The Indianapolis times., 1923-02-26

IV1 snlon's Letter with due
promptnesso OF course,
such a service demanded pie and
claret. What still better pleased him,
Alice chose to be more amlable than
was usually her custom when ne
called. They sat together in the main
room Of the house where NJ. ROussillon
kept his books, his curiOsitles Of In
dian manufacture collected here and
there, and his surplus firearms,
swords. pistols, and knives, ranged
not unpleasingly the walls.
OF course, along with the letter,
Rene bore the news, SO interesting 10
himself. Of the boats tempting cargo
Just discharged at the river house.
Alice understood her friends danger
felt It in the intense enthusiasm OF
his voice and manner. She had once
seen the men carousing on a similar
occasion when she was but child
/ and the impression then made still re-
mained in her memory. Insunctively
she resolved to hold Rene by one
means or another away from the
river house if possible. So she man
aged to keep him occupied eating pie,
-
until night came on and Madame
Roussillon brought in a lamp. Then
ne hurridly snatched his cap from
the floor beside him and got up to go.
Come and look at my handiwork,
Alice quickly said; my shelf OF pies,
I mean" She led him 20 the antry.
where a dozen or more Of the cherry
pates wel ranged in order. L made
every one Of them this morning and
baked them; had them all out Of the
oven before the rain came up. Don't
you think me a wonder Of cleverness
and industry? Father Beret was polite
enough to fiatter me; but you-you
Just eat what you want and say moth
ingl You are not polite, Monsieur
Rene de Ronville."
I've been showing you what l
thought Of your goodies" said Rene;
"eating's better than talking, you
know; so III just take one more and
he helped himself Isn't that com
pliment enough?"
"a few such would make me an
other hot days work" she replied.
laughing. Pretty talk would be.
cheaper and more satisfactory IN the
long run. Even the -four in these
pates I ground with my own hand in
an Irdian mortar. That was hard
work, too"
BY this time Rene had forgotten the
river house and the liquor. With soft
9ning eyes he gazed at Alice's round
ID cheeks and sheeny hair over which
he light from the curious earthen
lamp she bore in her hand fiiClered
most effectively. He loved her madly,
but his fear Of her was more powerful
@han his love. She gave him no op-
lortunity to speak what he felt hay
ing ever ready a quick, bright change
Of mood and manner when she saw
him pluclzing up courage TO address
her in z sentimental way. Their re
Iations had long been somewhat IA
nailiar. which was but natural, con-
sidering their youth and the CirCum-
stances Of their daily life; but Alice
somehow had kept q certain distance
open between them, so that very
warm friendship could not suddenly
resolve itself into a troublesome pas
sion on Rene's part.
We need not attempt 10 analyze a
young girls TeeunS ana IaOuFeS IN
such a case; what she does and what
she thinks are mysteries even to her
own understanding. The influence
most potent in shaping the rudiment-
ary character Of Alice TarIeton called
RouissillOn had been only such as a
lonely frontier post could generate.
Her associations with men and wom-
en- had, with few exceptions. been un-
profitable in an educational way, while
her reading in N. ROuissillon's little
library could not have given her any
practical knowledge Of manners and
life.
She was fond Of Rene de Ronville,
and It would have been quite in &C
cOrdance with the law Of ordinary
human forces, indeed almost the IN