The Arvada enterprise., 1923-10-25
THE BRANDING IRON

the books In her lap, looking and lis.
tening.
John Carver had used phrase,
when you see her eyes lookin' an
lookin' at another man" and this
phrase had stuck In Pierre's sensitive
and Jealous memory. What Joan felt
for Holliwell was n sort Of ignorant
and respectful tenderness. the excite
ment Of an intelligent child first moved
to knowledge Of its own intelligence !;
the gratitude Of savage loneliness
toward the beautiful feet Of explora-
ton. A consciousness Of her clenn
mind, consciousness of her young
untamed spirit. had come slowly to life
In her since her talk with Holliwcll
Joan was peculiarly a woman-that Is.
the passive and receptive being
Pierre had laid his hand on her heart
and she had followed him; now this
young parson had put a curious finger
on her brain. It followed him. Her
husband saw the admiration. the graft
tude, the tender excitement In her
frank eyes, and the poison seed sown
by John Cnrver'a hand shot out roots
and tiny. deadly branches.
But Joan and Holliwell were IN
aware. Pierre smoked rapidly. rolling
cigarette after cigarette; he listened
with a courteous air. he told stories
In his soft. slow voice: once he went
out to bring In fresh log and, COM
Ing back on noiseless feet. saw joan
and her Instructor bent over one of
the books and Joan's face was almost
that OF a stranger, so eager. so flushed,
with sparkles in the usually still gray
eyes.
1t was not till week or two after
this second visit from the clergyman
that Pierre's smoldering Jealousy
broke into flame. After clearing
away the supper things with an alb
sent air Of eager expectation. Joan
would dry her hands on her apron.
and, taking down one of her books
from their place In shelf corner. she
would draw her chair close to the
lamp and begin to read. forgetful Of
Pierre. These had been the happiest
hours for him; he would tell Joan
about his days work. about his plans,
about his past life; wonderful It wns
to him. after his loneliness. that she
should be sitting there drinking In
every word and loving him with her
dumb, wild eyes. Now. there was no
talk and no listening. Joan's absorbed
face was turned from him and bent
over her book, her lips moved, she
would stop and stare before her.
After long while he would get up
and got to bed. but she would stay
with her books till restless move
ment from him would make her aware
Of the lampllght shining wakefulness
upon him through the chinks in the
partition wall Their she would get up
reluctantly, sighing, and come to bed.
For ten evenings this went on.
Pierre's heart slowly heating itself.
until, all at once. the fame leaped.
Joan had united her apron and
reached up for her book. Pierre had
been waiting, hoping that Of her free
will she might prefer his company to
the "parson feller's"-for IN his ign0-
rance those books were jealousy per.
sonifled-but. without a glance In his
direction. she had turned us usual
to the shelf.
"You goIn' to ready" asked Pierre
hoarsely. II was painful effort to
speak.
She turned with a childish look Of
astonishment. "Yes. Pierre"
He stood up with one OF his 1.-the.
swift movements. all In one ripping
piece. by Cd. you're not. though ="
said he. strobe over to her. snatched
the volume from her, threw II back
into its place and pointed her to her
chair.
"You net down an give heed to me
fer a change. Joan Carv"r." hA said.
his smoke -colored eyes smoldsrink. II
didn't fetch you up here to read par.
sons books an waste oil. I fetched
you up hereto" He stopped.
choked With . sudden. enormous hurt
tenderness and nat down and fell 70
smoking and starinx. hot-eyed. Int
the 6re.
And Joan mt si,eat In her place.
puszisd. wistfui, wounded. her Idle
hands folded. looking At him for .
while. thea abssatiy before her. and
ne knew that her mind was busy
a9aia with ths preacher felier's books.
II he had tnswn better how to explain
his heart. n she had known how to
ahow him the impersonal eaxerness of
her awakeaiax nind-! But. savage
and silent. they ant there. loving ench
other. hurt. but locked each into his
own impenetrable life.
After that Joan changed the hours
Of her study and neglected housework
and sagebrush. .xrubbing. but nonc,he.
less were lrerre's evenings spoiled.
When he talked I've could not escape
the consciousness Of having con.