Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-07-20

that it was her turn to speak. '1l
let that go for the present." she said
win dignity. Suppose 20 say what
you've got to say"
The man stepped squarely before
her. "All right" he said. For a sec
ond h hung on the verge of further
speech as though he were counting
"one, two. three.--go"; Nthen he
plunged: Twill you marry me?"
Here was a game that Andrea knew
from its infancy to its old age. It
was like the draughts Of childhood.
The first move on its checker-board
was as fixed as 1t was easy 'No."
she said promptly and automatically
and glanced up with a half-bored
look that said. your turn to play"
IT., That look ssa wa. .T destined TO- to . die 49,, =
Trevor fervently. apparently looking
into space but in reality taking in
her galvanized start through the cor
ner of one eye. You see," he con-
tinued, "I've come to my senses and
begun to get your point of view. It's
still true that you asked me to bring
you but it's no less true that you
thought you were just going up for a
morning breeze while I knew that
1t was good-by to a world. If I'd told
you that, Of course you wouldn't have
come"
"of course" said Andrea family.
Her heart vas aching and inside Of
her its pulse was drumming an old
familiar childish refrain of helpless
rage: HE didn't play fair! He
"Under the circumstances and ac-
k~nowledging my fault, I could. do no
less than offer to marry you in spite
Of your high station in life. I felt
that you might think yourself COM
promised to such an extent that ven
my humble person would prove some
sort Of an amend. It's a great relief
to know that I over-estimated the
situation all around"
Andrea realized hat the false start
had thrown her out Of the normal
stride Of the game and she was ready
to clutch at a straw. "Why, I hadn't
thought Of that mean. I'd forgot
ten it somehow-but I do feel COM
promised-awfuily.' She looked
hopefully at his set face.
mo need to-" said Trevor briskly.
chaps here for witnesses to the fact
that we went, up in perfectly good
faith, that / was forced to a bad land
ing and got fearfully cut up and
burned and that / wa only just back
ing out Of deaths door when they
turned up and found you intact"
why, White Mani" exclaimed An
that awful lie!"
Easily" answered Trevor prompt
ly. ''They wouldn't know it was a lie.
You see. these missionary chaps will
still believe a native: they can't af-
ford to concede the immutable fact
that a black consistently makes only
one constant effort in his life-an ef-
fort to give always the nswer that
he thinks it will please you most to
1T up with my people. You'd believe
the lie yourself IL you could under
stand half they will say
Andrea's lips dropped and she
shook her head. mo" she said Glow
lily. mo, I wouldn't" She was sit
ting with her elbows on the table, her
cheek against the back Of her clasped
white mans nervous movements with
a sort Of wounded wonder.
80. you see. we can fix 1t" he con-
cluded. These clergymen are the
only people in this back country that
I could have trusted you with and
who will strike just the right family
note in your precious world-of-the-
things that aren't-done-you : know. ]
have worked my best for you: I've
~ .
through country they have always
thought impossible.
Andrea sat back and let her hands
fall to her lap; for a moment she
bowed her head and looked down at
them. then she raised her gaze to his
face. Her own, while It had been
half-hidden.. had suddenly lost IT.
look Of exuberAnt youth. It was 20
pale that her eye seemed too large
flor 1t. They dimmed Its outlines.
White Man" she said. do you
mean it?"
Mean WHAT"
Il have 9 . you kill beasts and
men," said, Andrea, ."but even 20,
couldn't have believed 1t Of you" Her
voice grew dulled, like water running
over silken moss. 81 couldn't have
believed that you would hurt nae SOL
She cast her arms out across the Ia
bic and dropped her face upon them.
With 2 seif-accusins cyl ssvor