The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-01-02

juice. I found whole pitcher of
it in the ice-box. That was all
the chocolate cake, but there are
lots Of these cookies Gene, are
you going to stay home for
good?"
II don't know. Guess so. Oh,
! don't care. My Uncle Paul got
the chance to do Mrs. Jennings
assessment work - she's got a
claim over by Whiskey Slide-so
he's leaving Monday, and I had
to come back. Oh, I don't care.
I might as well be working in a
dairy in Spanish Pass, at gas
station in Sacramento. 1t isn't
as if I could do as want, any
way"
She nodded, a little embarrassed.
She knew what he meant. She
knew more than he intended she
should know. About him. About
his troubles. She knew, what he
hoped she didn't know, about his
folks. About big Pete Dubois,
who always a little tipsy, and
usually good natured, could fly
into sudden frightful tempers,
and beat up his entire family
with the old rawhide whip that
hung in the shed, a step from
the Dubois back door.
She knew why mournful little
Madame Dubois, with her grey
head Swathed in a wooden shawl,
would not venture beyond the tur-
key run for days at a time. Why
Adrienne, Genes little sister,
stayed out of school sometimes,
and what had caused the thin
white scar that sometimes showed
so plainly on Genes olive cheek.
And she knew, what he didn't
mind her knowing-about his am
bition to be an artist. He had
sketched every tree for miles. He
had sketched the ruined mine
shafts, the old prospectors, the
tumbledown adobeS on the fringe
Of the town.
But that was a secret too, for
old Pete Dubois wouldn't stand
for such nonsense"
She lowered her eyes. While
she had been thinking about
Gene he had been looking at her.
What are you looking at me-
funny, for?"
''You look nice in a DRESS" ;le
said, flushing a little.
"Oh, wear them all the time
now, except when I'm riding. Aunt
Nettie had fits over the kind Of
clothes I used to wear. Anyway,
this sort Of thing is COOL"
She patted sheer white ruffle,
swung a slim, stockingleSs leg that
ended in a white, strapped sandal.
"You look nice in them" he said
again. He had to say something.
He couldn't tell her that he'd
never before thought of her as a
girl. A girl with white ruffles, and
high heels. A girl. maybe not so
different from the other girls he'd
played around with in Sacramento
In the spring..
He looked at Christie, at her
skin that was smooth, pink satin,
at her shimmering, gold colored
hair. He'd always known that she
was beautiful, but until this min
ute he'd never realized 80.
"Well, better be going. I'll be
seeing you again"
She swallowed the last of the
chocolate caramelS, and divided
the remaining three butterscotch
ones between the five drooling
dogs that had congregated at the
rustic of the candy bag.
wait a minute, and I'll get on
my jeans and ride back as far as
Platt's with you. Dad had to go
to the city, SO I'm going to stay
with Gladys for a coule Of days"
When she stood up the little
white dress chung to her warm
body, revealing its sculptured
Toundness.
The pinto, quietly nibbling the
cool green clover of the lawn"
had just come into her range of
vision. She saw the saddle bags,
the rolled blankets back of the
big stock saddle.
Gene! You're going on trip!"
"Oh-Oh, yes, thought I'd go
up the mountain a way, where it's
cool-just for a couple of days.
I don't know, maybe I won't go.
+"
Gene, what are you looking at
me so funny for?"
"I'm not! I was just thinking
., Christie"
He put out his hands, in a sort
Of hopeless gesture. "Oh, you
don't understand. What do you
know about what I'm up against?
You've got everything, and never
had a chance. You'll go to the
city and be a big shot in society
with your Aunt Nettie and all
your dads dough"
II won't! You're crazy!"
"I'm not. You're crazy! You
don't know what you've got. You
wouldn't wipe your feet on me.
And why should you? I'll never
be anything but a failure, and
Scene, don't! Please don't talk
that way!"
Let go of me, Christie, let go
Of me, or I'll"
She had her arms tight around
him. She was going to comfort
him, to talk him out of the blues.
ne cha had ca Tnanv manu- times