Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-10-09

"A NOVEL
By NINA WILCOX PUTNAM

diently began to eat, the three men
fussing over her as best they knew
how, and she more likeya shy and
grateful child among them. than like
a scarlet woman. When she had nm
ished, Adam brought a pillow for her
head, and she settled herself back
with a sigh. He thought Of Gals
worthy's wonderful line. and of how
well IT fitted her. poor little animal:
She looked for the joy Of life, but she
found the life of joy; which is a very
different thing, M'sieur." That was it,
the joy Of Hfe..... And it was that
which the hollow-eyed men and
women in the cafes were searching
for. the joy Of life ....a good and
beautiful thing. Suddenly he remem
bered Breckenridge.
Miss La Farge!" he said gently.
She turned to him inquiringly, with
life has taught to expect pain, even in
kindness. Adam, still too blind to see
this, went ahead with his question.
Tell me-" said he. when you
tainted this afternoon was it just
fatigue, or was it anything to do with
the man who. was leaving here?"
For an instant. she seemed about to
faint again, her lips turning almost
blue, her figure swaying against the
chair. Mr.. Kipp sprang to her side,
as lid Adam. but she waved them of,
trying to speak.
Forgive me-. forgive mel" cried
Adam. Il should not have asked such
a thing. I should have known better.
Don't answer. don't even try to"
But Pearl was determined other
wise. She gathered herself together
with an effort, and put out her hand
with a deprecatory gesture.
tell you in Just a moment"
Forgive mel" entreated Adam.
Don't say a world had no right. -
"I'd rather" she said at length, I'D
prefer to tell. You boys have been
mighty good to little me. I'll tell you.
I got it in for that Teller. Is he a pal
of yours?"
mot by a damn sight!"r declared
Adam. files a relation, but that's no
fault Of mine!"
"Breck Allen related to you?" said
Why, it don't seem possible"
Thanks, said Adam dryly. II
agree perfectly: I've rather got it in
Have your said Pearl in a tense
voice. Then I'll tell you why I'd like
to kill himI'
There was a long silence before she
began her story. The clock on the
shelN licked loudly, hurriedly, losing
step with itself and then Fastening to
catch up. To Adam. standing by the
shelf and leaning upon it, the clock
seemed to vibrate through the stiffness
unbearably. Pearl sat leaning for
ward. her hands clasped tightly about
her knees, her eyes straining into the
fire, on her face that look al % a
mask lighted. when one forgets for
the moment how much the a c can
betray. She seemed to see something
half tender in the flames. the corners
of her mouth turning up a little with
with the softness of her eyes.
HE was up here at the college,"
she began. And / saw him first in
front Of the library That's years ago.
I'd go up there after school, me and
one of the girls, arm in arm, many an
afternoon. And the Columbia boys
would holler at us, and we'd look back
over our shoulders and laugh, and
sometimes sass them back. Ny hair
wasn't done up then; and Used to
wear 1t with a big, black ribbon bow
in the nape of my neck. But 1 was
tall as I am now. Pa didn't like my
walking over near the university. but
it was great fun, having the fellers
stare; made you feel pretty and i'm
portant, and sort Of tingly all over.
and futtery inside. SO Mabel. my
friend, and me, We used to sneak over,
all dolled up in our best. I saw a lot
of good-looking chaps there / could
have spoke to or o. with, but some
1 was too scared. liked to have them
kid me, and to see by their eyes how
pretty I was, and that they wanted
But I had an awful feeling about
what might happen II I spoke. Some-
thing in me gasped, as you might say.
I liked to play safe.
did you ever see a mill-dam, where
water lay quiet and deep. just running
over the edge enough to keep things
going? Ever think what would hap
pen If the water burst through? That
was me. I had a bunch about the
flood. and I never spoke..... Until 1
seen Brock. It was just about this
time of the year, and the trees about
the campus were getting ereener every
day. The fellows used to &c about in
fiannels, and some Of them looked
like magazine pictures. almost.
I was walking that afternoon with
Mabel and another girl. We took our
time crossing the library front, and
then he came down the steps. he
looked at me and kind OF hesitated.
and then smiled. Very gentlemanly.
you know, but with a bold look. too.
II smiled back. and something in me
seemed to leap up and then stand still
for a moment. When we passed on I
couldn't talk at all for a while, and
the girls teased me about him, and I
liked it, though I didn't really think
he was as taken with me az they
said.....I saw him in the park by the
river. next
"He was sitting all alone on a bench,
studying. l guess. and. when I came
up and saw him. I nearly died Of that
terrible auttery feeling. He got up
and smiled and raised his cap. and
when he asked, me, / sat down and we
talked. I don't remember what we
said, and I guess I didn't know at the
time, for I felt like ! "a riding on a
pink cloud. Butewe made a date for
the next night. We met a lot, after
that, and went in ice cream places