The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1922-02-10
T. R "A NCIS
LYNDE
cspyrigbs 81 chsriss ssrIbner's sons

y
"No." she returned, with q queer lit
tie twist OF her pretty lips and flash
Of the blue eyes, @I'm afraid we can't
even be that-or those-any more, Mr..
Brougbton.'
1t was awkward for both of us,
standing there before the open cabin
door, and pointed to the bench where
Daddy Hiram was wont to smoke his
evening pipe In good weather.
Wont you sit down until we can
sort OF fail 1t outf' 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, "and perhaps can
lift bit of the load from your Shout
ders. There will be no legal steps
taken against your against Charles
BulIerton.p
THANK YOU" she said; just as short
as that.
And that isn't all" went en-. "Aft-
er we get into the ore and have some
real money to show for 1t, I'm going
to make over 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 1t; You know
he'll do It,"
How kind r. she murmured, look
Ing straight out In front of her.
ut isn't kindness; its bare justice.
Between you, you two have saved my
legacy for me-
Il wish. now, 1t hadn't been savedr
she exclaimed, as vindictively as you
please.
Truly, thought, the ways Of women
are past finding out or at least the
way Of q maid with a man is.
Cant / say anything at all without
putting my foot into it?'' / asked in
despair. aYou break mans back
with a 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
hand, Jeanle; or If have, don't
know what 1t is"
HYou have committed the unpardon-
able sin" she accused coolly. 81 don't
wonder that Miss Randle took your
ring off"
| wasn't going to let the talk shift
TO Lisette; not II / knew 1t, and could
help 1t.
what is the objectionable sin?n
asked.
To misunderstood: to think per-
son capable of a thing when a person
Is not; to-just fake 1T for granted
that q person is guilty oh"-with
little stamp of her foot--'I can't bear
to talk about it!''
! guess it's a part of mans equip
ment to 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 deliyerance--
Daddys and mine--at the shafthouse
door, with this dear girl untwIsting her
aims from her fathers neck, and with
me saying, "I'm not hurt, either. We'll
come home, Miss Twombly-or should
say, Mrs. Bullerton?"
"Jeaniew gasped; edo you mean
that you're not going to marry Charles
Fullerton ?--that you never meant tot"
OF course, I'm not!f' she retorted,
with savage little out-thrust of the
adorable chin. "But you thought so
small Of me that you simply took Il
for granted r.
! wagged my head in deepest hui
mility.
I'm as the dust under your pretty
feet, Jeanne: please don't trampIe me
too hard Bnllerton-that is er--we
had scrap the next morning after
Won went away, you know. and
well, he rather got the worst Of 1t.
And when had him down and was
trying to make him tell us where you
wereeven your father thought you'd
gone off with him--he said you'd
planned TO 60 with him to get mar
ried, but that you had failed TO show
up at Atropia In time for the train"
Tie told a lie, because that Is the
way he Is made and he couldn't help
it, she said simply, still as cool as
a cucumber. she said we were going
to Angels to get married, and IL
ftdn't say we weren't: | just let him
talk and didn't say anything at all.r
won't you tell me bit moreY'
begged
"You don't deserve It the least lit
tie bit. but | viii. 1t began with the
deed; your deed to the mine. One
day. when Won we're ever at the shaft
house, and had eft yonr coat here in
the cabin saw him fake the deed
from your pocket when he didn't know
] was looking. He read It and put t
back quickly when he heard me STIR
ring in the other room / knew II
hadn't been recorded you and Daddy
had both spoken of that. / felt sure
he'd take 1t again. and perhaps de
stroy II. AT first, ! thought I'd ten
you or Daddy, or both of you. But /
knew that would mean trouble"