The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1920-04-08

' xvi ltiCrt ~ AhiDNipAoAs H1p'
here for witnesses to the fact that we
went up IN perfectly good faith, that !
was fsseed TO a bad landing and got
fearf4Hy cut up and burned and that
i was only just backing out of deaths
door when they turned up and found
you intact"
"why, White Man !" exclaimed An
drea. bow could you get them to tell
that awful iie?"
Easily" answered Trevor promptly.
'srhey wouldn't know IL was n lie. You
see. these missionary chaps will still
believe a native; they can't afford to
concede the immutable fact that a
black consistently makes only one
constant effort In his Iife-an effort to
- re always the answer that he thinks
81 will please you most to hear. Why,
I don't ever have 10 fix II up with my
people. You'd believe the lie yourself
IL you could understand half they will
say
Andrea's lips dropped and she shook
her head. mo" she said slowly. "No,
4 wouldn't" She was sitting with her
SHOWS On ine table. her cheek against
che bA.k or her clasped hands and her
eyes following the white mans nervous
movements with a sort of wounded
wonder.
$50. you see, we can fix It." he con-
Guided. ''rhese clergymen are the
only people in this back country that |
could have trusted you with and who
Will strike just the right family note
In your precious worid-of-thethings-
neutrality-suspicious.. l have
worked my best for you. I've made
chem come a hundred miles through
country they have always thought i'm
passable."
Andrea sat back and let her hands
fall TO her lap; for a moment she
bowed her head and looked down nj
thefn, then she raised her gaze to his
face. Her own, while 1t had been half
hidden. had suddenly lost its look OF
~sxuherant youth. 1t was so pale that
her yes seemed too large for II. They
dimped Its outlines.
~Mfhite Man." she said. do you
mean it9~
'rt.an whatf" o
II have seen you kill beasts and
men" said Andrea. 'but even so, I
couldn't have believed 1t Of you" Her
voice grew dulled. like water running
over siiken moss II couldn't have be-
Iteved that you would hurt me sol'
She cat her arm put across the table
and dropped her face upon them.
With q self-accuslng cry, Trevor
sprang to her. picked her up and car
ried her to the couch. She lay In his
arms without resisting: her body had
surrendered to a laxity that let him
pile furs under her head and arrange
her limbs as he would. She was list
iesS; toe tired TO fight too broken to
weep. He knelt beside her and took
both her hands In his. 'Now that you
are no longer an irresponsible child"
he said. nov that your stripped SELF IL
here to listen. I will tell you how / love
you. The child In you might forget
the woman never. love o In body
and In spirit. I love you SO that l am
ready to stand up and deny freedom. I
love yon enough to give you myself and
the world-my world Of stariit nights
and silent spaces that I've w~orshiped
90 long aione. Yes. / love you enough
FOR that. and 4 have tn, ssod HELM me,
for you are In my heart and ! can
never. never get you out"
Andrea looked as II blood were be-
ting transfused into her seins with ench
word. She felt her youth coming back
with the sure surge Of an advancing
eide. Her eyes grew bright and then
frightened. "White Man" she gasped,
Take me quickly; I feel myself grow
Ing young again"
He leaped to his feet. caught her up
IN his arms and shook her; then he
surrendered. young or old" he said, |
~what difference does Il make? love
your youth as I already love your old
age. Put your artns around my neck,
look into my eyes and tell me you love
me, too"
Clinsing to him. her head thrown
back. her eyes In his. she said. Il love
you."
~AeaIn.-. commanded Trevor.
II love yon.v
and now. my little sweetheart. my
oun girT Just once more"
~Ahr begged Andrea. "don't make
ne sny n again ; let ne kiss you"
Five minutes later Trevor reluetant-
~ 49, 49, .- --lI