The Delta independent., 1916-02-25

Il do get your point OF v1ew-some-
times" he said. Civilization, or what
stands for it, does have a way of
shrinking into littleness, not to say
cheapness, when one can get the
proper perspective. And ysur life up
here on Chigringo has given you the
needful detached point of view."
The trouble shadows in the eyes of
the young woman who was sitting in
the fishnet hammock gave place to a
smile of gentle derision.
DO you call that civilization" she
demanded, indicating the struggling
new town spreading itself, maplike, in
the valley below.
Il suppose It is-one form of it. At
least it is civilization in the making
Everything has to have some sort of a
beginning"
Miss Massingale acquiesced in a
little uptilt of her perfectly rounded
chin
Just the same, you don't pretend to
say you are enjoying it," she said in
manifest depreciation.
"Oh, don't know. My work is down
there. A few weeks ago / was right
eously hot 1t seemed so crudely un-
necessary to start a pigeon-plucking
match at this distance from Wall
street"
But now," she queried-"now, sup
pose. you have become reconciled?"
L am growing more philosophical,
let us say. There are just about so
many pigeons to be plucked, anyway;
fhayfd thau r1ttPlypd
And it may as well be done here as
on the stock exchange. when you come
to think of it."
Il like you least when you talk that
way" said the young woman in the
hammock, with open-eyed frankness.
do you do it as other men do?-just
to hear how 1t sounds?"
Brouillard, sitting on the top step
Of the porch, leaned his head against
the porch post and laughed.
You know too much-a lot toe
much for person of your tender
years." he asserted. Which names
of contradictions which your father or
mother or somebody had the temerity
to label Amy, sweetest and most
Seraphfc OF d1mfnutiveS.
1T you don't like my name" she
began, and then she went of at an
other tangent. Please tell me why
am collection of contradictions
Brouillard's gaze went past the
shapely little figure in the string ham,
mock to lose itself in the far Timan-
yoni distances.
You are a bundle of surprises" he
said. letting the musing thought slip
into speech. What can you possibly
know about my thoughts?"
She made funny little grimace at
him. 1T was contradictions mo-
ment ago and now it is surprises.
Which reminds me. you haven't told
me why / am collection"
"Oh, / can catalogue them IL you
push me to 1t. One minute you are
the Madonna lady that / can't recall,
calm. reposeful, truthful, and all that,
you know-so truthful that those child
like eyes of yours would make slut
tering imbecile of the man who should
come to you with a lie in his mouth" "
And the next minute?" she prompt
ed.
| laughing at the mans little weak
nesses, putting your finger on them as
| accurately as II you could read his
soul. holding them up to your ridicule
and-what's much worse-to his own.
At such times your insight, or what.
ever you choose to call 1t, Is enough
to give a man fit of seeing things"
| Her laugh was like a schoolgirls,
light-hearted, ringing, deliciously unre-
strained.
What a picture!" she commented
And then: Il can draw a better one
of you. Monsieur Victor de Brouil.
lard"
DO it," he dared.
Very well then: Once upon time
1T was good while ago, I'm afraid
you were a very upright young man
You would cheerfuly have died for q
principle in those days, and you would
have allowed the enemy to cut you VI
into cunning little inch cubes before
you would have admitted that any pig
con was ever made to be plucked."
He was smiling mirthlessly, with the
black mustaches taking the sardonit
upcurve.
Then what happened?"
"One OF two things. or maybe boti
of them. You were pushed out intc
the life race with some sort of {
handicap. don't know what 1t was
or is. Is that true?"
He nodded gravely. ut is all tru'
enough. You haven't added anything
more than graceful little touch herr
and there. Who has been telling yol
all these things about me? No
Grizzyw
mo. not Murray Grislow; II was tn