The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1922-10-09
,s 20 "a ' te--.-
CONTINUED from Last is1us)

us go away somewhere. They will
never let you alone. 1t will be better
to be in the city than here
Just little while longer we stay
in this place, Ell? Then we meet Mon
sieur. Boyce in Memphis, an you mar
~ him, an he take you away for the
honeymoon, per'aps to France. An
he buy you the silk dresses, an many
beautiful things. An then I come and
Join you, an We all live ~happy-eh?'
- "But-but do not like Monsieur
Boyce!'
O. "Ha. You learn soon. He is fine
man. Wait till we see him in Mem
phis an you know him better. You
will love him then, an be happy. {.
go now. Au revoir, ma p'tite."
. Stepho went down to his boat, feel
ing that he had outwitted her impa-
thence of the swamp. and she ran back
to her room to gaze through the Win
dow, But soon she came out with
Il big leatherbound book Of plays and
Then with broom made Of stiff twiSs
she swept the ground, unstrung cat
erpillar swinging down and carried it
away out of the range OF her stage.
From the house she brought narrow
strip of rush mating, spread it be-
Meath q tree, raising one edge as il
10 form of it sort Of back, 4 sofa.
From the house she brought box, to
serve for a table, and from out be-
yond the paliSade of cane she gath
cred lilies, plucking from the bank a
great bloom that looked like trum-
net. These she hung on the low-Sway-
or with sharp "thorns pinned them To
the rugged back, a curtain to drape
the wall above her "pretend-Iike'' di-
van. She sat down and waited long
time. The cane stirred, and she seized
her book, opened where n lily-stem
marked her favorite, play. ana matte
herself believe that she was reading.
1t was only breeze that rustled in
the cane. She could hear it now, lisp
ing amid the glossy leaves above her.
Why should she be inpatient? She
could wait, Had she not waited night
after night for her father'S fo0tstep.?
Had she not sat in the house, alone
and not afraid, when the storm
tangled the tops Of the cypress trees
Ind dashed the bayou mad? (.
She had not heard sound, but look
ing by chance, she saw BRACE coming
through the cane, and she sprang up
to meet him, the pIay-book pressed
against her bosom.
Nadine"
'Monsieur.w
Don't call ME Monsieur Call me
Virgil"
She dropped her book. He bent to
pick it up. but she snatched it from
beneath his reaching hand and stood
back from him.
%"Oh, it was you, then!' It was you
the SO strong man that would break
my fathers wrist. 1t was you!"
"Nadine, it was not to hurt him.
With a knife he would have killed an
old man: and then they would have
hanged him.. Nadine, my other hand
held yours, to protect you"
1T must be true. will believe you
Virgil. l know you brave and not
wish to hurt an old man. No, you
could not do that. You will forgive
me, yes:"
She held forth her hand and taking
it tenderly, he touched it with his lips !;
and like princess she accepted the
homage due her rank and her beauty.
Come, now, we play" she said.
sweetly laughing. "And it must be
free, like the boy and the girl. But
first you sit down here and tell me-
She led him to her "sofa" and they
sat down, leaning back against the
tree.
''fel1 you what, NadineT'
"About the great big world you
know so Well"
II don't know the big world, as you
Z think it. But know the universe rs
/ feel it. 1t is here
About her finger she sat wrapping
the liiy.stem that had marked her
favorite play. Was 1t that she did not
understand his reference to his uni
verse? No, for she shook her head,
aud with sigh that did not mean
WEAKNESS. Z
".The universe could not be on this
little island" "--'
ut could be held in your dimpled
hand" s7
''Oh, my hand dimpled!" She held 1t
in front of him, touched his brow
with the palm. -
ut is not soft enough to, be dimpled'
Virgil
81 would kiss 1t SOFT
He caught her wrist touched the
tip of each finger with his lips and
then kissed the palm. She laughed
drawing back her hand. 49, ,>re,.ge -
s.sYou must not do that. We must
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