The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-07-25
THE SOUBRETTE ROLE.

Fairfax Compton delivered himself of
this speech with manner haItserlous' halt
cynical.
His friend was lazily swinging in the
bright colored Mexican hammock beside
him. He took his pipe out OF his mouth
long enough to quote:
From the center all round to the sea
am lord of the fowl and the brute.
Fairfax laughed again. Don't mention
the sea-" he said. You couldn't find a
brook with a magnifying glass. There will
be some respectable fowl which we can go
out and shoot after supper, quail, etc. AS
to the brutes, you will judge for yourself
l mean the indigenous breed, not the cattle
or sheep. Shake up coyote and JACK
rabbit in a bag, and which would come
out ahead l wonderi"
Jack Holden was contrast to his host.
He had a round, good natured face, and a
proboscis which pointed skyward
"Your nose and faith both look up, not
down." Fairfax had said to him years be-
fore, apropos of hymn which was sung
by the boys at boarding school.
This remark had caused a battle royal at
the time, for like most men with unruffied
dispositions Holden would fight on occasion
like a tiger 1t was the knowledge of this
reserve force in him which enabled Fairfax
to forgive him his habitual serenity and to
use discretion in teasing him.
1t was Helden's first visit to the Texas
ranch which Compton had purchased three
years before; he had been anxious to in
vestigate that young mans wild expert
ences earlier, but he had waited for an in
vitation.
! At last Compton sent him one Of his
! short, characteristic letters, always nearly
! related to kilograms. 1t was Helden's fad
| to imagine himself an artist, and indeed
she builded better than he knew" for his
painting was lifelike and beautiful
Suppose you try your hand on the see
ery around here" wrote Compton, 60
come the prophet and interpreter of the
prickly pear. At any rate bring yourself
and your brushes to Texas and spend two
or three months with me-"
Compton had met him with an ambu-
lance and pair of mules at the last Amer
lean station on the Rio Grande.
The ranch was situated thirty miles
away, and it was on the afternoon OF
the second day that the foregoing CONVEX
sation took place. The two young men
were seated on the veranda, or rather what
might have been veranda.
1t had the elements of one, for it was
covered over with a matched roof sup
ported by pillars made of pealed tree
trunks, and there were several comfortable
chairs scattered about, as well as the ham.
Knocks swinging 10 the pillars
1t had no floor, however, except that here
and there some large fiat stones had become
imbedded in the earth. The house was
built of sun dried brick called by the MeXi-
cans adobe In color it was pale lumber,
with fecks of yellow.
The month of May was warm enough to
suggest their proximity to Mexico Holden,
to whom ranch was still such a recen;
acquaintance as to represent the variety
which is the spice of life, stretched himself
and endeavored to yawn as if oppressed by
the heat.
Compton smiled at him. One of the least
pleasant expressions of his striking cOun
tenance was its smile. There was always
lurking demon of understanding so much
more than it was necessary to mention.
Don't yawn, Jack" he said, you really
needn't. / have been swearing at tn,
weather all the afternoon in dead earnest
You are still desperately interested in th'
beastly hole"
Thus abjured Mr.. Holden sat up in biz
hammock and let his quick eyes wandel
again over the scenery of west Texas
The recent rains had made the le DIS int
an emerald symphony, for gras foliag
and cactus were all of one shade. Tn
sky was blue, without cloud, but neithe
mountains nor water varied the monotony
There was the tinkle of an occasional bel
hung upon an unseen animal. Save 70
this and their own voices there was Ia
sound at all in the quiet afternoon.
Helden had dozen quest hangini
on the end of his tongue, but for some rea
son they remained pendant. Compton wa
not a promising person to interrogate, d
, be sat there with his square jaw turned t
, his friend. He was a heavily built youn
fellow, with a tawny mustache, short hal
(Which all his own vigorous cutting coul
not keep from curling) and somber bu
observant eyes. His ordinary manner wa
, quietly courteous. but it always gave tn
impression that it could be somethin
/, widely different and vastly more disagree
able.
To do him justice, this impression wa
? generally verified His friends knew tina
he had left Philadelphia two years befor
because he had chosen to fall desperatel
in love with young and beautiful widow
She was possessed of golden charms d
l well, but her pride in other ways was S
great that she forgot TO concentrate it
/ dollars.
! Compton did this for her. He resolve
10 take what small capital he had and 9
, out into the wilds OF somewhere TO couqut
fate and lucre He did not ask her I
marry him, but he made a most efectiy
/ leaVetSklug
Holden had rather 4 clear remembrance
l Of the occasion, as he had sat in the BAG
2 parlor talking to Mrs. Gorgaue's prett
! cousin during the progress Of II.
/ Elizabeth GorEane had risen % say far
a well. She held out her white hand an
D looked at Fairfax keeniy with inscruyab
> gray eyes. She was very tall, very blon,
very beautiful. They were almost Of
height, and Holden, as he saw the coup
through the opening OF the portlcos, sa
, 10 himself that IL would take just such
: woman 10 bring Compton TO terms. Pc
Y sonally he Isst .-s. .s..se.y AFRAID Of -.
GorGane-
Fairfax took her hand very firmly. He
, den understood the movement. He b.
seen his friend grasp an oar or a swlngir
bar with just sucn a gesture. EhzaDe'
appreciated the situation and listen,
while he made MS speech
: u suppose II Is a twice told tale 70 e
Q YOU That love you. co aot ask you
n marry ne Yet. l am TOO poor now, and
d would not live on your money 10 save
+ both. know ! haven't done much SO Is
q but
; She interrupted with her laugh Of lig