Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1892-08-11

Il reckon you won't be wanting any
supper before you go? You're almost
sure to be offered somethin' up al
Horseley's, while il have to cook you
up suthin' now and still have the mems
regular supper to get at seven, 1t makes
all the expense OF an extra meal.
Hays hesitated. He would have pre-
ferred his supper now, and had his
daughter pressed him would have ac-
copied it. But economy, which was one
Of Zuleika's inherited instincts, vaguely
appealing 70 him to be as a virtue, in
Interchangeable with charity and abste-
miousness, was certainly to be encour-
aged in a young girl. 1t hardly seemed
possible that With an eye single to the
integrity OF the larder she could ever
look kindly on the Establishments OF his
sex, or, indeed, be exposed to them. He
said simply: Don't cook for me, and
resumed his attitude before the fire as
the girl left the room.
As he sat there grim and immovable
as one of the battered fire-dogs before
him, the wind in the chimney seemed to
carry on a deep-throated, detected, and
confidential conversation with him. but
to really have very little to reveal
There was no haunting reminiseence of
had always occupied in preference to
the company or sitting-room beyond.
There were no familiar shadows of the
past lurking in its corners to pervade
his reverie. When he did reflect, which
was seldom, there was always in his
mind vague idea of a central Injustice
to which he had been subjected, that
was to be avoided by circuitous move
ment, to be hidden by work, but never
to be surmounted. And tonight he was
going out in the storm, which he could
understand and fight, as he had often
done before, and he was going to drive
a bargain with a man like himself and
get the better of him if he could as he
had done before, and another day would
be gone, and that central injustice which
he could not understand would be cir
cumvented, and he would still be hold
ing his own in the world. And the God
of Israel, whom he believed in, and who
was a hard but conscientious Providence,
something like himself, would assist him,
perhaps, some day to the understanding
of this same vague injustice which He
was, for some strange reason, permitting.
But never more unrelenting and un-
sparing of others than when under con-
viction of sin himself. and never more
harsh and unforgiving than when fresh
from the contemplation of the divine
mercy, he still sat there grimly holding
his hands to a warmth that never
seemed to get nearer his heart than that.
until his daughter re-entered the room
with his carpet bag.
To rise, put on his coat and overcoat,
secure fur cap on his head by a wooden
comforter, covering his ears and twined
round his, throat, and to rigidly offer a
square and eather-beaten cheek to his
daughters dusty kiss, did not, appar-
emily, suggest any lingering or hesita-
ton. The sled was at the door, which,
for a tumultuous moment, opened on
the storm and the white vision of a
horse knee-deep in a drift, and then
closed behiud him. Zuleika shot the
bolt, brushed some flakes of the inVad-
ing snow from the mat, and, after fru-
gally raking down the fire on the hearth
her father had just quilted, retired
through the long passage to the kitchen
and her domestic supervision.
1t was a few hours later; supper had
long passed; the hands" had one by
one returned to their quarters under the
roof or in adjacent lofts, and Zuleika
and the two maids had at last abandoned
the kitchen for their bedrooms beyond.
Zuleika herself. by the light of a soil
tary candle, had entered the Office and
had dropped meditatively into a chair,
as she slowly raked the warm ashes
over the still smoldering fire. The
barking of dogs had momentarily at
tracted her attention, but it had sud
denly ceased. 1t was followed, how
ever, by a more startling incident-a
slight movement outside, and an attempt
to raise the window
She was not frightened; perhaps,
there was little for her to fear; 1t was
known that Hays kept no money in the
house, the safe was only used for
securities and contracts, and there were
half-a-doZen men within call. It was,
therefore, only her usual active, burn
ing curiosity for novel incident that
made her run to the window and peer
out; but it was with a spontaneous cry
of establishment that she turned and
darted to the front door and opened it
to the muf1ied figure of a young man.
Jack Saints alive! Why, of all
thingsl" she gasped, incoherently.
He stopped her with an impatient
gesture, and hand that prevented her
from closing the door again.
Dad amt here?" he asked, quickly,
no"
@When'u he be back?"
Not tonight.
Good" he said, turning to the door
again. She could see a motionless
horse and sleigh in the road, with a
woman holding the reins.
He beckoned to the woman, who
drove to the door and jumped out. Tall,
handsome, and audacious, she looked at
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