Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1936-09-17
by FRANCES SHELLEY WEES
Copyright by Frances Shelley Wees
WNU Service
CHAPTER IX-Continued

you are being insulting"
mot at ALL" Pillar replied. Il am
merely trying to discover Bryns reason
for this quixotic gesture. 1t certainly
cannot be that he is willing to spend
year with you for your platonic COM
partnership, Deborah. Obviously, you
are not suited to be companion to
him. You have not the sophistication.
the knowledge of his world. You
scarcely speak his language. You say
he does not love you; / think that
would be impossible, too. There must
be companionship in real love, an
equality. But l think I do begin to
see his reason. There you were, beau
ty In distress and Bryn was al
ways fond of a new adventure. Some
thing new, something nobody has ever
done before Yes, it becomes quite
clear to me. And he would get con-
siderable enjoyment out of this play
acting to your grandmother, this pre-
tense of being simple and bucolic, this
pretense of loving you. 1t is rather
an interesting situation, as must adj
NIT"
Deborah was staring at her. II don't
think care to discuss it any further"
she said quietly, "if you don't mind,
Pillar"
"There isn't much more to say, is
there? Except that suppose ought
to thank you for explaining it to me,
Deborah. ] have been troubled.
You can understand"
Deborah folded her linen. eyes,"
she said.
"Bryn is very difficult" Pillar sighed.
II think this has been the worst fright
he has given me. But once, two years
ago, was nearly mad, too. He was
in Thibet, and l didn't hear from him
for nearly six months. It was report
ed that he was dead. OF course, he
wasn't, nor lost either. He was just
living in native tribe, living like
native. to get the atmosphere, he said.
He's wildly interested in people, diff
ferent kinds Of people, the farther
from his own kind, the better. But he
always comes back in the end, have
discovered that. And when he came
back from Thibet," she said with a
smile. ''he brought me my ring. This
ruby. Isn't it beauty?"
The ruby flashed and .glowed on her
finger as she held 1t out for Deborah
to see. 1T is very lovely" Deborah
said gently.
Gary tapped on the decreasing
"Miss Deborah, please" he said. "Mr.
Bryn would like a dry pair Of shoes.
Might 60 through and get them?"
Certainly, Gary"
With little half bow to Pillar he
sided past her and opened the door
on the left. He pushed it back and
left it open as he went in, and Pillar,
glancing through, saw the narrow white
bed against the other wall. She turned
deliberately and looked at Deborah's
closed bedroom door, and then, with a
deep breath, she looked at Deborah
and smiled.
Its all very romantic, isn't it?" she
said, and went swiftly across to the
hall door. THANK you for telling me,
Deborah. 1t makes rather a differ
ence"
Bryn had been over in the stable
talking to Joe, who came to milk every
evening as punctually as sunset.
AS he approached the bridge his
eyes caught the futter of skirt, and
his heart turned a complete double
somersault. If he had been in any
need Of proof as to his emotional con-
dition, he had it then. But the skirt
did not belong to Deborah; 1T was
much too sophisticated skirt for that,
as he saw at second glance, and his
heart settled down sadly into re-
cumbent position again, and he went
forward without interest to meet Pillar.
She was standing In the middle of
the bridge, leaning over the railing
to look into the water. Bryn stopped
beside her, put his elbows on the rail-
Ing, and gazed down into the brook,
too, without a word. Pillar turned,
after moment, and smiled at him;
the flashing brilliant smile that was
peculiarly her own, that no one else
could duplicate. you know" she said,
Il don't blame you for burying your
oSAA away uP hOAC, oLyA. IL 81 ldE
back in Nature that 1 don't suppose
you've ever had quite the same expe-
rience before, have your"
Bryn glanced down at her. Her
black eyes, liquid and melting, met his.
Her lips were very red.
NO. he replied. Never"
There was a little silence. They
stood together, elbows touching. After
a moment Pillar said softly, Deborah
told me her story today"
"Deborah?" he repeated.
"She seemed to think I ought to be
told, Bryn."
"Oh."
The black eyes opened wide again.
"Had you talked to her about
mel"
Never" Bryn said promptly.
"Oh," Pillar murmured. II had an
idea you had, perhaps. She certainly
knew that we had been friends for a
long time. OF course, that may be
obvious. Whatever she knew, she
wanted me to understand just what the
situation was between you. Dear
quaint little thing!"