Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1892-08-18

| her from the room. When they had
disappeared In the distance she turned
to the front door, unbolted and opened
| 1t. Hays Numbered in out Of the snow
with mnttered exclamation, and then,
as the light from the open Office door
revealed a stranger, started and fell
back.
Miss Hays is busy" said the woman
! quietly. I am afraid, on my account.
But my sleigh broke down on the way
to the hotel. and was forced to get out
here. 1 suppose this is Mr.. Hays2"
A strange woman-by her dress and
appearance very wording, and even
drawer in looks and apparel than many
he had seen in the cities-had, in spite
of all his precautions, fallen short of the
hotel and been preeipitated upon him.
Yet under the influence OF some odd alb
straction he was affected by it less than
he could have believed. He even achieved
a rude bow as he bolted the door and
ushered her into the Office. More than
that, he found himself explaining TO this
fair trespasser the reasons Of his return
to his own home; for, like a direct man,
he had q consciousness Of some incon-
sistency in his return, or in the circum-
stances that induced a change of plans,
which might conscientiously require an
explanation.
7You see, ma'am, a rather singular
thing happened to me after I passed the
| Summit. Three times lost the track,
got on 1t somehow, and found myself
travelling in a circle. The third time,
when I struck my own tracks again,
concluded I'd just follow them back
here. I suppose I might have got the
road again by trying and f1ghtin' the
snow, but there's some things not worth
the fghtin'. This was a matter of bust
ness, and, after, all, ma'am, business
| ain t everything; is it?"
He was evidently in some unusual
mood, the mood that with certain reti-
cent natures often compels them to
make their brief confidence to utter
| strangers rather than impart them to
those intimate friends who might after
ward remind them of their weakness.
She agreed with him pleasantly, but
not so obviously as to excite suspicion.
And you preferred to let your business
! go. and come back to the comfort of
your own home and family"
The comfort Of my home and family2"
he repeated in a dry, deliberate voice.
We'll, I reckon amt been tempted
much by that. That isn't what meant.
Buthe went back to the phrase, repeat
| ing it grimly, as If il were some manda-
tory text. THE comfort of my own
home and family! Well, Satan hasn't
set that trap for my feet yet, ma am.
MOI Ye saw my daughter? well that's
dll J0 SEE ILLS TOOulf I4dG .
all my home. My wife ran away from
me; my daughter cleared out, too; my
eldest son, as was with me here, quo He'd
| with me and reckons to set up a rival
business against me. No." he said,
still more meditatively and deliberately,
1T wasn't to come back to the comforts
of my own home and family that faced
round on Heavytree Hill, 1 reckon"
AS the woman, for certain reasons,
had no desire to check this suspicious
and unlooked-fOr confidence, she pa
tiently waited. Hays remained silent
for an instant, warming his hands be-
fore the fire, and then looked up inter
negatively.
"A professor of religion. ma am, or
under conviction?"
Not exactly" said the lady, smiling.
Excuse me, but in spite of your fine
clothes, reckoned you had a serious
look just now. A reader of scripture,
maybe?"
Il know the Bible"
you remember when the angel with
the flaming sword appeared unto Saul
on the road to Damascus?"
Yes"
1T mout hev been suthin' in that style
that stopped me-" he said slowly and
tentatively. Though naturally didn' t
see anything, and only had the queer
feelin'. 1t might hev been that that
SHE'D my mare of the track"
But Saul was up to some wickedness,
: wasn't hep" said the lady, smilingly,
t while you were simply going some
where on business"
Yes, said Hays, thoughtfully, but
3 my business might hev seemed like per
r secution. don't mind tellin' you what
1t was if you'd care to listen. But meb-
/; bee you're tired. Mebbee you want to
: retire. You know" he went on with a
= sudden hospitable outburst. you
3 needn't be in any hurry to go; we kin
Q cost you nothin' And I'll send you on
G with my sleigh in the mornin'. Per APPS
you'll like suthin' to eat-a cup OF tea
Q or-Tu call Zuleika, and he rose with
an expression of awkward courtesy.
Il But the lady, albeit, with a self-satis-
It fed sparkle in her dark eyes, here care
It lessly assured him that Zuleika had al
9 ready given her refreshment, and, in.
: deed, was at that moment preparing hel
: own room for her. She begged he would
Z not interrupt his interesting story
d Hays looked relieved.
d We'll, reckon I won't call her, fol
what was goin' TO say amt exactly
Q the sort o. thin for an innocent, simple
Il sort O. thing like her to hear-I mean,
Il he interrupted himself hastily, tina
8 folks Of more experience Of the WorlC
d like you and me don't mind speakin' Of
q I'm sorter takin' it for granted tina
t you're a married woman, ma am
b The lady who had regarded him viii
o sudden rigidity here relaxed her ex
preston and nodded.
o We'll" continued Hays, resuming his
place by the fire, you see this yer maj
y was goin' 10 see lives about four miles
: beyond the Summit on a ranch tina
|, furnishes most Of the hay for the stool
d that side OF the divide. He's bin holdin
n OF his next years contract with me
: hopin' to make better terms from tn,
o prospects Of late spring and highe
e prices. He held his head mighty higl
e and talked of waitin' his own time
?, happened to know he couldn't Go it.
}: He put his hands on his knees anS
n stared at the fire, and then went on:
q -Ye see this man has had crosses AM