The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1922-01-06
Copyright By Charles scriDnsrs Sons


and yet the only way If l was to go on
remembering that she belonged TO an
other man. "We can at least be good
friends, can't wei"
mo" she returned, with a queer lit
tie twist Of her pretty lips and a flash
of the blue eyes, "1'm afraid we can't
even be that-or those-any more, Mr..
Broughton."
1t was awkward for both of us,
standing there before the open cabin
door, and 1 pointed TO the bench where
Daddy hiram was wont TO smoke his
evening pipe In good weather.
"Won't you sit down until we can
sort of fail 1t out7" l begged.
"It's no use, whatever" she object
ed; nevertheless. she did sit down and
let me sit beside her.
81 know just how distressed you
must be-" began, land perhaps l can
lift 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.
sand 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 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.
at isn't kindness; Its bare justice.
Between you, you two have saved my
legacy for me-"
II wish, now, 1t hadn't been saved"
she exclaimed, as vindictively as you
please.
Truly, thought, the ways of women
are past finding out; or at least the
way of a maid with man is.
"Can't say anything at all without
putting my foot into it?" I asked in
despair. "You break a mans back
with a load of obligation one day, and
toss him lightly out of your young life
the nextl haven't done anything to
earn your-to earn the back of your
hand, jeanne; or If I have, l don't
know what it Is"
"You have committed the unpardon-
able SIM" 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 If l knew 1t, and could
help it.
"What is the objectionable SIM" 1
asked.
ITO misunderstood: to think a per-
son capable of thing when a person
is not; to-just take IT for granted
that a person is guilty-oh"-with a
little stamp of her foot-'I can't bear
to talk about It'll
/ guess it's a part Of q mans equip
ment to be dense and sort of stupid
In his dealings with women, / mean.
Slowly, so slowly that l 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 dellverance-
Daddy's and mine-at the shafthouse
door, with this dear girl untwisting her
aims from her fathers neck, and with
me saying, 'T'm not hurt, either. Wei
come home, Miss Twombly-or should
say, Mrs. Bullerton?"
"Jeaniep l gasped; "do you mean
that you're not going to marry Charles
Fullerton? THAT you never meant TOT"
"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 1t
for granted"
I wagged my head In deepest hui
mility.
"Pm as the dust under your pretty
feet jeanne; 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 1
well, he rather got the worst Of 1t.
And when / had him down and was
trying to make him tell us where you
were-even your father thought you'd
gone Off with him-he said you'd
planned to go with him to get mar
ried. but that you had failed to show
up at Atropia In time for the train"
''He 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. "He said we were going
to Angels to get married, and II
1idn't say we weren't; just let him
talk and didn't say anything at ALL"
won't you tell me a bit moreT'
begged.
"You don't deserve 1t the least lit
lie bit, but l viii. 1t began with the
Iced; your deed to the mine. One
lay, when you we're over at the shaft
house, and had left your coat here in
he cabin. saw him take the deed
rom your pocket when he didn't know
was looking. He read 1t and put It
Jack quickly when he heard me STIR
ing In the other room. / knew II
hadn't been recorded; you and Daddy
lad both spoken of that l felt sure
led take 1t again. and perhaps de-
troy 1t. At first. l thought I'd tell
'ou or Daddy. or both Of you. But
new that would mean trouble"