Dodge City times., 1888-04-12

left q triangle OF glass II WHICH the ugnI
did not fall Through this she saw Painter
stopping forward to look into the room. The
shaggy beard reached his eyes He moved
his eyes from the portrait to look at Phoebe.
''Sometimes dream about him." contin-
ued Miss Fawcett, coming back of nights
to stare in at the windows. He'd be just
the man to ghost around and make ones
hair rise"
''Look there!' whispered Phoebe, stretch
ing out her hand. "Dut he's gone"
Psyche dropped her hands and few with
faint scream to hold around her guest.
''Oh, what did you see!-one right behind
my back!''
''Don't mind.' said Phoebe, forming her
lips to laugh. ''Tha5;s only the second vision
I've seen through window this evening"
''But what was it!'' MISS Fawcett palpi-
tated.
''Just Painter: the man who lives alone
up the hills
''Oh! I've heard of him. He is harmless,
isn't hel Was he looking in?''
Eyes. And how sorrowful his eyes
werer'
II should love to have him made sorrow
ful,'' said Miss Fawcett, relaxing her
breath, ''for prowling around here and ter
rifying US. Now snan't sleep for week." p"
lit might be l imagined it," said Phoebe.
This is an unlucky night for me to look out
of a window
1--WE are both perfectly silly pronounced
Miss Fawcett, ''shut away here by eur
selves. l am afraid of the dark and Of
spooks: and so are you if you would unbend
your martial bearing and own it."
In the listening attitude which twenty
four hours had confirmed to habit Phoebe
sat in the schoOl-hOuSe and waited for
Thorney. All the seats were empty, but
ridges of dust around the bottom of the
desks and clay tracks on the floor showed
where young, restless feet had been. A
sum in fractions remained upon the black
board. The fire was dying in the gray and
elderly stove, which seemed to deny having
ever indulged in red-hot fits Of roaring
when wind and snow atoutside. A barky
odor came from the Wood-box, and from it
also Gept out mouse to smell at crumbs
dropped at noon. Perhaps PhRbe's moving
hand, perhaps the appalling dreariness Of
the schOolhOuSe interior, terrified the
mouse, and it flashed back in gray streak.
Somebody's COW in the woods, reminded by
associations of sad experience in her life,
uttered mellow, plaintive lowing. Feet
shuff1ed and bumped upon the step; then
Thorney White brought them in and straight
to the wood-box, where he stood digging
the mud off by scraping his heels across the
box's edge, as if this were the object of his
entrance. Phoebe came down the aisle and
took hold of his arm. The unshuttered win
dows threw plenty Of light around them; it
was not yet five o'clock.
Thorney gave a pettish jerk and continued
digging with his heels. She stood patiently
aside. Search as she might, she could never
find comfort or support in his face yet she
could not bring herself to guide and control
him with more firmness than tenderness
In the secret folds Of her heart she owned
he was modification and pain; but be-
ing her brother he ought to have an average
struck between them and be endowed with
half Of her abilities.
"You aren't cross tonight, are you,
Thorneya" said Phoebe.
Thorney responded that he didn't see no
sense in leaving his work to run at her beck
and call.
II didn't want you to leave your work
would have waited till your work was
DONE"
Thorney growled that his work was never
done. He didn't have fal,ss taking him to
parties; he couldn't drive around big and
proud and keep his brother s-hooping 1t.
"Oh," said PhGoa, wita an accent Of quiet
despair. Thames been with you, hasn't
Ia
''Oh, no, you'd never do that," said
Phoebe, lowering her voice detiantly.
''Oh, yes. 1 would. I'd do just that. My
hair IS turnin'. l ought to have young
hand in training for my old age. You've
dragged him around at your apron string
too long, anyhow. Now, see here, Thorney,"
Thane chewed rapidly at his tobacco, jerked
his head as low as the windOw-sill and in
stantly reappeared with one cheek distend-
ed; 'here Glands your sister and her fine
notions about honor and honesty that she's
always preached at you. But has she done
any thing for you!"
''She never took my tin whlstle,'' NUT
tered Thorney
''Blast your tin whistle! only took it to
make you follow me round. You listen to
me and you'll get your tin whistle back and
the cash to buy plenty more. Don't you
have to work hard for very little money!"
Thorney doggedly acknowledged his in
juries.
''Go away" burst out Phoebe, ''and let
the boy alone. You are only trying to tor
ulcuG ulc HILL 1Ou SHuHL QaTm
him.
''No. want to do him good, said Thane.
''You see it's herself always, and you and me
counted out, Thorney. When you're as old
as am she'll want to drop you altogether
like she does me. Her programmes work
for you and easy times for my lady. Pu
make your fortune for you.''
'Now you're gittin' it down to a fine
oiv1f l,ol
grin.
''Why doesn't he make his own fortune"
demanded Phoebe, ''instead Of constantly
stripping us!''
Thorney's expression changed to blank
and open-mouthed doubt He could grasp
but one idea at q time, and his feeble
hold on that kept his head moving like
ball betwixt these two more powerful nat
ures.
'sYou ought to be enjoying ife," contin.
ued Thane, ''instead of chopping and dig.
ging for living. You ought to know
where gold watches and full pocket-books
grow, and you've wit enough to get at them
if somebody gave you a few hints''
''He gets it down to a fine point" said
Thorney, challenging Phoebe.
"Look into my eyes, Thorney," she said.
he attempted to do so but his gaze sank
before her blazing earnestness. 'Did he
ever do any thing for US but get us into
troubled Have we not learned what we
know, in spite of hims Haven't we always
been happiest and safest when he was in
prlson9 Is it likely that he will ever be diff
ferenta"
Thorney now challenged Thane with q
wag Of the head
"Shs's gittin' down to fine point" he re-
marked.
"You and I must stand by each other.
What have 1 in the world but you, Thorneyi
have enough to bear without your desert
ing me''