Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1916-05-11

Gerry stood erect by he door, one
hand still holding the knob Why was
he waiting? Alix' raised hand went
slowly out to him in welcome but he
did not move. She smiled al him but
his eyer remained steadfast and grave.
A lump rose in Alix' throat and then.
as pride came 70 her aid, aare Of
color showed in her cheeks. Her lips
opened. What could she say to hurt
him enough, to nay him back for this
added, unjust rebuff? She knew so
little about this new Gerry. How could
she wound him?
And then he spoke. evil you please
sit down? There are things must tell
you"
Gerry had blundered on magic
words. There is no moment so emo
tionally tense that true woman VIII
not drop the immediate issue to SIT
down and listen to the untold things
she has wanted to hear Alix was
true woman. The flare died out OF hcr
cheeks. She sank into a chair beside
the duly shining mahogany table ana
with a nod of her golden head mo-
| NCIIJ W u scat OPPNSaSS
She watched the easy swing OF MS
body as he moved across, the room.
Gerry's mind was in sore conflict, but
body in perfect health has a way OF
taking care of itself.
Gerry sat down and gripped the edge
of the table with outstretched hands.
He looked steadily into Alix' eyes
The moment he had foreseen had come.
Alix sat in judgment. She planted her
bare elbows on the table, laid one
hand, palm down on the other and on
them both rested her cheek. Her head
with its heavy crown Of hair was thus
to one side but also tilted slightly for
ward. That slight forward tilt gave
strength to the pose and intensity. A
curious, measuring look came into
Alix' eyes. She was silent and she
was waiting.
Gerry dropped his eyes to the table
and began to talk. "The things 1 have
got to tell you," he said, "begln with
that day-our last day. l went out
and walked for hours and realized that
l had been rough and unjust and to
blame. 1 came over to the avenue and
was standing looking at some flowers
when you passed. 1 saw you in the
plate-glass Of the window. 1 turned
around to make sure. recognized
your trunk. followed you to the sta
ton. saw Alan signal to you.
saw you get into the train"
Gerry stopped. His premise was
finished and ne found that he had nc
tongue to tell the things he had thought
the long argument of the soul. He
realized that all that must be left out
He must confine himself to mere phys
ical facts, let them troop up in Tho
order in which they had come upor
: him and file naked before Allx. ShI
must dress them as she saw at, as hel
sympathies and her justice directed
He would give her but the ground
work, plain simple words such as hi
, could command, telling the events tina
had come upon him and how he haC
, met them.
OF the trip out he had nothing to say
but Of Pernambuco he told her in de
!, tail. Somehow it seemed the least h
could do for the filthy and beautiful
= city that had given him an unques
: tioning asylum. He told her of thu
quay, the Lingueta, with its line O.
tall, stained houses, its vast plane
trees and its cobbled esplanade, thu
stage where the city's life was in per
petual review. His words came slow
= ~ but they left nothing out Uncon
sciously he created an atmosphere. 4
e light Of interest burned in Alix' eyes
She saw the changing scene.
K charmed her to restfulness as it hal
e Gerry.
d She smelt the stacks Of pineapples
# the heaped-up mangoes, the frying fish
e and through his eyes she saw the blu
y skies dotted with white, still cloud
:, and glimpsed the secret, high-walle
q gardens with their 1aring hibiscu:
trailing fuchsias, fantastic garde
d cockscombs and dark-domed mang
e and jack trees. She sat with Gerr
], and, later, on the long slim coastln
% craft she listened with him to the crea
'e of straining masts and stays and to tn
y lap of hurrying waters. She followe
g him up the San Francisco, felt his In
ID patience with Penedo, took the ltttl
r stern-wheeler and learned the fascint
or ton of river with endless, undlscov
t cred turns. They came to Piranha
to Here she felt herself on famllia
ID ground. Letters from the consuls Ell
lg voy had made this place hers. Uncol
" sciously she nodded as Gerry describe
rs the tiers Of houses, the twisted, climl
to ing streets, the miserable little inn.
ut Gerry told of the happy days Of POI
derous canoeing and of the unvaryin
SO strings of fish. He fingered over thoS
lie days. Thus far he had brought All
IN with him. He felt it. Now he came I
ed the morning when he must leave b,
gh behind. He told her of the glortol
en- break of that day, of the sun tlghtir
r. through swirling mists She saw hi
he standing stripped on the sandspit. 81