The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1923-11-23

The Branding Iron
By Katharine Newln Burt
Cpyanh
Bu Katharine Neulin Burt


that he was aware of her scrutiny.
ngs to Joan. He saw her In every
pose and In every look in which he
had ever seen her, and, with a very
sick and frightened heart, he saw her.
at the last, pass by him In her fur
coat. throwing him that half-contemp-
| tuous look and smile. She didn't
know him. Was he changed so great
ly? Or was the change in her so enor-
nous that 1t had disassociated her
completely from her old life, from
him? He kept repeating to himself
Holliwell's stern, admonishing speech:
However changed for the worse she
may be when you do find her, Pierre,
yon must remember that II is your
| fault, your sin. You must not judge
her, must not dare to judge her. Judge
yourself. Condemn yourself. 1t is for
her TO forgive If she can bring her
self TO do It,"
So now Pierre fought down his sus-
picions and his fears. He had not
recognized Prosper. The man who
had come in out of the white night,
four years ago, had worn his cap low
over his eyes, his collar turned up
about his face, and, even at that,
Pierre, in his drunken stupor, had not
been able to see him very clearly.
This Prosper Gael who had stood be-
hind the footlights, this Prosper Gael
at whom Joan, for some. unknown
cause, had sprung like woman mad
dened by injury. was a person entirely
strange to Pierre. But Pierre hated
him. The man had done Joan some
insufferable mischief, which at the last
had driven her beside herself. Pierre
put up hand, pressing it against his
eyes. He wanted to shut out the |
picture of that struggling girl with her
torn dress and the double scar across
scar he would never have known her
his Joan, his gentle, silent Joan
What had they been doing to her to
change her so? No, not they. He.
He had changed her. He had branded |
her and driven her out. 1t was his
fault. He must try to find her again,
to find the old Joan-if she should
live. The doctor had said that she
was desperately Ill. o God What
was keeping him so long7 Why didn't
he come?
The arrival of the trained nurse
distracted Pierre for a few moments
She went past him In her gray cloak,
very quiet and earnest, and the ele-
vator lifted her out of sight.
Were you in the theater tonight?"
asked the girl at the desk, seeing that
he was temporarily aware of her
again.
Eyes, ma'am."
Sse was puzzled by his appearance
and the fashion of his speech. He must
be a gentleman, she thought for his
bearing was gentle and assured and
but he wore his
clothes differently and spoke differ
emily from other gentlemen.
That Eyes, ma'am,' especially dis
turbed her. Then she remembered a
novel she had read and her mind
Jumped to a conclusion She leaned
SAY, aren't you from the West?" I
Eyes, ma am"
"You weren't ever a cowboy, were
you?" :
Pierre smiled. Eyes, ma'am. 1 was
raised in a cow-camp. l was cowboy
i'll about seven years ago when l took
% ranchin'"
"Where was that?'
"Out in Wyoming"
"And you've come straight from
here to New York; She pronounced
moo York" :
mo, ma'am. I've been In Alasky for
wo years now. I've been in lumber
amp"
"Geel That's real interesting. And
'ou knew Miss West before she came
Cast, them"
''Yes ma'am." But there was a sub
lie change in Pierre's patient voice
nd clear, unhappy eyes, so that the
irl fell to humming and bottled up
er curiosity. But just as soon as he
egan to brood again she gave up her
vhole mind to staring at him. Gee
lie was brown and strong and thin !
md a good-lookerl She wished that
he had worn her transformation that
vening and her blue blouse. He
light have taken more interest In her
A stout, baId-headed man. bag In
and, stepped out of the elevator. and
ierre rippled to his feet.
Are you the doctor?"
Eyes. Oh, you're the gentleman who
'anted to see Miss West. She's come
}, but she is out of her head COM
Ietely doesn't know anyone.
an you step out with me?" -
(To BE coNTINUED)