The Delta independent., 1915-09-17
have it otherwise. Sally wants you

here"
DO / stop now?" the girl asked.
But the man shook his head.
81 want you to meet my other people
first"
AS they rode at a walk along the lit
tie shred of road left to them. the man
turned gravely.
'Drennie." he began, she waited for
me. all those years. What was helped
to do by such splendid friends as you
and your brother and Wilfred. she was
back here trying to do for herself I
told you back there the night before
left that | was afraid to let myself
question my feelings toward you. Do
you remember?"
She met his eyes. and her own eyes
were frankly smiling.
You were very complimentary.
Samson" she told him. Il warned
you then that it was the moon talk
ing"
No" he said firmly, cit was not the
moon. have since then met that fear
and analyzed it. My feeling for you is
the best that a man can have. the hon
est worship of friendship. And" he
added. Il have analyzed your feeling
for me. too. and. thank God! have
that same friendship from you. Haven't
II"
For a moment. she only nodded: but
her eyes we're bent on the road ahead
OF her. The man waited in tense
silence. Then. she raised her face. and
1t was a face that smiled with the
serenity OF one who has wakened out
OF troubled dream.
you will always have that. Samson.
dear" she assured him.
Have / enough OF It, to ask you to
do for her what you did for me? To
take her and teach her the things she
has the right to known"
I'D love It," she cried. And then
she smiled. as she added: She will
be much easier to teach. She won't
be so stupid. and one of the things I
shall teach her"-she paused. and
added whimsically-"will be to make
you cut your hair again"
But. Just before they drew up at the
house of old Spicer South. she said:
Il might as well make a clean breas:
of 1t. Samson. and give my vanity the
punishment 1t deserves. You had me
in deep doubt"
About what?"
"About-well. about us. / wasn't
quite sure that wanted Sally to have
you-that ! didn't need you myself.
I've been shameful little cat to VIII
fred"
But now-?" The Kentuckian broke
of.
Now, know that my friendship
for you and my love for him have both
had their acid test-and am happier
than I've ever been before. I'm glad
we've been through It, There are no
doubts ahead. I've got you BOTH
About him." said Samson. thought
fully, May I tell you something
which. although it's thing in your
own heart, you have never quite
known"
She nodded and he went on.
THE thing which you call fascina-
tion in me was really just proxy.
Drennie. You were liking qualities In
me that we're really his qualities. Just
because you had known him only IN
gentle guise, his finish blinded you
to his courage. Because he could turn
to woman the heart of woman you
failed to see that under II was the
iron and fire. You thought you cav
those qualities in me. because ! wore
my bark as shaggy as that scaling
hickory over there. When he wag get
ting anonymous threats OF death ev-
cry morning he didn't mention them
to you. lie talked of teas and dances.
know his danger YVES real, because
they tried 10 have me kill him-and
If I'd been the man they took me for,
| reckon I'd have done It, | was mad
to my marrow that night-for n min
ute. ] don't hold a brief for Wifred.
but know that you liked me first for
qualities which he has as strongly as
land more strongly. lies braver
man than !, becugo, though raised to
gentle things, when you ordered him
into the fight he was there. He never
turned back or flickered. ! was raised
on raw meat and gunpowder. but he
went In without training"
The Cirl'n oyos grew grave and
thoughtful. and for the rest of the
way she rode In silence.