Page:The Overland Monthly, Jan-June 1894.djvu/217



94.]

After the Fire.

153

Lit they had not stayed in his mind an kstant. He had had a gentle mother, d possessed more natural refinement om her inherited than most men of fis class are capable of, and at all times his man's manner of speaking of women ad disgusted him. Just now he saw lessie in his mind, with her innocent lear eyes, her tender heart, her pale, rild-flower face, and the smile on her ps. The idea that this coarse brute hould say that he had touched them lied Humphrey with a swift and over- whelming anger, to which he was seldom noved by anything ; but when roused t was apt to be sudden and fierce, rui- ng the strong young frame, and strik- ng terror into the hearts of those who lad offended.

He flung himself off his horse, and matched Joe's ax away, flinging it into pe brush, and squaring the man about p suddenly that his habitual exagger- ted erectness was but limp surprise.

"Now," said he, "you are going to ake back that lie, and take a whipping Besides for annoying that little girl. Bay you lied, you miserable forked liz- [rd ! I '11 punch you if you don't," and te shook the protesting little gallant intil he was breathless.

" O, I say!" he gasped, "can't you
 * ake a joke? I just wanted to see how

rou felt about it."

" You '11 find out. What did you say o her last week while you were there ? ^oii wriggling little reptile ! "

"None of your business. I said what [ pleased."

" I have no doubt you did. But it did n't please her, and it does n't please me."

Joe struggled, and swore an assorted volley of oaths, while his angry assail- ant slapped him about.

" Do you take back everything you said ? " inquired Humphrey, holding him up by the collar. " I said it was a joke." " Say it was a lie"

" Yes," gasped the shaken one.

"Well said. Now if I ever hear you mention her name again in any of your fool talk, I '11 give you some more of this." And he dropped Joe in the mud- dy road, and strode ahead after Billy, with his anger still seething within him.

The fact that he had beaten the too talkative Joe was nearly as much of a surprise to him as it was to that un- worthy himself, as he limped along be- hind, and poured his profane lamenta- tions into the unsympathetic ears of Jim Barker, who felt that such a course of treatment had long been needed by Joe, but had prudently refrained from taking the responsibility of administer- ing it upon himself.

Mason could hardly tell why he had been so angry ; he had heard Joe say worse things about other girls, and they had passed out of his mind as quickly as they entered. But now his temper had gotten so far ahead of him that he felt ugly all day, saying very little to any one, and even answering some question of Bessie's in as few words as possible, though he was thinking of her most of the time, and comparing her with other young girls all more or less flirta- tiously inclined whom he met every week on his regular route.

He was a handsome young fellow, and those other girls did not hesitate to let him know that they thought so. He won- dered what Bessie thought of him. She always made shy fun at his expense, and that little ready smile of hers did not say anything he could understand. Just then she spoke to him, and the puzzling smile appeared when his answer was so inapt and brief. He felt as if she had detected his mental question. He hoped she would not hear why he had whipped Joe.

IV.

The habit of comparison he then formed continued, and the results, it