Part 2 (2/2)
”That's possible It's a hard country and Jake took soht you out across the snow Do you remember much about what happened when you were on the trail?”
”I don't,” said Jihtful voice ”All I do relishmen who made the shack just before I went toabout the fellows since”
”But why?”
Jiht stop; hts and Carrie was intelligent He would like to see if he could in with, they were people who had traveled and knew the world; I know the North and so was, they didn't talk like strangers; I felt I'd got their point of view”
”Did you like theer ot a hint of so careless and weak There was ht off if you'd trust him or not But I'm afraid I make you tired”
”Oh, no,” said Carrie, and was silent for a few mo, she had helped hiave her a motherly curiosity Then his re she had found puzzling In a way, Ji men she knew The difference was elusive, but she felt it now and then
”Well,” she said, ”why don't you go on?”
”I'd h ”Handed theirl with theirl like that, but soet in touch with her”
”What kind of a girl was she?” Carrie asked, with keener curiosity
”The kind we call a looker, but it wasn't that She was fine-drawn, if you get me; clever and fastidious I think fastidious is the word I want She belonged to clean, quiet places where everything is right
That's what e You see, I have had to struggle in the dust and h the struggle without getting much hurt or soiled He wore no obvious scars She s was, they knew a place in the Old Country my father sometimes talked about”
”Did you tell them your father knew the place?” Carrie asked, for the clue was leading her on
”I did not; they were strangers,” Jim replied, and she saw he had a reserve that was not co ot the place; I could see it I wonder whether one res one's parents knew”
”It doesn't look possible,” Carrie replied ”But do you know your father's people?”
”I don't,” said Jim, with a touch of dryness ”There was a Joseph Dearharandfather, but he and the others left my father alone and we cut out the lot”
”Were your father and you like each other?”
”Not in a way I reckon I'm like my mother, but my father has kind of faded; I'o far in this country Things I do reh I think he was too proud to grab as his”
”You are not like that?”
Jim smiled ”I take what's mine, but I don't want ot the habit when she died and left me all alone Well, that's all there is to my story, and I've certainly made you tired”
”You are tired,” Carrie replied ”Go to sleep I have et busy”
She went off and Jiirl, but she had charm and he felt she was somehoasted at the shabby store She was pretty and clever; although she was kind, she was soot heavy and he went to sleep