Dodge City times., 1888-04-12

''You no account wretch said Phceoe TO
the face thus meeting her from sczno lower
world, 'you cans do s1y thing but ssarc
up from the pit yo, ara ia
THAT whistle COS: ::1o 3 quarter Of o do,-
lar" ruminatcd Thorncy, bitterly.
BE comforted ;:bou. Il. I'horncy," said
his sister, laying her hc:d against his arm.
eve will surely get our whistles back YETI
''Thane never took mono from you"
HE has not left mo cvca 4 pc-iiy wiaistle,
Thorney, 70 a.4.ase myself with Since you
and woTo uttlo chilGrc1i.''
The spring days succeeded ono another IN
monotony. Thero W., change going Oh IN
the oarsh, nnd tho bs,is s,voiled largo upon
tho traos, though scarcely flush oi grocp,
even ii. the awakening iohons, showed It
self through tho woods.
Phccoe felt another change GROWN &
around her. Shs was ns i-st 30 alert Cor
Thames expected footg:o.o t..IaS tue meaning
OF whispa-j ID hcr scio2l, hints from Randy
Thompson, cal tho si.oacos Of ITs. Holmes,
quito cscapc1 Eer. Ho did not appear Her
breath By degrees grow froer, and she
turned rsail to tic si-..ylo picasG-c5 Of e7s-
istenco to find they wore taken from her.
If she coaxad Toddlcs TO rock on her lap
Mrs. Holmes had an errand with him out Of
the room. Ecr host looked a. her with q
puzzled expression snd stinted his usual
cordially. $40 net Adam and aIose Guy
once or twice. a1d thair curious insolence
brought fire into her eyes
There were ouch giiences at table that
her food cnolzed her. It was no longer
Randy's pleasure to wait on the pretty
creature whom she considered such child,
and to sit in Phobes room when every
body else was in bed, telling neighborhood
traditions. No one wanted her to do any
thing for lim. An invisible circle of sep
aration WIS drawn around her. Twice she
walked t. the farmhouse where ThOrney
was hireG, to make sure that no harm had
befallen him, and enjoy his unthinking
companionship. Mrs. Holmes spent an aft
ernOon with Miss Fawcett, and brought not
the slightest message from one girl to the
other. ''And liked her so" thought Phoebe.
"And she was SO kind to me.'' Gurley
called, AMI Mrs. Holmes gently devoted her.
self to his entertainment. Also whatever
latent soiicitudc she felt for her distant
cousin, Milton McArdle, now became active.
His readings with Phoebe were in some way
overruled. She stayed much in her own
room. When she came out she carried
herself with helpless defiance
lying awake at night crushed under her in
visible load, land tell him all about Thane.
He may have mercy on me; I'm not wanted
here"
"There's talk goin' round the neighbor-
hood" Randy reluctantly volunteered, once
when the girls face touched her. Talk had
never gone around the neighborhood about
herself, and this enabled her to state the
fact severely.
ayes, suppose there ISL said Phoebe.
"Don't you care!" demanded Randy.
"Would my caring stop it!"
" 1t might stop some things"
~ don't think it would,' said Phoebe.
Randy fixed her eye in dismay upon SO case
hardened person.
Folks don't like the looks,' she further
revealed. MRS. Barker, she seen him,
too''
Mrs. Barker is not talking about mes'
Every body is. How can they help it?'
"They can't help it, replied Phoebe,
bearing her head erect and undisturbed into
privacy. There she hid it under her bed
clothes, kneeing by the bed and clenching
the mattress with her teeth while she
stormed and sobbed alone.
That day, however, she prepared her note
IOf Mf. barker, saying:
''You knew when you got me this school,
Mr.. Barker, that Twas a girl without friends,
and you vouched for my character. There
is a sore truth in my mind, and l know great
tales are going around the neighborhood.
AS far back as ThOrney and 1 can remember,
Thane White our elder brother, has been a
criminal. Many people have been kind to
me, or 1 could never have got on and kept
Of hic a 1.-Two "
we could and in many places. Once was
nurse to some children in nice family, and
the lady taught me almost like daughter,
until Thane, as usual, shadowed me, and
drove me off by attempting to make thief of
Thorney. Thorney was at work near me-
The boy is not as bright as some boys, but
he is all my family, and he likes me. l could
not have him turned wicked, and Thames
deeds are more horrible than can tell. At
first pitied Thane, and tried to help him.
He always took our earnings; he wants
them yet. I don't feel kin to him; 1 could
let all my blood run out if that would free
me from the relationship
"Thane has followed US here. It doesn't
seem any use to run from him, and he has
all the advantage when l turn on him.
There is nothing ahead of me, young as
am, because he can reach out and spoil
whatever do. I have thought over these
things until they break me down. May
come to your house and ask advice of Mrs.
Barker and yous Though there is talk in
the neighborhood l can not help feeling you
are both friendly toward me. He was in
the woods the evening took supper with
you. If you can send some word to the
school-house shall be as have been this
year past-yours grateful! for many kind
nesses. PHDBE WHITE"
This message was intrusted to the hands
of boy who could not read script, and who,
as a reward for his services, was delivered
from school an hour before dismissal. He
lived near Mr.. Barker's house, and was
charged not to lay the paper out of his hands
until Mrs. Barker should receive it from
him at her door; and his delighted heels
at first spurned the dead leaves with true
zeal. But he saw Painter tramping along
the edge of the hollow, and being boy he
could not help feeling the leaf-mold for
chip, stick or stone, and having found
shrunken walnut, whizzed it after the her
NIT. Painter turned; 50 the boy was
obliged to dodge behind tree and sl1ulk
from one tree to another in following up his
game, for he was not the boy to turn his
back in the midst Of sport. Other shrunken
Walnuts tnumped tne ground ABOUT falnter
or pelted him right heartily. He concluded
to come after his assailant; so just as the
boy laid the note down to break a promising
clod into handy chunks, the shaggy man
lowered directly over him. He was away
like darting hornet. The note, out of
hand, was out Of mind, until Barker's cabin
appealed to both memory and invention;
and the boy spent the rest Of his homeward
iOnrnov h,1iiino a nausih1o tale ahor1f tfa
documents fate
Phoebe sat still after the last pupil was
gone, dreading. to 60 home. Perhaps she
h1snod M Rn,. .lx,,. ,,crl,4o "a has.