St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1922-01-21

1T isn't quite ALL" I amended. "You
haven't told me how you happened to
come back with Beasley and his
posse
That was just a coincidence, I
reached Atrop1a on the early morning
train and met Mr.. Beasley and his
men just as they were starting up the
mountain. Cousin Buddy Fuller had
told me how he had telegraphed to
Angels for Mr.. Beasley, and I was
scared to death, Of course, because I
knew what it meant. So I borrowed
the Haggertys' pony and came along
with the posse.''
There was silence for a little time ::
such silence as the Gathering and
hammer1ng OF the carpenters and
steam-fltters permitted. Then I said:
ana when you got here, the first
thing l did was to call you Mrs. Bull
lerton'. l don't blame you for not be-
ing able to forgive me, jeanne, girl:
honestly, I don't"
| 1T was worse than a crime" she
averred solemnly; ut was blunder.
what made you do it?"
| Partly because ! was a Jealous
fool; but mostly because I was sore
and sorry and disappointed. 1 thought
Fullerton had beaten me to it,
No. she said quite soberly; 1T
was Miss Randle who beat you to it."
| I gasped. There were tremendous
! possibilities in that cool answer of
hers; prodigious possibilities.
! But say'' I burst out: didn't I
tell you that Lisette had pushed me
overheard long ago?'
II know. She was sensible enough
to see that you and she couldn't live
on nothing a year. But now that you
are rich, or are going to be I'm
sure you are not going to be less gen.
erous than she was. What if she did
take your ring off in moment of dis
| couragement, and knowing that you
| couldn't buy her hats? You can be
very sure she put it on again as soon
as your back was turned"
| There we were; no sooner over one
hurdle before another and higher
| one must jump up. I groaned and
thrust my hands into my pockets. A
| paper rustled and I drew it out. It
was the telegram Buddy Fuller had
| handed me, still unread I opened it
half absently, holding it down so that
| the glow of the nearest flare fell upon
the writing. Then I gave a little yelp,
swallowed hard two or three times
and nearly choked doing it, and read
the thing again. After all Of which I
said as calmly as l could:
But, in spite of all that had told
you about Llsette, you asked me once
to kiss YOU"
isis it quite nice of you to re-
mind me Of it?" she inquired reproach-
fully.
1T wouldn't be-in ordinary cir
cumstances; it would be beastly. But,
listen, Jeanne; haven't you been mad
clear through, sometimes, in reading
story, to have a coincidence rung in
on you when you knew perfectly well
that the thing couldn't possibly have
happened so pat In the nick of timer
~"I suppose I have; yes"
"Well, don't ever let it disturb you
again. Because the real thing is lot
more wonderful and unbelievable, you
know. Listen to this: it's wire from
my cousin, Percy; the one who sent
me out into the wide, wide world to
look for a GIRL a horse and dog, and
who is the only human being outside
of Colorado who knows where I am
likely to be reached by telegraph. He
is in Boston, and this Is what he says:
Recalled home when we reached
Honolulu, outbound. Lisette and
were married today. Congratulate
u.s."
For minute there was a GREATNESS
sort Of pause and | broke it.
"Jeanie, dear, was it just common
honesty and good faith that made you
take all these chances, with the deed,
and with Bullerton!"
'Yes, I'm commonly honest" said
the small voice at my shoulder.
Fullerton is a shreWd, smart fell
low" went on. "Tll venture to say
that he never made such a bonehead
break as l did the morning you came
back. You must think something OF
him or you wouldn't have asked me
not to prosecute him for trying to
murder your father and me-"
She looked down at her pretty feet,
which were crossed
II think-a little something-of my
self" she said, with small breath
catchings between the. words. Il owed
myself that much, don't you think? II
I didn't deceive him outright, I'm
afraid did let him deceive himself.
So that made me responsible, in way,
and l couldn't let you send him to jail,
could ~
"But what about me7 Are you go
ing to send me to worse place than
any jail?-for that is what the whole
wide world is going to be to me with
out you, jeanne, DEAR
Her answer was just like her: She
turned and put up her face to me and
said, "kiss me again, Stannie.' And
though all the carpenters on the Job
were looking on, as I suppose they
were. by this time, I took her In my
arms.
1t was a short spasm; 1t sort Of had
to be in the public circumstances
When it was over, I folded Percys
telegram, took out ny pencil, and with