The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1920-01-30


absently through and beyond her.
"Why, haven't anyhow. Not that
amounts to anything" His eyes came
back to her. Call me Mr.. White Man
as you have begun-just White Man
when you feel genial, If you ever do"
"Well, Mr.. White Man." said Andrea,
with emphasis, "what you said about
ruin didn't pass quite over my head. |
believe you spoke with genuine sin
certify and that, as you doubtless re-
member is conversational bad taste.
Somehow 1t didn't bore me, but do you
really think that women are persuaded
by words?"
The man dropped his eyes. mo"
he said listlessly II don't. I know,
but l had forgotten, that women are
persuaded by love alone"
"What!" cried Andrea.
"Women," said the man, know no
conversion except through love-"
IT have no interest whatever In your
distractions" said Andrea angrily. Il
don't care what you think on any SUBJ
| ject under the sun. At this moment
there Is only one thing that concerns
me-only one" She turned from him.
threw her bare arms across the table
and dropped her face against them.
"What is to become Of me? What do
l care about women? / care about
myself, about Andrea Pellor."
II am glad that you do" said the
man, and added grimly, IF you cry,
If you even start to cry, / shall go
to beds
Andrea threw back her head and
turned her face toward him. II am
not crying" she said quietly, "and l
will not"
Her anger had died and in its place
had come into her eyes something ter
ribly potent, the unforgettable look
of hunted thing at bay.
II want to ask you" continued An
drea, "to implore you, to take me back.
If not tonight, then tomorrow. Flying
or on foot if only we could start now.
| will say that it has all been my fault,
that you did nothing beyond what
asked you to do in bringing me with
! you, If only-if only you will take me
back. VIII your
!, The man clenched his teeth. 81
would if / could. I've told you that
! already" he said almost in whisper
Then his voice grew clearer and colder
1T would take eight days by any
: means at my disposal-eight days
= afford it and nothing would be saved
or gained as far as you are concerned
: 1t would only entail loss l have ne
5 right to give"
t His mood hardened Andrea's. "Yo,
2 mean that when it comes to CHOOSING
S between my personal loss and yours
e you see no reason to hesitate"
4 The man flushed under his tan ant
his eyes cleaned as though her words
!, had given them new life. mine woult
r not be a personal loss" he said. ="
e am not a loafer nor am here for m.
!, pleasure"
o 81 see," said Andrea. my lif
t against the interests Of your employer
d Are you foremanW
d He shrugged his shoulders and ie
nored the question. Your lifef' h
d said. "What are you worth, after all
1. The best specimen of woman in thi
r camp represents an investment on tn
o part of the husband of two pound
e ten .shillings-say three pounds at tn
n most. Every girl child she bears an
n rears brings him a hundred per Ger
t. return, and in addition she keeps hous
lie cooks, chops wood, totes water an
OIL tills his fields"
Again Andrea jerked him out Of h
a. role with her inconsequence. "Whs
he does tote mean?' she asked rather icil
st ITO tote means to carry, fetch, lu
IN bear"
"Thank you" she interrupted. Il
d. the way, did you mean to measure n
I'd against that three-pound standard?
Id Il did," said the man.
er She threw out her arms In a gestu
IN of disclosure and laughed. ITO think
ld she said, that it's only q few wee
since / was knocked down to the hig
Sc est bidder at twenty thousand year
he mot you" said the man quick
dy "He' wasn't buying you. You new
nd even thought 1t. happen TO know hi
ip. perhaps better than you do, and | c.
It's assure you that the tinsel and t
or pomp he was bargaining for, innoce
to enough in themselves, would have
IL come despicable and tainted 10
lin possession"
He was silent for a moment; ths
lg just as Andrea's lips were opening
al. a remark, he added, ''Tm glad y
w. brought him to my mind. The thong
en- of him has freed me from my regr
an You're here, I'm glad you are, and y
of shall stay. The only question
me whether you are going to sulk
len whether you will smile and accept
'ou cure of the philosophy Of contrasts
lat That's a new one" said Andrea.
re mot at ALL" replied the man. I
ur- philosophy of contrasts is based
- the idea that a rut and death are {
fix, and the same thing"