The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1892-09-30


u don't bit want to sound Miss
| Kennaird on this question: he softly
/ declared. I'D ever 50 much rather be
| excused Frankly, would"
Alonzo stared at him. and then
/ dropped his eyes ''Oh- you prefer not
| to serve me? All right"
/ ''Why put it like that2" came the re-
ply. I'D serve YOU if I could in some
] other manner l."
Don't think OF some other manner"
| Alonzo broke in, with his voice keen
/ and cold This little favor tests your
| friendship, 1 think"
! ''Oh.' exclaimed Lexington You
| can't mean that" And as he spoke
! there rang to the nearer chilling dif-
! ference of intonatiOn from all others
| that he had ever heard leave his friends
! lips.
II do mean it. - averred Alonzo. 'sYou
know just what trouble has come to
me"
YES It's too bad. It's really horrid,
you know"
.'Tve lost my fortune, Philip I'm
| poor maR."
YES I'm awfalIy sorry for YOU
Thanks, for your sympathy"
/ Lexington began to curl his full,
I dark mustache by slipping a thumb
/ under one OF its ending curves and a
/ forehnger precisely above the thumb
l Then, while completing a little airy
twist of the grasped hairs, he replied;
/ Look hero, my boy, you're devilish
sensitive, I should say"
Fright, Philip am sensitive
! Haven't reason to be2 Now is the
time that what friends I have should
/ stand by me. 1 never thought
/ had many real friends; I hardly be-
| lieved, for that matter, that I had any
at all But did count on you. And
this thing I've asked you to do is such
a small thing"
Philip Lexington rose now, with a
weary sneer on his fine, chiseled face:
"a small thing" he broke forth,
moclzingly. What, pray? I 60 and
/ ask girl who engaged herself to You
| because You had lots of money, whether
she viii have you now that you've lost
| nearly everything Can't you see be
| forehand what her answer Will be? If
/ you've fsncied there was anything
! queer in her department the last time
you met her, can't you"
''Stop there" said AIonzo. He had
risen, too, and though he preserved
much composure an abrupt wave Of his
hand bespoke excitement II deny
that Kathleen Keunaird ever engaged
herself to me because as you put it,
had lots of money"
''Then you're wrong" said Lezing-
ton, gazing down at his well vanished
boots. You're with another tyvirl of
the mustache tip dead wrong, I assure
you"
AIonzo gnawed his lips. 'Phil,' 80 he
cried, what are you saying?"
"Only the TRUTH
THE TRUTH
Eyes, yes"
''But you must be mad to state that
! Kathleen-Oh! no, no, no, Phil!''
Alonzo had caWght his friend by
either shoulder and was Plunging
penetrating look into his eyes. The
latter, with a GOODNESS unexpected yet
distinct, answered, while AlonzO with
drew from him:
cts so odd You ought to know life.
You're old enough"
philip! Philipr' broke from Alonzo.
I'm so s-rry I asked you to go to her.
But you're my friend still? 1t isn't my
. lost money that you're thinking Of?
No, no, Phil, not youi not you
Don't be tiresOme."
1 Lexington might have said volumes
and yet not have expressed a more pun
gent little series Of words than those
three.
. ''Iu try not to be tiresome,' came
Aionzo's answer, as if between shut
teeth. Its quite clear to me, Philip,
that my request bores you"
J well" returned Philip, doggedly,
after > slight silence, 1t docs"
p 1T wouldn't have done so a short
time ago.
, u don't understand
I Don't you? I do"
You seem angry at me- muttered
s Philip; land for no reason"
Z For no reasOn?"
S None that can see A short while
. ago? You mean, then"
ooh! mean what 7 mean, Philip.
d There's hardly any favor that you'd
> have refused me short time ago Now
I you find me of no Importance I've lost
"a
ing"
Lexington flushed holly and tossed
his head. ''Isn't that rather uncivn o.
= youP" he frowned.
y YES, If you choose. But the uncivl
: ity of raw truth has sometimes a Ger
= tain refreshing refinement
81 don't grasp your ParadOxes. YoJ
always eXcelled in them, however"
Alonzo had grown very pale Let i
! all rest there, then, Philip he said
= you've disappointed me horribly
= Good by" and he turned on his hee
with dismissal at once quiet and i'm
4 psriOus.
- Lexington walked to a door anS
/ seized its knob. ''Ohl just as 70,
4 please" he said, sulienly. you keel
n up your pride, but I'm afraid it won
serve You as well as you think. Will
d regard to the money owe you, sine
Z we've both been mentioning money 50
8 so broadly, III do my best"
,e But here Alonzo shot out these ring
ing words:
IL Il don't want dime from you, an,
le I'll be only too glad if you'll conside
ID that debt Cancelled, so to speak, by tn
Il cessation of our acquaintance"
II Across another threshold Alonz
h swiftly quilted the room. No soOne
It was he alone, however, than he re
.e preached himself for undue severity
o.. And yet he did not regret having broker
ID with this man. It was meTcflessl
l. patent to him that Lexington had bee
d the most tims-serving of friends.
IN kind of clairVoyance had told him this
is by flashes at once intuitive and acute
" Hundreds of other men, placed like him
is self, might have meant as much as h
- and said great deal less But Alonz
Of had rarely dealt in seIf-restraints
in Those who liked him best liked him bs
IS cause of such caadorsi those who like
N him least did so because his free speecI
ID his wearing the heart on the sleeve, T,
lis PEELED them from the point OF view O
ne taste, If from none other. And thes