Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1885-12-10
e. 1 know I'm getting on in

s.Not at all!'' broke in the widow.
protesting with both plump. white
hands, one of which By some mad
vertence fingered upon the blue sleeve
of the policeman uniform.
..Yes, an,," said he, with the air of
a man who wished to be particular
about small things, land I've lived
alone all these years. The widow
looked at her slipper and shook her
head sadly.
(Which has been a matter of sur
prise to many" he continued. But
the fact is I've never met a woman
really wanted till now!" Mrs. Trussel
lifted pair of humid black eyes full to
his for a moment and dropped them
again.
Mop" she sighed interrogatively.
"No," repeated the officer. ''but
lately found it very dull spending my
off hours round the station or up at
that lonesome clearinghouse. l
haven't even dog to look after. There
isn't person in the world who cares
whether come home safe at night or
get killed in row on the docks. ;"
Tears actually came into the listeners
eyes at this.
80, Mr.. Kyter she protested ''it's
most unkind of you to say so when you
know how anxious I've feel about
you. Many night I've started up out
of my sleep thinking saw one of
those dreadful sailors coming at you
with knife!' Both of the plump
hands were on the sleeve of the uni
form now. Even the unsopbisticated
sense of officer Kyle could not help see
ing something curious in this last re-
mark. Did the widow think he meant
to make love to her? He was chival-
rOus soul, and would no more have
fOstered such mistake than he would
have perjured himself. Besides, he
had a great respect for Nannie's
mother, as such. He cast about him
for means to eXtricate himself from the
difficulty, but the widow, still with
tears in her eyes and quaver in her
voice, went on:
"I'm sure | know how to feel for
you. Ever since dear James died I've
been so lonesome that, but for Mamie
and your visits, l must have lost my
senses; and now that Mamie is going
| 10 leave Hit
"Or' cried Officer Kyle, relieved,
thinking that after all she might not
have misunderstood him, ''tlat needn't
be, I'm sure; no one would think of
separating you" But the widow was
unconsoled. She drew in her breath
with sob. '.He may take her away
any day, and then what shall l do?"
| "YOu don't mean that she's engaged
to that young fool with the spotted
necktier' calculated the desperate
sutton, with unmasculine intuition.
Mrs Trussel threw herself back in the
chair.
"There, now," she cried, II told
Mamie you wouldn't approve of it,
"You told her that?" he roared.
Then sense of his own helplessness
came over him and he said quietly, with
grim humor: "Well DON'T
''It's agreat pity" sighed the widow,
''that when we're so happy otherwise
we should have such trouble as this"
| The visitor rose.
"Well," he said, between his teeth,
| ''under the circumstances l don't see
as there is anything left for me TO do"
He was going, but Nannie's mother
| clasped him about the arm and held
him there.
Don't be angry with the poor
child" she cried. "She's always been
an obedient daughter to me, and
hope she will be to YOU" The I'M
fortunate officer positively staggered
as he felt the full force of this blow.
'But, Mrs. Trussel--" he was be-
ginning when the impulsive widow
| threw herself forward and leaned
against him, sobbing.
Il don't-know-how to thank
you for being-so kind" she managed
to say between gasps. you'll never
| repent it-no, never You wouldn't
mind kissing me, would you, George?"
There was no use in Officer Kyle let
ting his arms dangle by his side. Nam
| ME. the golden-headed, tender-hearted
little goddess of his dreams was lost to
him forever The future seemed to
him as bleak as December day and
well, the widows eyes were black and
her lips were rosy, so he kissed her.
Then he rushed from the house.
He was obliged to hurry back to his
beat. He walked with his eyes on the
0EOullCs uiICOllSClOuS VI cNCI tillHS uuo
the incoherent agitation of his mind.
He could have struck brother officer
who stopped him with pleasant
'.Howdy' do!'
"There's mighty pretty girl a-bow
in to you," said his friend. land
couldn't be mean enough to let you
lose it" Officer Kyle looked back.
why, it's Mamie Trussel! he ex-
claimed, with an embarrassed blush.
'She looks smilin' enough" his
friend continued. 81 suppose it's be-
cause she's thrown over Dick Smith.
They say woman's never so happy as
when she's breaking somebody's
heart" Kyle started as if shot.
"What! That little dude with the
spotted necktiep' he cried, trembling.
don't know nothin' about his neck
ties" the other man was beginning in
humorous tone, but officer No. 1,414
was in hot pursuit of the escaping cul-
prit, who walked unconsciousE down
the street. She looked as rosy as a
June sunrise when she saw the tall fig