Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-07-11

forwarded to me here. He says he has
been looking for gold in the Southern
mountains.n
Give them to me. must be sure how
much he tells. You had faith in your
husband: You believed he loved your"
II did. We had been very happy"
"You had never detected any thing
mysterious in his conduct"
ION the contrary he was very frank,
very open, very honorable"
Had he property"
II suppose SO; but I was very young,
and after he was gone was alone and
helpless. Nothing was ever DONE"
There may be a mistake. Give me
these papers and I will see you again
soon. will confer with Mr.. Bristol p
then he added. to give her case Of mind
sit will be professional secret. No one
else shall have even a hint of it.
He rose to go. She also arose.
''What are you going to do?" she STAN
mered. II have not told you yet what
want"
why" he said. ST inferred you want
to clear this matter up"
1T is cleared up. 1 want to consult
you about divorce. If he is alive it is
base desertion."
~
be sure of that.''
''This doubt" she murmured, s'these
cruel stories are worse than death. I am
at once enraged, broken-hearted. / have
always thought If he were only, only 1iv-
ing! and now 1 keep praying it may DE
true he is dead"
''You shall not be left in doubt if can
aid you." he said, bowling, and giving his
hand in good night.
IN ShA f1,o
mOney-the fee."
Eve will agree upon that later" he
said, "gOod night"
Next morning he told Bristol all about
it.
81 am going to Santa Barbara, +" he said.
"You look after the Office here. We can
not trust to any half communication
with ignorance at the other end of the
line"
'It seems to me-" said Bristol, irritated
at his ZEAL you might get whatever in.
formation you want by letter quite as
well. Your correspondents spelling may
not be faultless, but the trip is an expen-
sive one."
II can see no other way. According to
the letters which are very ignorant. it is
true, the man is alive. must see that he
really is SO or I must prove him dead"
Bristol, perceiving it was a foregone
conclusion that Warren would have his
own way, made no further opposition,
and within a week of his first introduce
ton to Mrs. Bonamy, Warren started for
the West, armed with all needful infor-
nation.
Bristol had experienced fierce jealousy
over what he considered Warren's adj
vantage. The mere chance of his having
been out of the Office for a half hour on
that fateful day had altered the whole
course of his life, he thought. and had
placed every thing in Warren's hands,
while he, who was already committed to
an interest in the lady, was left inglori-
ously in the lurch. 1t put him in very
bitter mood. He was rebelious, turbu-
lent.
The tedious rains ended with Septem-
Der. and October brought days so warm,
so golden, that all Broezeland entered
upon q series of Midsummer amuse-
ments, picnic parties (ostensibly nut
gatherings. lawn tennis, horseback
rides and even boating.
Business did not hinder Bristol from
being foremost in every frolic The re-
action from what he counted his ill-fort-
une set in at once and he joined gaily in
whatever diversion presented itself.
The only enjoyment that attracted Mrs.
Bonamy from her seclusion was a gallop
she was very fond, and was frequently
one of the parties that went speeding
about the str Gets, or fingered with sober
er-paced horses along the leaf-strewn
woodland paths.
Altogether there was wistful, preoc-
cupied air about her in the midst of these
gay young people. She seemed at least
to imbibe fresh life from the free air and
mOtiOn-that is, il increased color and
hriOhtneSS al face were indicat iOnS
Bristol was possessed to he near her.
After the first few rides he contrived
US ually to be her escort, and on one or
two occasions they made long detours
into the country together, either early
frosty mornings, or after school, when
the shortening days justified twilight or
even moonlight across the returning
paths.
Bristol felt himself hopelessly involved.
He was woven about with a thousand in
visible and intangible threads. He was
just as securely q captive in this mesh as
he would have been if bound with ropes
or iron bands.
He had letters now and then from w ar
rem, who had reached Santa Barbara. but
who had found he must make tedious
Journey to the mountains in search of
the nomad whose letters had so dis
turbed Mrs. Bonamy's peace.
was no correspondence. In view of the
| uncertainty of Mrs. Bonamy's situation. it
was little short of madness in Bristol to
go so headlong in love. Why could he
not have waited a week, month, until he
could be assured of her freedom and that
Warren had not, by reason of his devoted
services, prior claim?
But no! With his most imprisoned
strength he entered upon worship of
her which SO enthralled them both by it's
reckless fervor that she was like wom-
an in dream, and he dweller in cloud
land.
Then letter came from Warren. "Ju-
bilate! have accomplished it" hur-
ried scrawl it was. saying further that
he intended to stop in Colorado on his re-
turn TO look after some of the BOnamy
mining claims. and adding that he had
good news.
Warren returned after a six-weeks' alb
sence. Bristol met him at the train about
dusk, with breathless inquiry. ''Why
did't you tell US something definite, War
REM" he cried, even while they shook
hands in greeting.
sWhat's your great hurry, Bristol, ("
with a complacent laugh. ''Any other
cases?"
"Not one. What did you learn?-for