The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1914-03-19
CHAPTER xvn--(continued.)

SNN< AA -
Harlan forced back a smile. Har-
ward and 200 years Of his fathers cul.
ture had no answer to this. Il ought
to be angry" he muttered. =
She was regarding him with her old
puzzled air Of respect. Il reckon" she
went IN. that friends al give n
presents IL they want toll" She sighed
pensively. You're funny people--you
and your mother and everybody. /
j want TO go away and be
O great actress, and sometime come
back here again with lots Of clothes
and q bulldog on q chain
"AureIiel" ..
"a bulldog and a press agent"
"oh. Aurelie! I'd rather have you
back again-the little wild woods girl
Uncle Mich's girl--and not a prize
beauty and an actress--not O bit!"
He had reached to take her hands.
and with them drew himself down be-
side her. She laughed biithely: "Har-
Ian. I'm q heap prettier than I used to
be, amt IT"
Mot amt l. AureIie!"
well. then-something else! Pret-
tier. and with clothes-you ought 20
love me q heap more. Harlan. IL 1
amount to something"
But I don't want you 10 amount to
anythingI" His arm slipped down her
slenderness, he tried to shake her ang-
rily; and then. with a great passionate
pity. he swept her up In his arms In the
old way-her breath upon his lips. the
culver Of her warm flesh against his
own. He was no more the boy; q new
mans madness to possess her beat on
him. It overbore his control. his, hert-
tage. 1t was not so that his father had
l~oved--loved with this young lust of
triumph, this barbaric holding OF poig-
nant life and the beauty that was in
her, A. flame. a observation-disclosures
II was he held Aurelie. 1t was sweet to
know h was lying in his arms. still
and content. IF o knew how I caredl
! haven't any law or morals with you
its just you-and I var o. to stay.
You shall stay. Aurelie-by God. I
shan't ave you 60 away to be cheap
ened and ground up in the cities with
all that life you'll lead! No-no!"
She looked up from HIS kisses. IF I
stay. you'll marry met"
Yes. dear-a thousand times!"
That's like you and old times. Har-
Ian! But to live here in Rome-oh.
they wouldn't have us!"
TIL make them have usI" He cried
II fierceiy to the town below them In
The dusky light.
"Mr. Curran said you could be dis
trict attorney next yea And that YOU
were getting on fine. Oh. youn have
TO give that all up. Harlan!"
He was still. Then he muttered:
But I love you. dear!"
Il know. But our mother-and what
they all think Of me! ! never knew un-
til yesterday how bad they thought"
You'll stay and make your place.
dear. It'll be the big brave way. oh.
we were right before! The night
dearf And then we let It 90. Oh. we
were right and the world was wrong!"
She drew his head to her and kissed
him. a soft humbleness In her eyes.
Then h sat up and put his arm gently
aside and looked down long at the
valley. Somehow she could o quite
forget. A strange idea that she had
her. Their last night in the hills It
had been she who was burning with
wild passion. this spiendor of love that
considered nothing in all their lives
but love. And he had been the mem
tor. his cool sane blood that had saved
them and held them pure.
And now, slowly. with her sense of
the bigness OF his love. grew the sense
OF hts u~nrealized sacrifice It seemed
as II The long unequal years while he
was lighting down the handicap, win
ming his place despite her lacking-she
who had even no name except what
Lindstrom had given her. no ~parentage
91'o "AAI a AAn1 CpuIdnl6 WHISKY DGQ-
Ter chose to tell Of her: who was now
the towns daughter Of eviI-the roll
unfolded to her. and she was curiously
shaken. cropping amid hazards, yet cool
with purpose.
II want you to stay" he pleaded.
Just to show these people how I love
you. Aurahe: Why. We can laugh at It
all together!"
She looked at him strangely still for
q lime mo. We can't Not always.
Your father spent q fortune on your
education. And all his life. and your
mothers Is conferred on making you q
career. / know II. Why. all the coun-
Y sort OF feel that! It's curious how
things come to me afterward. I can't
blame EN- a bit. Somehow. it's all sweet
TO me. Harlan. It's very fine, deari
Q 10 II I was away Off and could
look at both Of us-and could smile
and say moi"
Maybe. I don't care enough for you
any. morel"
"AurelieI"
We're not children any more" She
looked at him again. subduinE the ten
derness Of her smile. He reached a
hand to touch her. and with her Indian
duickness she evaded him. He followed
Q step on the trail as she retreated.
I'm old Mich's girl. still. I'm not edu-
Gated, and I've heaps of to
learn. and lots Of ways that hurt you
and oh, how they'd hurt you some.
time IL we wero married! I knowI IT'S
just as your mother said"
"Aureliei" he cried again and fol-
lowed her.
Don't You come! Harlan. I'd have
to give all the new life up-and I
wouldn't give 1t up, I've been happy
splendidly happy-workinR. I wouldn't
give anything up-for you!"
He stood staring after her an she
slipped away. He started again to fol-
low: M she laughed a warning in the
dusk OF the laureled trail.
I've Just been thinking-and I don't
love YOU"