Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1922-12-21
periwinkle House

lest he might have changed his mind,
She heard him moving about, but she
waited a long time before she went 10
meet him. so sweet IL was I o stand
there at the window TO catch the first
ray OF the SUM-.
The old man hummed a jagged tune ;
In a garden OF melody II would have
been a briar. Nadine came out. and
CALAMITY he kissed her hand, laughing
softly; and then as was his wont, he
kissed her hair.
Her duties about the house were
Hight. but he helped her, and when
their queer assortment OF plates and
dishes. gold-rimmed china. crockery,
stoneware and tin plate had been
washed and put away. they sat in the
shade of the house. the girl anxious
and wondering.
II have sent Tony back TO the ceety,
as I tell you | WILL" he said to her.
"He does the good work TO burn the
spy. the carpetbaggair. Now he have
spree. with the red wine an the white.
When the time come. he be back. I
have need OF heem with the cattle that
L buy He drive them Up to fhe
town Natchez I have trouble. The oil
%scoun'rel Bethpagel l go in the tav',
an he is there. sing, laugh, eat an
look Mt the darky dance. / wait. Then
/ 20 up. We have words. He jump
up. Then the young man, big, he
-grab-my wrist Hike this. He squeeze.
| say: Monsieur you was YER strong.
| see you again An when ! do. !
keel heem. / hear old Bethpage call
him ergees Thc e % too,
chr"
"Oh. no-nol !" she cried Let
us go away somewhere. They win
never LET you alone. II will be better
to be In the city than here"
aust a little while longer we stay
In this place, Ell? Then we meet Mon
sieur Boyce in Memphis. an you mar
ry him. an he take you away for the
honeymoon. per'aps 10 France. An
he buy you the silk dresses, an many
beautiful things. An her l come and
join you, an we all live happy-ehT'
"But-but / do not like Monsieur
Boycel"
Hal You learn soon. He Is a fine
man. Wait till we see him in Mem
phis an you know him better. You
viii love him then. an be happy. . .
1 20 now. Au reyoir, ma p'tite.r
Stepho went down 10 his boat, feel
Ing that he had outwitted her Impa.
thence of the swamp. and she ran bnck
to her TO gaze through the win
dow. But soon she came out with
n hig Battle-Ground book of plays and
put II on the ground beneath the oaks.
Then with n broom made OF stiff twigs
she swept the ground, unstrung a cat
swinging down and carried II
away out OF the range OF her stage.
From the house she brought a narrow
strip Of rush mating. spread 1t be
meath n tree, raising n edge as II
To form OF Ii a sort OF back, a sofa.
serve for a tnble. and from out be-
yond the pnlisade of cane abe gath.
cred lilies, plucking from the bank a
great bloom that looked like a trum-
bet. These she hung on the Iow-sway.
ng branches OF her playhouse trees.
,r with sharp thorns pinned them to
he rugged back. a curtain 10 drape
he wall above her 'pretend-like" d.
IAN. She sat down and waited A long
line. The cane stirred. and she seized
Ter book, opened where a lily-stem
her fnvorite play. and made
lerseif believe that she was reading.
1t was only a breeze that rustled In
he can She could hear II now, lisp
amid the glossy leaves above her.
Why should she Be~imputfent7 She
ould whit. Had she not waited night
night for her fathers footstep7
lad she not sat In the house, alone
nd not afraid. when the storm
the tops Of the cypress trees |,
dashed the bayou mad7 :
he had not heard a sound, but look. !
by chance, she saw Drace coming :
through the cnne, and she sprang up y
D meet him. the play-book pressed A.,
gainst her bosom. :
Nadine" =
Monsieur - Z
Don't call me Monsieur Call me !
="
She dropped her book. He bent to
II up. but she snatched II from
eneath his reaching hand and stood
ack from him. y
"Oh, IL was you. them II was you =
he so strong man that would break !"
" fathers wrist. II was you" q.
Nadine. II was not to hurt him. v
fifth a knife he would have killed an "
d mnn; and then they would have -"
lnged him. Nadine. my other hand
I'D yours, TO protect you"
1T must be true. I will believe you
I know you brave and no 70
ish TO hurt an old man. No. yosi ~
uld not do that. You will forgive y.
o.
She held forth her hand and taking ~
tenderly, he touched IL with his lips .
ID like a princess she accepted the ~
mage due her rank and her beauty
Come, now, we play" she said
'eetly laughing. ~And II must be
se. Ike the boy and the girl. But =
a -