Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-04-13
CHAPTER xIrr.-coxrrNuEp.

lie addressed the envelope. and after
placing the letter in il, WINS aboN TO
close H. lie paused. and the paper
uembl' Il n little in his hands. Her fin
gers would open this. and he seemed
20 be touching them for the last time
Stowoald hid This paper Zen her handas
she would think angrily Of his boldnes:
m send ng u To her. and she would
never know the weary sickness she had
lett I'M his life. The words, too. would
seem TO her abrupt and Gallons. He
had not even said good bye. or given
the slightest hint Of what comfort il
would bee Co him II he could only know
by and by-a long time hence. no doubt
that she had learned TO think of him
with n little less disdain. But now she
would
Ne started. hastily closed the en-
velope and put n stamp on it-for i'm his
present humOr there was n kind OF re-
lief even IN tho petty act OF sending
letter by post instead OF by messenger.
so that she might understand how
thoroughly he had accepted his dis.
missal
more folly" he exclaimed, bitter
ly. rs he ung the letter down. IL
must get out OF this sentimental brood
ing somehow; what does she ire how
may be suiieringP how can she know IL?
AMI why should she care " she q DIP NV
father - nearer the mark than | think
he really bell ,ves--I am hopeless
IDIOT"
Setting his teeth close. he be ran 10
pa X his portmanteau with vigorous
haste. thrusting things in anyhow and
anywhere. He che ked his reckless
performance several times. and mental
~ sci eel himself by the shOu ders say
ing:
Vow look here, my man. this won't
d.. on are To be perfectly quiet per-
iectly cool, and you are to do everv-
thing IN measured. sensible fashion.
mat - the only way TO recover your
balance
Thercupon he tumblcd everything out
OF the pOrtmantcau again and endeav-
Ored tO pack il with some attention to.
ncatness but the result was not salts
factory.
That letter haunted him IL contained
all That he hal TO say--all that he ought
to say and yet there was SO much that
his who'e nature was craving TO
eNrress 90 her-craving 20 make her
feel and understand But il was non
sense q the most unm tigated and I'M
pardonable kind To- think of il. Why
should he bother her? why attempt 10
make her see his real position. when
every cuOr TO do SO would only supply
another proof o. his apparent basoness.
md his care ness To satisfy her. con-
vince her that IL was her changed posi-
ton which drew lorth his declaration?
She could not believe him: that was
enough Every additional word I'm
scll-,icicusc az present cOuld only de.
grade him the more I'm her thoughts. II
was best to I'll the NAL craving with.
I'm him. or. Ii IL could not be stiued, 20
endure IT, I'D.
The letter should 90 rs II had been
written. ''lt Is my last word t. her. 1
hope she W u be. sOrr, by and by when
she comes to understand the mistake
she has made. Probably she will never
know Il u is so easy TO forget those we
scurn it Is only those we love who
trouble us"
H. was eager TO Get awayfrom the
place. In the vague hope that the hustle
ard movement the train. the strange
faces. and the fcverish hurry of London
lie would distract his thoughts Every
thing about Calihorpc kept the fact
steadily In his mind. that. however in
nOcent In intention. circumstances dis
tincily gave him the chara ter of a
fortune hunter.
Ugh he shrugged his shoulders in
disgust There WIS still three hours To
pass before his train time. and to escape
the house. as well rs with some faint
notion that so long rs the letter was i'm
his hand he wNs stlh in communication
with her, he took IL himself to the post
Office.