The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1874-04-30

ued Sir. McClosky, alphabetically, ''he'l
known me q long time"
But his daughter had already dismis-
sed the question with her usual direct,
ness. "I,u be down in few moments
father" she said, after . pause. "bu
don't saw anything to him about it
don't say was abed."
Mr.. McClosky's face beamed. "Yor
was alters good girl, jimmy" he said
dropping on one knee the better to I'M
print Q respectful kiss on her forehead:
But Jenny caught him by the waists and
for a moment held him captive. Faith
en-" said she, trying to fix his shy eyes
with the clear, steady glance of her own
"sll the girls that we're there tonight
had some one with them. Name Robin
son had her aunt, Lucy Rance had hel
mother. Kate PiersOn had her sister-al
except me had some other woman, Faith
er. dear" her lip trembled- just little,
"i wish mother hadn't died when l wal
so small, l wish there was some Other
woman in the family besides me.
ain't lonely with you, father dear; but ii
there was only some one, you know,
when the lime comes for John and
me-"
Her voice here suddenly gave out, but
not her brave eyes, that were sun hxeo
earnestly upon her face. Mr.. McClosky,
apparently tracing out q pattern On the
bed Quilt, essayed words OF comfort:
"There amt one OF them gals ez
you've named, Jirny, eZ could do what
you've done with whole Noah's ark OF
relations at their backs! Thar amt one
ez wouldn't sacrifice her nearest relation
make the strike that you hev. Ez TO
mothers, may be. my dear, you're dom
better without one." He rose suddenly
and walked toward the door. When he
reached il he turned, and, in his old de-
nrecating manner, said, ''Don't be long,
Jinny." smiled and vaniehed from the
head downward, his canvas slippers as
| sertipg themselves resOluiely to the last.
| Whel Mr.. McClosky reached his par
| lor again his troublesome guest was not
there. The decanisr stood on the table
untouched; three or four books lay upon
the floor, a number OF Photographic
views of the Sierres were scattered over
the sofa; two sofa pillows, a newspaper
aud Mexican blanket lay on the carpet
as if the late occupant OF the room had
tried to read in q recumbent position.
A French window opening upon YER
anda, which never before in the history
of the house had been untastened, now
betrayed by its waving lace curtain the
way that the fugitive had escaped. Mr..
McClosky heaved 4 sigh of derpair; he
looked at the gorgeous carpet purchased
in Sacramento at fabulous price, at the
crimson satin and rosewood furniture
unparalleled in the history of TuOlumne,
at the massiyely framed pictures on the
walls, and looked beyond it, through the
open window, to the reckless man who,
fleeing these sybaritic allurements, was
smoking a cigar upon the mOonlit road.
This room, which had 60 often awed the
youth of Tuolumne into filial respect,
was evidently failure. 1t remained to
be seen if the Rose herself had lost her
| fragrance 81 reckon jimmy will fetch
him yet" said Mr.. McCloaky, with par
entail faith.
He stepped from the window upon the
yerands. But he had scarcely done this
before his figure was detected by the
stranger, who at once crossed the road.
When within few feet of McClosky he
stopped. "You PERSISTENT. old planti
grade" he said, in low voice, andiOle
|
full of affected anxiety, why don't you
90 to bed. Didn't tell you To 90 and
leave me here alone. In the name of all
that's idiotic and imbecile, why do you
continue 10 shuttle about here. Or are
you trying to drive me crazy with your
presence, as You have with that wretch
ed music-box that I've Just dropped un-
der Wonder tree? IT'S an hour and half
vet before the stage passes; do you think,
do out imagine for a single moment,
that Can tolerate you until then-eh.
Why don't you speak? Are you asleep:
You don't mean to say that you have the
audacity to add somnambulism to your
weaknesses; you're not low enough to
repeat yourself under any such weak
pretext as that-eh!"
A fit of nervous coughing ended this
extraordinary exordium, and half sitting
half leaning against the veranda, Mr.
McClosky's guest turned his face and
part of a slight elegant figure toward his
lost. The lower portion of this uptur'
ned ZACH wore an habitual expression o
fastiduOus discomfort, with an occas.ona
lite of physical suffering. But the blow
above was frank and critical, aud pai
of dark mirthful eyes sat in playful
Judgment over the supersensi,ive mouth
and its suggestion.
81 allowed 20 go to bed, Ridgeway,'
said Mr.. McClosky, meekly, ''but my
girl Jinny's iiist got back from littl'
tear up at Robinson's, and amt inclined
to turn in yet. You know what girls is
So thought we would jist have a socla
chat together to pass away the time"
"You old hypocrite, she got back al
hour ago." said Ridgway, as tina
savage looking essort of herse who h
been haunting the house ever since. Cal
testify. My belief ia. that, like an enter
prising idiot, as you are, you've drsgee,
that girl out of her bed that wa nigh
mutually bore each other"
Mr.. McClosky was too much stunned
by this evidence of Ridgway's apparent.
uperhuman penetration to reply
Alter enjoying his hosts confusion foI
moment with his eyes. Ridgwas'
mouth asked grimly:
"And who Is this girl. anyway
"Nancy's."
"Your wife's?"
"Yes. But look var, Ridgway," SAT-
McClosky, laying one hand imploringlI
on Rideeway's sleeve, mot a word abou
her to JIMMY. She thinks her mother
dead-died 10 Missouri. Eh?'
Ridgeway nearly rolled from theve
; randa in an excess OF rage. Good God
; Do you mean to saythat you have beer
/, , concealing from her fact thatany day
any moment, may come to their. ears
That you've been letting her grow u
in ignorance CT something that by Til
|, , time she might have outgrOwn an
forgotten? That you have been like
besorter old ass; ali these years, slowl
, forging a thunderbolt that any one ma.
crush her WITH That"-but her
|, Ridgeway's cough took possession of hi
voice, and even put moisture into hi
dark ewes, as he looked at McClosky'
aimless hand feebly employed upon hi
beard.
"But," said McClosky, Took no,
: she's done. She's held her head a
: li,h as any of 'em. She's to be marie
in a month to the richest man in th
l county, and" he added, cummings
sack Asbe amt the kind o. man TO 81
and hear anything said of his wife 0
: byr relations, you bet. But hush-that'
her foot on the stairs. She's cummin'.
!. heShe came, don't think the Frenc
window ever held finer view tina
: when she put aside the curtains an
. stepped out. She had dressed herse
> simply and hurriedly, but with a wo
mans knowledge of her best points, 6
!. that you get the long curves of he
shapely limbs, the shorter curves of he
:, round waist and shoulders, the lon
. sweep Of her yellow braids, the light {