White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1931-01-29
CHAPTER III-Continued

OT1AE En- 1ll-NOnIlnu
s.
Concealing himself behind the bole
Of tree, Jeems watched them as they
passed, so near that pebble flung by
q hoof Of one of the horses fell at his
side. His courage almost failed him
then, for while his hands clenched at
the sight Of Paul Tache, his heart fall
tered in it's beating as his attention
turned from his enemy to Toinette.
She had become, all at once, young
lady whom he could easily believe he
had never seen before, and the change
in her held him for few moments so
forgetful of his own existence that
he would have been discovered had
one Of the three happened to glance in
his direction. Toinette was wearing
her first riding suit, gorgeous blue
camlet trimmed with silver, just ar
rived from Quebec. With this she
wore a smartly cooked beaver hat
which bore rakish feather, and from
under this hat her long dark hair fell
in a cascade Of carefully made curls,
partly restrained in their freedom by
two or three red ribbons enmeshed
among them. She was superbly aware
Of the lovely figure she made, and
every inch of her body was at dig
nifled tension as she rode past the
place where Jeems was hidden.
After she had gone, Jeems felt an
overwhelming sense Of littleness and
unimportance. For Toinette was ne,
longer Toinette, but real princess,
grown up. And Paul Tache, riding
close beside her, with hair powdered
and tied and with red velvet coat
that could be seen mile away, seemed
now to be infinitely removed from the
plottings which he had conceived
against him. He stepped from behind
the tree and stopped to pick up the
pebble which Toinette's horse had
flung at him. He could hear the auc-
tioneer's voice, and others bidding for
Lussan's properties. Then came a
burst Of laughter which rose with I'M
restrained abandon above all other
sound, blast Of merriment which he
would have recognized anywhere in
the world. Only his Uncle Hepsibah
could laugh like that. The sights and
excitements of the scene about him
would have made for him one of the
most thrilling events of his forest
trimmed world had his heart not been
choked with the emotions of impend-
ing drama. Yet he did not press his
desires by undue haste, and it was
half an hour before he found himself
close to the one who occupied his
thoughts. This happened in such a
fortuitous way that Toinette, con-
cealed by the ample forms of Lussan's
wife and daughter, was within a foot
of his shoulder before he knew 1t.
She did not see. him, and he stood
with wildly beating heart, breathing
the faint perfume from her person, his
senses dazed by the nearness Of her
splendor and his world of vision filled
only with a great broad-brimmed hat,
an enravishing mass Of lustrous curls,
sunset Of crimson ribbons, a pair OF
slim shoulders-and then, his para
he discovered Paul Tache. The young
man was returning from a journey to
the barrels, and, when he saw Jeems,
a contemptuous smile twisted his lips.
It was this look which turned Toinette
80 that she found Jeems standing be-
side her, his cap and package in
his hands, his face tensely set as he
fought himself into obliviousness Of
his rivals presence.
He held out his gift to her.
my Uncle Hepsibah has just come
from the English colonies, and he
brought me this that might In turn
give it to you. Will you accept it,
ToinetteT
He forgot Paul Tache. Spots Of red
came into his cheeks as Toinette's sur
prised eyes greeted him. She almost
smiled, and as If something made her
forgetful of her magnificence and the
dignity it imposed, she extended her
hand to receive the package. The
manner in which she accepted his
gift sent the blood racing through his
body. The color deepened in her
cheeks, and, mistaking this for still
greater evidence Of the pleasurable
thrill he had given her, Jeems was
sure she was about to thank him for
his gift, when Paul stood beside them.
Ignoring Jeems, Toinette's cousin led
her away, politely relieving her Of the
package as they went. 1t was then
Toinette turned to smile at Jeems, in
spite Of the eyes she knew were watch
ing her. In this same moment her
escort allowed the package to drop
surreptitiously from his hand.
This act, inspired by a contempt
for the forest boy, and urged by a
meanness of spirit hidden under dis
q L a. ala lacr. eli I1axaf