Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1916-12-16
lCsssinued from preceding issusl

Repeatedly In the interval which had
elapsed since she had hidden him goodbv
the latter had told himself that >as would
write, but the repetition had been uncor-
vin-;ng. He knfY that now With the
note which sIltl:cr family Of her in hi
hand b. realized that be had gon, beyond
mere expectation 80 : h'iG lie had dared
10 hare C9grrF.IIr - r-ntcnts. How
was hu 90 know bat -.-r. too, after mallinr
il hal Suffered n kevi.v as be was suf-
ferir2 that moment. wishing that She had
employ less abrupt phrases, rebellious-
ly rc2reiting that :h' had sent il az ais
Tha: night hiS fingers closed until the
nanoerammed sheet Nas reduced TO a
crumpled bali. The edges Of the paper
took fire slowly; then il exploded softly
into flame upon the bed Of Goals in the
fireplace where he had tossed il. And 2:
that he laughed aloud, a harsh taunt for
his own high hopes, without thinking how
much his mirth Of that moment was Ike
what Gsrry's ance had been. lie lowered
himself into r chair, ard lie was still there,
motionleSs before 4 dead fire, ~hen morn
ing dawned gravity. His face had become
less hard; he even found il possible ia
smile a little when the cook boy, starting
st the sight Of him fully dressed IL that
hour, advised with alarmed volubility that
breakfast would be ready immediately. But
the few men who still remained at Thirty
Mile, telling and hauling the piles which
were to carry the track across the swamp,
-....I I2+n.u.a - than .lf.F thaf
morning which made them careful 20 hear
him the first time he spoke an order.
Barbara Gid not write again, and IN this
at least the man who loved her anticipated
her correctly. The letters, however, winch
Garrett Dev2rcau received each day from
Nirism-bulky. extra postage epi~'les-
brought often news 81 her. And these
fragments Garry, knowing without being
told for whom they we're meant, duly de-
livered to Steve, in weekly or fortnight
Ily installmeuts. whenever the latters dut-
les brought him I'd Morrison, for Garry and
Fat Joe, who had been transferred 70 the
lower end Of the work, along with ,ac
bulk Of the up river force. had noticed that
difference too.
41lTlNIn says " lur ~ AttE WN ~
dry this cold weather." he'd Cell the other
man laughingly, "and Barbara sends her
regards 90 all u ne and hopes that We
are making splendid heedway' Or again:
''Barbara's looking . little pele- Airrin
writes. She SAWS she's-er-trylng 70 do
altogether too much FOR her endurance"
Whatever the bit Of news was Garry
passed i, on relgiouslv, a httle guilty.
sometimes, because of his own great hapPi-
ness. Once he bad failed signaily 70 read
behind his friends moody silences. lhs
surmise concerning the reason Tor steve
changed bearing was not 50 wide of me
mark this time. Often within himself Gar
RVS wrath sectied hot. but he was 30 long
or as ready as he had once been with
verbal, cynical criticism. Only 10 Fat joe
did he dare pour out his soul with that
vivid ineisiveness which always held Joe
spcllbound.
"He's eating his heart out over her
he'd explode. cover a girl who i proving
every dav that she isn't worth n minutes
heartache Of a man ike HIM used to
think she had brains II any of them nd.
used to think that Barbara Allison was
something besides q fluffy little fool
Whv can't he see For himself that She
lust as worthless as most Of the rest q
them"
Before snow came that fall Steve had
recovered his outward confidence ~ least
lie had begun to hope again while he wait
cd and lahored prodigiously against tho
coming Of spring. But in his heart - was
no longer sure. lie could not umrlon
hack that serene self surety which toward
the end had shaken even the girls certain