The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1920-01-16

absently through and beyond her.
why, l 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.
l believe you spoke with genuine sim
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. "No,"
he said listlessly. II don't. / know
but l had forgotten, that women are
persuaded by love alone"
"Whatw cried Andrea,
"Women," said the man, "know no
conversion except through love-"
81 have no interest whatever in your
distractions" said Andrea angrily. 81
don't care what you think on any sub
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
care about women? / care about
myself, about Andrea Pellor"
II am glad that you do" said the
man, and added grizzly, IF you cry,
If you even start to cry, shall go
TO bed"
Andrea threw back her head and
turned her face toward him. II am
not crying" she said quietly, "and /
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, ito 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. II
would If l 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
there and eight days back. l can't
afford 1t and nothing would be saved
or gained as far as you are concerned.
It would only entail a loss I have no
right to give"
His mood hardened Andrea's. "You
mean that when 1t comes to choosing
between my personal loss and yours,
you see no reason to hesitate
The man flushed under his tan and
his eyes cleaned as though her words
had given them new life. mine would
not. be a personal loss" he said. Il
am not a loafer nor am / here for my
pleasure"
81 see," said Andrea. "My life
against the interests of your employer.
Are you a foreman?"
He shrugged his shoulders and ig-
nored the question. "Your life?' he
said "What are you worth, after all?
The best specimen of woman in this
camp represents an investment on the
part of the husband of two pounds
ten shillings-say three pounds at the
most. Every girl child she bears and
rears brings him a hundred per cent
return, and in addition she keeps house,
cooks, chops wood, totes water and
tills his fields"
Again Andrea jerked him out of his
role with her inconsequence. "What
does tote meanT she asked rather Jelly.
ITO tote means to carry, fetch, lug,
bear"
THANK YOU" she interrupted. by
the way. did you mean TO measure me
against that three-pound standart7r
Il did," said the man..
she threw out her arms in a gesture
of disclosure and laughed. ITO think"
she said, shat it's only few weeks
since was knocked down to the high
est bidder at twenty thousand yearl"
"Not you" said the man quickly.
HE wasn't buying you. You never
even thought 1t. happen to know him,
perhaps better than you do, and | can
assure you that the tinsel and the
pomp he was bargaining for. innocent
enough In themselves, would have be-
come despicable and tainted By his
possession"
He was silent for a moment; then,
just as Andrea's lips were opening to
remark. he added. am glad you
brought him to my mind. The thought
of him has freed me from my regret.
You're here. I'm glad you are. and you
shall stay. The only questions Is
whether you are going to sulk or
whether you win smile and accept the
cure of the philosophy of contrasts"
That's q new one" said Andrea.
aNet at all" replied the man. The
philosophy of contrasts is based on
the Idea that a rut and death are one
and the same thing"