Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-12-03
She was at bay now and her eyes

She was at bay now and her eyes
flashed with unwonted fire.
''What il amp he asked, doggedly.
t'Only this. That you can take the
things back with you to Buffalo. was
not too proud to accept them and should
have found them useful, but your coarse
allusion to my need gives too strong a
flavor of charity to your generosity.
You may have paupers in your own city
much more worthy of your bounty"
Hundreds! haven't a doubt of it, !"
Mr.. Evesham assented, utterly uncon-
scious of the sarcasm. ssBut that is
neither here nor there. The question
is, what are you going to do with this
deserted child? Let me state my propO-
sition before you decide. If you choose
to behave in a sensible manner and
place her in charge of the city author
tiles, will continue to give you my
protection and assistance, to aid you
in clothing and educating your chill
dren, and, perhaps, to find career for
your son when he is old enough to go
out into the world; but if you obsti-
nately persist in encumbering yourself
with her support, shall decline, in the
name Of myself and family, ever again
to hold communication with you. 1t is
a choice between the brat and ME!''
He made the 'sme'' impressively en-
phatic, as though in his opinion she had
no alternative.
The widow was very pale. Even the
swapping of this slender link which
bound her to her husbands kin hurt
her keenly, but she bravely raised her
big, brown eyes, wet with tears, and
said:
81 think, Isaac. shall keep the
baby"
An angry retort rose to the lumber
mans lips, but ere he could speak he
was shocked into silence by the startled
attitude of his sister-in-law, who stood
before him as though petrifed with
fear.
Esther" he said, with some little
conjunction, 81 didn't quite mean
to-
''Oh, hush!" she cried, laying her
hand on his arm. ''Are you deaf? Do
you not hear?'
The lumberman caught the infection
OF the lady's terror.
"No! What? Whereof he gasped,
staring in vain for an explanation.
''Hark!''
For moment, silence. Then, over
footsteps, as though some one was NOV
ing cautiously in the room above.
Gracious, Esther, how you scared
me. Is that all?'
''It is in number SIX" she replied in a
frightened whisper; 'sthe room is I'M
occupied, the door is locked and have
the key in my pocket"
Mr.. Isaac Evesham was prompt in
action.
t'You stand on the stairs here, Esther,
to see that no one escapes by the front
door, while l fetch a policeman" he
cried to the trembling widow, and be-
fore a word of expostulation could
reach him, he had snatched his hat and
was flying down the street at a rate
highly creditable to his physical condi-
ton.
1t was not very heroic to leave the
woman to bear the brunt of the adven-
ture, but his was not the stuff of which
heroes are made, and he may be forgiv-
en- if he preferred the common-sense
view of personal danger over the stall
wart shoulder of an officer Of the law.
It was very provoking. He certainly
was not gone five minutes from the
house; yet, when he returned with a
patrolman, he found the front door wide
open and his sister-in-law lying on the
stairs in a fainting fit, with two fright
ened servant girls chatting her hands
and using other homely arts to revive
her.
''Why are women such bundles of
nerves." he queried, petulantly, mop
ping his face with a large bandanna
handkerchief
ugh, you brute!" the pretty house
maid flashed, Indignantly, whereat he
collapsed into sullen Indifference.
Presently Esther's eyes opened, and,
with long-drawn sigh, she feebly
asked:
els he gomez
'sWho?"
'sThe man."
''What man?'
s'The photographer"
Snow, bless my soul, what rank mad
ness! What hysterical nonsense!" Mr..
Evesham CALCULATED. ''Do for goodness
sake try and be a woman, Esther-at
least try and not be a woman, for they
are all emotions try for just two