Wichita eagle., 1888-08-14

logged watchfulness. Luck is more apt to
15cneC them, TO eau out all the slumcerlng
forces in them and show the stuff of which
they are made. He had turned and followed
Miss Vonderpool at respectful distance,
that afternoon he had met her on the street.
1t was getting late, and ne had some old fash-
Toned notions, now almost out of date, preju-
dicial TO woman's going about at night, IN
protected, upon the streets. When he saw
the lonely direction in which she was tend
ing, he bad followed still more resolutely, for
be knew the character Of the men along the
water front better than she. And who could
tell whom she might meet in that wretched
place at such an hours When she stopped 10
look seward he had gone down over the
marsh, both because he had some instruction
to give to his foreman and because he feared
sne would discover him in turning back. He
bad been first to hear the wild, beseeching
cry, and to realize its purpcrt; TO start out
with party Of men provided with lanterns,
planks, ropes, everything neadfuf; to man a
boat and row fiercely up the slough, flooded
at high tide, directly to tbs spot where hu-
nan life-so precious TO him, was going out;
to throw himself out upon the morass, brac-
ing himself on the planks they had brought,
and finally, Like the true knight he was, 10
gather the unconscious girl in his arms, COW
cred with mud as she was, and wrapping his
coat about her, bear her to the place she
called her home.
But John Ashton was not the man TO claim
any recornpenSe for the service be had rem
dered. The more serious her peril, the
greater the risk he had run on her behalf
the more need that he should be delicate and
distant IN all his bearing toward her; that he
should try to make her forget he had ever
pressed any claims upon her. He would not
have come now had he been his own free
agent. She saw that the moment he opened
the door, and shrank from her own thoughts
He surnlissed the look upon her face, and in
terpreted il in his own way. So she disliked
him SO much that it CALLED her to think that
he lad put her under such obligations. Wei,
WELT If he had had time TO consider, it
might have been better to have left IL TO one
OF the men, or, at least TO have concealed his
own connection with it.
"You are feeling better, Miss Wander
pool!n
There was not note in bis voice beyond
the ordinary requirements OF courtesy. She
answered him in kind
be seatedr motioning him to chair.
81 thank you" But he still remained
standing, his hat in his right hand, his left
hand-was it her fancy, Or were the fingers
clenchedf-hanging easily beside him.
Il came" he said, in matter Of fact way,
''about a matter of business. tried 70 speak
to you on the street today. You were not
willing to listen. You were right 1t was
not the proper place"
''You mistook 1t wasn't that was pre-
occupied; l couldn't have talked then-with
any one" she explained, hurriedly, and in
low voice He scarcely noticed her words.
and did not at all comprehend them, but
went on, in formal business way:
ga matter of business. l was authorized
to conduct some negotiations with you. They
concern the Vanderpooi estate"
Weak as she was, and broken as she was,
she could not suppress little laugh, only
half rIirthful, but wholly sarcastic. The
Vanderpool estate! What had there been Of
it since she came into possession of it but Al
inextricable tanSle Of debt and litigation,
lapsed contracts, and forfeited rightsl
'Now that we have got ready for work we
are in q position to negotiate for the tidelands.
There are seventy acres belonging TO the
Vanderpool estate lam empowered to make
You the following offer"
lie drew paper from his pocket and
named q sum which took Miss Vanderpool's
breath away. Enough 70 restore the lost
glory of the Vanderpoois Euough-nore
than enough-to buy back the old home
where her mother had died and she was
born; enough TO restore her to the life of af
Guence to which she had been bred; enough
to place her forever above the reach of the
petty privations and raking cares that had
sat 50 heavily upon her but yesterday. She
raised herself up on one elbow and looked at
him. Her eyes, always large, shown with an
unnatural briiiance. He thought her exult-
ing over her restoration to wealth end
power.
~ won't ask you for en- answer now" he
said; perhaps you would better consult
lawyer. May sag TO the company that you
viii give your answer il Ssrising9'
lie Yves moving toward tie door, rot even
waiting for her answer, for 10 had deter
mined to give her 10 opportunity to refer to
the everSs Of the day. lie was arrested by
single word:
''Johnl'
No woman ever speaks in such way TO
man she does not love, but the men do not
always understand JOHN Ashton did not
understand. He came hack and stood By her
side, looking down doubtteully into the shin
ing eyes raised TO his own, then quickly
turned away. He was ealy man ef1er al,
end bad some bitter rscollecttoE5 TO steel him
against any betrayal Of weakness. Besides,
she was @ rich wona1 low, richer than SIZE
had been in the days when he had assured
her be would have been TOO proud to ask her
to share his life.
"Johh, are you going-sog' He under
stood then; slowly ct first, with a dawntng
comprehension of all the words meant to him
and TO her. Then heaven itself seemed 10
open to him, as be gathered her into his
arms.
Had any other VaHderpool ever made over
lures to The man she loTedj Would the
cheeks Of the dead and gone Vanderpools
have reddened With modification could they
but have witnessed this shameless betrayal Of
her hearth Somehow Miss Vanderpool was
so happy that she did nc. care. And as for
the MONEY
sit would have seemed Ike q curse II it
had parted Us, dear" she said-Flora Haines
Lou.head in The ArsoEaut-
A vic..-a Of Nature.
Tranp-I kno~ St, naa'am; I'm always out
Of work, but its I'll ny cussed luck