The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-02-08


ing your friends, Mr.. Sanders" she
said lightly.
Lets walk" she continued, and
he noticed that. the eyes, and mouth
had sottened to a tender smile. q
can't talk here, Dave"
They walked out OF the town into
the golden autumn sunlight OF the
foothills. Neither Of them spoke
She carried herself buoyantly, chin
up, her face a flushed cameo Of
loveliness. AS she took the uphill
trail a small breath Of wind wrap.
ped the white skirt about her slen.
der limbsy Hesfound In her a new
note, one of unaccustomed shyness
The silence grew at last too zig
nificant She was driven to break
It.
y"I suppose I'm foolish" she be.
gan haltingiy. But | had been ex.
pectlng-all OF us had-that, when
you came home from-from Denver
the first time, l mean-you would
be tho old Dave Sanders we ali
knew and liked. We wanted our
friendship toto help mako up To
you for what you must have SUI.
Tered. We didn't think you'd hold
us on like this"
III could tell you!" .He said It
In a whisper, TO himself, but she
Just caught the words.
won't you try?" she said, ever
SO gently.
He could not sully her innocence
by telling OF the furtive whisper.
ings that had fouled the prison life,
made of 1t IN experience degrading
and corrosive. He told her, in.
stead, OF the externals Of that OK,
istence. Of how he had risen,
dressed, eaten, worked, exercised,
and slept under orders. He descrih,
ed to her tho cells, four by seven
by seven, barred, built III tiers,
faced by narrow iron balconies,
each containing a stool, q chair, a
shelf, bunk.
When he had finished he knew
that he had failed. She wcpt for
pity and murmured, "You poor boy
!. You poor boy!"
He tried again, and this time he
drew the moral. Don't you sec, I'M
q marked man-marked for life."
He hesitated, then pushed on.
You're fine and clean and gener.
ous-lf come too near you, don't
you SEQ faint your"
"Fiddlestickst You're q man who
has been done a'wrong. After ali.
you've been found innocent"
THAT isn't what counts. I've
been In tho penitentiary. Nothing
can wipe that out. The stain Of it's
on me and can't be washed away"
She turned on him with a little
burst Of feminine feroctty. How
dare you talk that way, Dave San
ders! ] want to be proud OF you.
We all do. But how can we be- ii
you give up like quitter?"
Tho color crept into his face.
I'm not quitting. The point is
whether I'm to ask my friends to
carry my load for me-"
What are your friends for?" she
demanded, and her Dyes wero like
stars linsa field OF snow. Don't you
seelts an insult to assume they
don't want to stand with You in
yonr trouble? You've been warped,
You're eaten up with vain PRIDE .
Joyce bit her. lips to choke hack a
swelling In her throat"
But YOU'VE got to look at this nv
way, too" he urged. IT can't repay
your fathers kindness-yes, and
yours, toby letting folks couple
your name, even In friedshlp, With
q man who"
She turned on him, glowing with
color. Nov that's absurd. Dave
Sanders. I'm not IA nice little
china doll. I'm a flesh-and.blood
IGirl. And I'm not a statue on a
pedestal. Let's stop this foolish.
Dave"
SSNh AOA 1uL6L1GlSuBU manu- IN
his brown palm, smiling down at
her. "All right. l know when I'm
beaten"
"And now don't know whether
I've done right" she said ruefully.
dad warned me I'd better be care.
You've done mo a million dol.
lars worth OF good. Please don't
well. ! won't" She added, in a
understand"
His look turned aside the long.
dashed eyes and brought a faint
flush O.; pink to her cheeks"
mo, III not do that" he said.
CHAPTER Xxx.
Up in the hills back of Bear
Canon two men were camping
Nights well be hittin' the trail I"
one growled.