The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1915-05-28

The RICE BELT JOUR,
cry morning he didn't mention them
to you. He talked of teas and dances.
| know his danger was real, because
they tried to have me kill him-and
II I'd been the man they took me for,
| reckon I'd have done it. was mad
to my marrow that night-for a min
ute. | don't hold brief for Wilfred,
but know that you liked me first for
qualities which he has as strongly as
land more strongly. He's a Drawer
man than l, becuse, though raised to
gentle things, when you ordered him
into the fight he was there. He never
turned back or tiickered | was raised
on raw meat and gunpowder, but he
went in without training"
. The girls eyes grew grave and
thoughtful, and for the rest of the
way she rode in silence.
There were transformations, too, in
the house Of SpiCer South. Windows
had been cut, and lamps adopted. 1t
was no longer so Crudely pioneer
abode. While they waited for dinner,
a girl lightly crossed the stile, and
came up to the house. Adrianne met
her at the door, while Samson and
Horton stood back, waiting. Suddenly,
Miss LesCott halted and regarded the
newcomer in surprise. 1t was the
same girl she had seen, yet a different
girl. Her hair no longer fell in tangled
masses. Her feet were no longer bare,
Her dress, though simple, was charm
ing, and, when she spoke, her English
had dropped its half-illiterate peculari-
ties, though the voice still held its
bird-like melody.
ooh, Samson" cried Adrienne, "you
two have been deceiving me! Sally,
you were making up, dressing the part
back there, and letting me patronize
you"
Sally's laughter broke from her
throat in musical peal but 1t still
held the note Of shyness, and 1t was
Samson who spoke.
II made the others ride on, and got
Sally to meet you just as she was when
/ left her to go East" He spoke with
touch of the mountaineers oyer.sen-
sitive pride. Il wanted you first to see
my people, not as they are going to be,
but as they were. l wanted you to
know how proud l am of them-iust
that way"
; That evening, the four of them
walked together over to the cabin of
the Widow Miller. At the stile, Ad-
rienne Lescott turned to the girl and
said
IT suppose this place is pre,empted.
I'm going to take Wilfred down there
by the creek, and leave you two alone"
Sally protested with mountain hos
pitality, but even under the moon she
once more colored adorably.
Adrienne turned up the collar of her
sweater around her throat, and, when
she and the man who had waited, stood
leaning on the rail of the footbridge,
she laid a hand on his arm.
"Has the water flowed by my mill,
Wilfred?" she asked
"What do you mean" His voice
trembled.
Twill you have anything to ask me
when Christmas comes?"
eff I can wait that long, Drennie, {"
he told her.
Don't wait, dear" she suddenly ex-
claimed, turning toward him, and
raising eyes that held his answer.
Ask me now!"
But the question which he asked was
one that his lips smothered as he
pressed them against her own.
Back where the poplar threw its
so6ty shadow on the road, two figures
sat close together on the top of a
stile, talking happily in whispers. A
girl raised her face, and the moon
shone on the deepness of her eyes, as
her lips curved in trembling smile.
you've come back, Samson" she
said in a low voice, but, if I'd known
how lovely she was, I'd have given up
hoping. l don't see what made you
come"
Her voice dropped again into the
tender cadence of dialect.
Il couldn't live withouten We, Sam
son. jest couldn't do hit. Would he
remember when she had said that be-
fore?
Il reckon, Sally he promptly told
her, II couldn't live withouten you,
neither" Then, he added, fervently,
I'm plumb dead shore I couldn't"
THE END.
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