Argosy All-Story Weekly, June 13, 1925 — page 132: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

604 ‘““T fear I ’ave been guilty of the pre- sumption of judging ’er, but I ’ave kept it to myself,” he said. ‘In the case of Jeff I was not so wise, I regret to say. I ’ave spoken of Jeff as a fool and a coward, in the ‘eat of anger and the madness of vanity. But of the young woman I ’ave kept silent. I make no judgment—zat Is to say, I make none intentionally; and I refuse to be con- sidered a judge; and so I do not admit the stupidity and guilt of ’aving judged or mis- judged.” Lem looked at him then. ‘ What the devil’s eatin? you now?” he exclaimed. ‘What you talkin’ about, anyhow? All I said was that we was wrong about Dora; an’ there you go preachin’ an’ jawin’ at me worsen if it was me had hied and stole an’ run away with a girl. All I said was, we was wrong about that young woman.” ‘“Zat is all you said, Lem; and it is a great deal; and I ’ave said not a word, and I continue to say no more zan zat.” “T don’t know what ye’re drivin’ at, Jules. lf it wasn’t that I know you as well as I do, I’d say you don’t know yerself— for it sounds like nothin’ but damn sloppy- brained foolishness to me.” Jules smiled. ‘‘ Turn my words over in vour mind, my dear Lem,” he said cently; and then, moving forward a step, he re- sumed his work. Lem resumed his contemplation of the trampled snow and chips at his feet, sitting with his elbows on his knees, his shoulders hunched and his head bowed. His brow was clouded. For fully ten minutes he re- mained thus silent and motionless: and then he sat up sharply and cried, “ D’ye mean that we didn’t misjudge her?” Jules was quite a distance away by this time, among the top branches of the tree, but still within easy earshot; but he made no more sign of having heard than if he had been north in Restigouche County. “Tf that’s what you mean yer crazy!” cried Lem. Jules stepped down into the snow, which took him in half-way to the hips, and topped-off the tree with four blows of his mighty ax. He did not even glance in the direction of his friend. Lem stood up and set out for the house in dignified silence. ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY, Jules continued his job of manufacturing cordwood, calmly, smoothly, efficiently. The friends did not meet again until sup- per time. During supper, Lem told the Skellogs there assembled that Jeff’s wife was home again, with nothing to show for her foolishness but a certificate of marriage. Mrs. Skellog looked embarrassed. Tom, who was nobody’s fool, was on the point of re- marking that perhaps a marriage certificate was the very thing she had eloped to get, when he caught Jules’s eye, changed his mind and refrained from saying anything. The meal was continued and concluded in an awkward silence. Lem and Jules re- tired to their own sitting room, as usual. Jules set a match to the ready-laid kindlings between the fire-dogs and Lem sat down and gazed with a preoccupied air at the chess men, which were just as they had stood when Dora had turned the knob of the door last night. “Your play,” said Jules, taking his chair; and, ten minutes later, Lem was checkmated. Tem sighed. “TI can’t put my mind onto it to-night” he said. “I felt bad enough before, knowin’ him to be a lawbreaker and a thief—an’ the way he treated that Griffou sirl. That was bad enough, God knows— but the way he used Dora! I could die of shame for him! Guzzlin’ liquor, lyin’, runnin’, loose round the city all night—an’ never a stroke of work to earn an honest dollar for her!” ‘She did not convey the impression to me of ’aving been stinted in the matter of ‘er wardrobe,” said Jules. ‘“What’s a few clothes?” cried Lem. ‘‘ Sure he’d buy her a few clothes, or let her -buy ’em, for the sake of his own vanity.” ‘“T believe vou,” returned Jules, setting up the chess men. ‘“Ye’re hard,” said the other. “ It ain’t like you, Jules. If I didn’t suspect different I’d suspect that you was down on that un- fortunate woman because ye’d been in love with her verself. That’s what it looks like. But why d’ye blame her for what hap- pened? She was a fool to take a shine to Jeff—but she ain’t the first. You misjudge her.” “T refuse to judge or misjudge anybody, ” COMICLOO S CO