Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1877-07-07

the whole lower part of the barn before
ascending the ladder which led to the
loft. She hoped to find eggs enough
down below, but was disappointed in
doing so, and accordingly began her
search through the sweet-smelling hay,
singing gaily, for her heart was light.
All at once she gave shrill scream, for
in one corner of the loft, half covered
by hay, she saw the figure Of a man.
Jane was brave girl, but she could not
stand such sudden fright, and would
have screamed for help had not the
man raised himself on his elbow and
spoken to her.
ado you not remember me, Jane"
he said s'Where is the ring?'
Jane felt her heart throb violently.
81 have it," she replied, "but l did
not think to see you again. Why are
you here?'
al believe l am dying" he said,
quietly, resting on the hay his hand
some head and reaching out to her one
white, shapely, though very thin hand.
me- Let me die alone. am not so bad
as you may think me. I've committed
no crime. l went to prison for half
numbering a man in a fit of drunken
passion. I've never touched liquor
since. But no one cares for me, my
mother and sisters are dead, and the
brother who should have helped me
stole my property and left me a beggar,
and the girl was to marry Tilted me for
a rich, old jew. No, Jane, there is
nothing for me to live for came up
in this loft, hoping to die alone and I'M
noticed. came here, for here it was l
heard the first kind words which had
greeted my ears for months"
He sank back heavily at the conclu-
sion of this long speech, which had evil
IDENTIFY tired him greatly to utter.
Jane went up to him and put her hand
On his head.
"You are burning up with fever"
she said, qnietly, 'and lying in this cold
barn, too"
al am not cold. The hay is soft to
lie on he replied.
Jane took off her heavy cloak and laid |
/ over him.
There T. ere stay quietly here until re-
He madeno answer, but lay still, look
ng at her with sad, weary, blue eyes,
which Jane thought so beautiful.
With fleet steps she returned to the
house, land burst into the kithen, startling
Mrs Crane so that she overturned cup
If milk she held.
"Oh dear, Mrs. Crane" she cried,
md then began to tell her of the poor
nan lying in the barn, emitting to speak.
If the fact that she had met him before,
)ut Mrs. Crane interrupted her
YOU'D better call father and the
Tired man, and make them get him out
md set him tramping."
But Jane begged and pleaded that she
hould nurse him, for he was burning
Up with fever and not able to walk. o,
ould she not have him in the house;
he would let him occupy her own little
Dom, and she would sleep on the kitch-
n sofa.
"What, take drunken tramp into
he house to nurse!" cried Mrs. Crane,
nut the end of it was that Jane coaxed
er into allowing the poor man to come
VI just d usty VI t"o, anu 81 shc ran
ack to the barn, and with the help of
he hired man, got him into the house,
nd on to the white, sweet bed in her
wn room.
Leila was wild with delight. and pro-
ounced him perfectly elegant" and
lsisted on being allowed to carry up all
is meals.
1--WE must find ont all about him. |
aid Mrs. Crane, softened by beseech-
lg look from the large blue eyes of the
drunken tramp a
But it was long before they even knew /.
is name, for it was five weeks before l
e regained possession of his right
,nses again, for when they brought him :. =
ON the barn he was delirious with fe-