
~, have you forgotten that 1t 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 topi
Is there anything Jean de Gravois
can dor
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. un
fmching. and In that look there We're
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 little
roll which he had taken from his yio-
lin. One by one he handed the pages
over to Jean de Gravois,
my Godw 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
sald Jan at last. And
that-that-is why it could not signify