Page 115 of Ruby (Landry 1)

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"Finally, I was able to get my father interested

in some hunting trips. We traveled to the bayou to

hunt duck and geese and contracted with your

grandpere Jack to guide us, That was how I met

Gabrielle."

"I know," I said.

"You have to understand how dark and dreary

my life seemed to me during those days. My

handsome, charming brother's wonderful future had

been violently ended, my mother had died, my wife

couldn't have children, and my father was slipping

away day by day.

"Suddenly. . . I'll never forget that moment . . . I

turned while unloading our car by the dock, and I saw

Gabrielle strolling along the bank of the canal. The

breeze lifted her hair and made it float around her,

hair as dark red as yours. She wore this angelic smile.

My heart stopped and then my blood pounded so

close to the surface, I felt my cheeks turn crimson. "A rice bird lighted on her shoulder and when

she extended her arm, it pranced down to her hand

before flying off. I still hear that silver laugh of hers,

that childlike, wonderful laugh that was carried in the

breeze to my ears.

"Who is that?' I asked your grandfather. "Just my daughter,' he said.

"Just his daughter? I thought, a goddess who

seemed to emerge from the bayou. Just his daughter? "I couldn't help myself, you see. I was never so

smitten. Every chance I had to be with her, near her,

speak to her, I took. And soon, she was doing the

same thing--looking forward to being with me, "I couldn't hide my feeling from my father, but

he didn't stand in my way. In fact, I'm sure he was

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