The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1922-03-17
Copyright by Charles Scribner's Sens

A'''N 'i'N 'N''a'-''' - 49,
other nan 1--WE can at least be good
friends, can't we?'
NO she returned, with Il queer lit
lie twist of her pretty lips and a flash
of the blue eyes, I'm afraid we can't
even be that-or those-any more, Mr..
Broughton."
1t was awkward for both Of ~,
standing there before the open cabin
door, ana | pointed to the bench where
Daddy Hiram was wont 10 smoke his
evening pipe in good weather.
won't YOU sit down until we can
sort of fail it out?' l begged.
IT'S no use, whatever" she object
ed nevertheless, she did sit down and
let me sit beside her.
II know just how distressed YOU
must be- | began, land perhaps | can
lift a bit Of the load from your shout
ders. There will be no legal steps
taken against your-against Charles
Fullerton"
"Thank you," she said just as short
as that.
"Anu that isn't ALL" | went on. aft
er we get into the ore and have some
real money to show for it, I'm going
TO make over Il share in the Cinnabar
to your father and put him in a posi-
ton TO do the right thing by you when
you marry. And he'll do it; you know
he'll do IT,"
"HOW kind she murmured, look
ing straight out In front Of her.
1T isn't kindness; its bare justice.
Between YOU, YOU two have saved my
legacy for me-"
Il wish, now, it hadn't been saved. :"
she exclaimed, as vindictiyely as you
please.
Truly, I thought, the ways Of women
are past finding out; or at least the
way of a maid with a man IS.
Cant I say anything at all without
putting my foot into it?' l asked in
despair. You break a mans back
with IA load OF obligation one day, and
toss him lightly out of your young life
the next! | haven't done anything to
earn your-to earn the back of your
lldllu, JNdIlIt VI IL l. uaNt, L uOl |
know what it IS"
you have committed the unpardon-
able SIM" she accused coorly. * don't
wonder that Miss handle took your
ring off,
/ wasn't going to let the talk shift
to Lisette not if l knew ii, and could
help it.
what is the objectionable sin?' l
asked.
ITO misunderstood 90 think q per-
son capable of a thing when a person
IS not to-just take 1t for granted
that a person is guilty-oh"-with a
little stamp of her foot can't bear
to talk about IT."
| guess it's q part Of 4 mans equip
ment 10 be dense and sort of stupid
in his dealings with women, | mean.
Slowly, SO slowly that / thought the
catch would never snap and hold, my
fool mind crept back along the line,
searching blindly for the point at
which all this fiery Indignation toward
me had begun back and still back TO
that moment of our delivcrancc-
Daddy's and mine-at the s%hafthouse
door, With this dear girl untwiSting her
arms from her fathers neck, and with
me saying, I'm not hurt, either. We'll
come home, Miss Twombly-or should
| say, Mrs. BullertOn?'
"Jeanie!" 1 gasped; edo you mean
that you're not going to marry Charles
Bullerton?-that you never meant tO?"
"Of course, I'm not ~ she retorted,
with a savage little out-thrust of the
adorable chin. "But you thought so
small of me that you simply took it
for granted"
/ wagged my head in deepest hui
mility.
Tin as the dust under your pretty
feet, Jeanie: please don't trample me
too hard. Bnllerton-that is-er-we
had a scrap the next morning after
You went away, you know, and l . j.. :.
well. he rather got the worst of II.
And when ] had him down and was
trying to make him tell us where you
werc-cven your father thought you'd
gone off with him-he said you'd
planned TO 90 with him to get mar
ried. but that YOU had failed to show
up At Atropia in time for the train"
"Iic told n lie, because that is the
way he is made and he couldn't help
IT," she said simply, still as cool rs
Il cucumber. "Ile said we were going
10 Angels 70 get married. and II
didn't say we weren't; | just let him
talk and didn't say anything at all"
won't you tell me a bit more?" 7
begged.
"You don't deserve II the least lit
tie bit, but | will. 1t began with the
deed; yOur deed TO the mine. One
day, when you were YER at the shaft
house, and had left your coat here in
the cabin, ! saw him take the deed
from your pocket when he didn't know
/ was looking. He read It and put 1t
back quickly when he heard me stir
ring in the other room. knew II
hadn't been recorded: you and Daddy