Part 27 (2/2)
His sternness offended Burrell, for the soldier was not the kind to discuss his affairs in this way, therefore he drew back scowling
”Poleon Doret,” he said, ”it's not one's enemies who do him injury, it's his dahly because you are a brave man and an honest one, but it seeh word,” Doret replied ”But dere's reason w'y I can't tak'
on no madnesse You say I'm hones' Wal, I'm hones' now, an' I come to you wit' fair words an' I show my han' to you--I don' hoi' out no cards, M'sieu'--but I don' t'ink it is you who have play square, altogeder I'ht for her jus' so queecker lak' you, but I ood heart an' de courage of good man you'll tell me de truth Do you have the feelin' for marry on her?”
The pause that follokward for both of theirl, who stood concealed near by, held her breath and buried her nails in her palms Why did he hesitate? Would he never speak? It seeer that this outsider should question hi injured Necia, and rage, blind rage, at the thought of its becorew that it was not a question of idle curiosity with Doret, and the man's history recurred to hiirl, no wonder he wished to guard her; he had been a brother indeed, even as he said, and he could have no motive save an honorable one It never occurred to the soldier that this Frenchh and foreign; his thoughts had been couched in harsher language, perhaps, than he intended; h sense of honor was a byword--and of a sudden the desire to set hiht in this man's eyes dictated his answer
”I a to you,” he said, at last, ”and quite shocked, in fact, atyour questions, but perhaps I'd better, after all First, however, let irl is just as pure now as she was before she knew me--”
Poleon threw up his hand ”M'sieu', dat's more closer to de insult dan w'at you call ht! There's no need to tell you that As for showing her certain attentions--well, I admit that I have, as you know, but, thank God, I can say I've been a gentleman and addressed her as I would the fairest lady I've known”
”An' you mean for marry, eh?” probed the other
Now, no man could have answered such a direct question easily, and in this case it was especially hard for the Kentuckian, as torn between his ungovernable desire and that decision which cold reason had thrust upon him He wanted to say, ”Yes, I'llbade him pause before he sacrificed upon this altar of a youthful love his life, his hopes, his ambitions Had he not wrestled with hi it all out, until his reat test that tries a man's soul and compels him to know himself had not yet co
”I did not say so,” he declared, at last ”It's a thing I can't well discuss, because I doubt if you could understand what I would say This life of yours is different from mine, and it would be useless forout all question of my sentiment, there are insurmountable obstacles to such a union; but as to this talk, I think that can be stopped without annoyance to her, and as for the rest, weabout a proper adjusthter arrested his words, and, turning, he beheld Necia standing revealed in the di person you are!” she said ”I've had hard work holding in all this ti the honest English language out of shape and h sooner or later”
”What is theof this?” he demanded ”Is it a joke?”
”Indeed it is,” she declared, laughing afresh, ”and the best I've ever enjoyed Wasn't it funny, Poleon”--she turned gayly to the French coolly whether he cared forto explain to you that he was too good to entles for the world!”
”Necia!”
”That's your Dixie chivalry, I suppose Well, I've played with you long enough, Lieutenant Burrell, I'er”
”You--you--say you've been playing with s see in so
”Why, of course,” she cried, scornfully, ”just as you took me up for amusement You were such a fine, well-dressed, immaculate mound of conceit that I couldn't resist the temptation, and you hid your condescension so poorly that I thought you ought to be taken down a peg I kneas a squaw, but I wanted to see if I were not like other women, after all, and if you were not like otherrapidly now, almost shrilly, for she had never attempted to act before, while he stood dazed and speechless, fu at his throat while she railed at hih for you, because I'm not--decidedly, I'm not your kind, and you are a joke to me”
He uttered an inarticulate cry, but she ran on unheeding, her eyes wide and glowing like coals, her lips chalk-white ”You see, it's time I stopped such foolishness, anyhow, for I' to be married?” he muttered, laboriously
”Yes, to Poleon Why, that's been understood for years”
He whirled upon the Canadian in a fury, and his words ca
”So you're in this, Doret You're a part of this little farce You trapped me here to make a fool of me, did you? Well, I can settle with you--”