The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1916-03-02
CHAPTER vi
Symptomatic

oih6hit wac ph9AAlib VI MN lHlt
the mine had died away in the sub
terraLean distances Brouillard begar
again.
Il do get your point of view-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 your 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 derisicn.
DO you call that civilization" she
demanded Indicating the struggling
new town spreading itself. maplike, in
the valley below
II suppose II is-one form of it. At
least II is civilization in the making.
Everything has to have some sort of
beginning"
Miss Massingale acquiesced in
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.
~uh, don't know. My work Is down
there. few weeks ago | was right
eously hot. II seemed so crudely I'M
necessary TO start pigeon-plucking
match at this distance from Wall
street."
But now" she queried-"now, | sup
pose, you have become reconciled?"
Il am growing more philosophical
let us say. There are just about so
many pigeons to be plucked, anyway;
they'd mott If they weren't plucked.
And 1t may as well be done here as
on the stock exchange, when you come
TO think of II"
Il like you least when you talk that |
way" said the young woman in the |
hammock, with open-eyed frankness. |
do you do 1t 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 too
much for a person of your tender
years" he asserted. Which names
one more of the charming collection
OF contradictions which your father or
mother or somebody had the temerity
to label Amy sweetest and most
seraphlc of diminutives."
III you don't like my name" she
haUan ola - %
other tangent. please tell me why 1
am a collection of contradictions
Brouillards 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 thcughts?"
She made a funny little grimace at +,
him. 1T was contradictions a mo.
nent ago and now it is surprises
Which reminds me, you haven't told /,
ne why | am collection"
"Oh, / can catalogue them II you !.
push me to it. One minute you are :
he Madonna lady that | can't recall, =
aim, reposeful truthful, and all that, "
'ou know-so truthful that those child :.
ike eyes Of yours would make slut ;,
ering imbecile of the man who should :,
'ome to you with a lie in his mouth" -
And the next minute?" she prompt -,
d. u
The next minute you are a witch, =
aughing at the mans little weak ="
iesses, putting your finger on them as =,
ccurately as II you could read his -,
oul, holding them up to your ridicule -
much worse--to his own -
It such times your insight, or what ~
yer you choose to call it, is enough :.
0 give man fit of seeing things" l
Her laugh was like a schoolgirls, ~
ght-hearted, ringing, deliciously unre-
What a pictured" she commented Id
md then: 81 can draw a better one q
( you, Monsieur Victor de Brouil- y
ard" 81
DO it," he dared
Very well then; Once upon time al
lit was good while ago, I'm afraid IN
GU were very upright young man. III
GU would cheerfully have died for a
rnciple in those days, and you would IN
ave allowed the enemy to cut you up TO
lto cunning little inch cubes before nj
Gu would have admitted that any pig
ON was ever made to be plucked." ar
He was smiling mirthlessly, with the ca
lack mustaches taking the sardonic
pcurve. WI
Then what happened?" ca
One Of two things, or maybe both en-
them. You were pushed out into
he life race with some sort of
andicap. l don't know what it was ad
r is. Is that true?" ia
He roddsd gravely. ct is all true ma
ncugh. You haven't added anything dr.
nore than graceful LILLE touch here
nd there. Who has been telling you vo
tn