Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-07-13
CHAPTER XII.
g. NOTHING SHALL. PART rs

heat. over n grassy common, into the
green GOODNESS Of OvershadOwing trees,
Mr.. Quest made his way from the viii
lage station, straight almost as the crow
flies. TO the pleasant abode where he had
been summoned TO attend.
IL was rOomy cottage, quite lost in
n tGngle of green. through which one
caught glimpse of the gold and Grim
son FLASHES Of rioting roses. the SHIN
mer If a fountain playing in the sun,
the white CLEAN of the graveled drive
way, and perhaps the waving Of sum-
mer drapery ut the open windows or
in the low porches which surrounded
the house.
"a deadly quiet, dull place" was
Mr.. Quests inward comment rs he
turned in at the gate. 1t may suit
Mrs. Oliphant for reasons she best
knows. and anything that pleases her
will please her husband: il don't mat
ter TO her daughter, who is i'm love. and
has her lover with her; but | doubt If
il il the sort of life the fair AleXia is
signing for"
The fair Alcxia'' was lettering dis
contentedly in the grounds when he
came out. two hours afterward, from
his interview with Mr.. Oliphant
She was dressed i'm some wonderful
| combination of Swiss ruilles and en-
broidery; the abundant mass of black
hair was disposed in the latest approved
/ style Of waves and braids; the milk-and-
rose face held its brightest color, and,
in short, Miss BraxtOn made vivid
picture of well-dressed young lady
hood, who should have been dazzling
some gas-lit scene instead of wasting
her sweetness in the shadowy recesses
of lonely garden. with no one to see
her but a fourth-rate lawyer of uncer-
tain years.
She took n step forward, neverthe-
less, Frightening visibly.
- IL Is good To see even you,' she de-
/ clarcd, frankly, if not hatteriDgly.
"Why don't YOU make the best of your
opportunity and stay with Uncle Power
rs his secretary or agent or whatever
he wants, instead of starting of on such
n wild-gOose chase rs that YOU were
speaking OFF,
1 Stay, To- let you practice flirting
with me when nobody better offers? i.
that the idea YOU have in your mind
/ Miss Braxton?h
what n sharp little fellow he is to
find il ont said Lex. composedly
That's it, exactly, Harmon. a little
Irritation won't do you any harm and
il would amuse me. 1t was bad enough
in Philadelphia, but it's worse here
Uncle and Aunt Oliphant exist i'm each
other, Dana lives in the light 81 Mr.
Harrington : smiles, and am left out in
the cold-driycn so desperate that vol
| would be relief. I've set my hone,
on you ever since heard Uncle Power
say he thought of getting you TO fetch
and carry between this and town
What's the use of having pretty dresse,
and wearing them if no one ever come
TO admire me in them?'
Something like CLEAN of inspiration
flashed swiftly into Harmon Quest.
eyes.
"Iou are mistaken in one thing" h,
said, in low tone. IL would he liabl,
TO infinite harm, Iwould admire yor
too much for my own good il | were Il
see YOU often. Your amusement woult
be my madness. And yet. AleNia--'
a peal of laughter from Alcxia Gu
short his words.
"Oh, my goodness she gasped
"Do stop! Harmon. didn't think yot
would take me quite So literally ut my
word. You do il capitally, but really
couldn't stand it To be bored by love
making, from yOU. came out here i'm q
bad temper. rs dull rs death. cnvyina
Dana her Launcclot, but YOU have re
stored me to my naturally amiable con
dition."
Yet You object to my playing
Launcelot 90 your Dana?' said Mr.
Quest. plaintiycly. you might hav,
your own Launcclot if YOU were she.
suppose. II YOU were the hciress
your charms would not bc lost in OBJ
security. What would YOU give to be tn,
hcircss. Miss BraNton?'
You are talking nonsense now,
said Miss BraXton. shortly.
IL ann talking the deepest sense, n.
YOU msy live Ia see. What would yot
give IL | were To make YOU an heirrss.
Would YOU marry me out of gratitud,
II l could put you in possession of ;
fortunc?"
Lex laughed again. The idea O
Harmon Quest making love to her wa,
irresistible. Had he attempted it Will
Dana. it would have been quite in keep
ing with her appreciation of his illimit
able "chcck." Lex rather liked hin
for that quality. She was cheeky
herself; but not ungrateful, withal.
I'D do good deal for money!" sh,
said. 'lf You had the fortune and wcr,
To ask me to marry YOU. | might
But no, Harmon, wouldn't; not il vor
were To lay IL at my feet. l won't rails,
your expectations only To- disappoint yor
when the time comes. Do YOU cNpec
To make il out of this detective expert
cnce of yours? Do YOU expect to prov,
me the missing heir of the man who wa
hung? | don't think | would like tina
at all. II my father ever murdered any
body I'd rather not know it, and h,
died in his bed. poor man! so it couldn'
have been he"
Nevertheless. II YOU should com,
into possession of fortune some day
through my agency, will you give m,
the half for bringing it abOut?" persist
ed Mr. Quest.
ION, I'm willing enough To promis,
that" said Lex, ilippantly. provide,
il don't include any legacy Uncle Powe
may be leaving me i'm his will. / sup
pose he is leaving me one?' with sus
picious glance at him. lis that wha
sent you so suddenly to play the devot
eel To me?"
"Hc never mentioned your name il
the Instructions he has given me-" de
clarcd Mr.. Quest.
/ well, then. give it up as an TN
readable riddle" said Lex. turning
away. and Mr.. Quest looked after he
through the gathering twilight with 1
satisfied gaze.
"It's well TO be guarded on nj
points," he reflected. THAT will ism
drawn yet. and it may never be. In
to have il written out and bring il dOwI
To sign BY the end Of the week, Mr.
Oliphant says. but there's n little triI
TO Cuba, my dear sir, to come between
As il couldn't see il was manufacture,
business To draw me away from tina
purpOsel IL bothers me TO know how
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