Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1892-12-17
A.BROKEN COMPACT.

A BROKEN COMPACT.
I said I wouldn't be fooled by wo-
man the second time, and I mean to
stand by my resolution" Eric Elem
ing said, with emphasis.
He was scrutinizing a young wo-
mans photograph closely, by the
lamp-lighb which filtered softly
through pink globe, filling the room
with dreamy, mellow radiance, that
inclined a man to sentiment, in spite
Of himself.
s'She's not exactly pretty" he re-
peated musingly, "but she's what is
infinitely more dangerous to mans
peace, she's magnetic. It's these wo-
men magnets who play the deuce with
us. Mere beauty of feature doesn't
count for much in the long run. She
looks high principled. Pshaw! Didn't
l think Maude had principle, and
didn't prove her to be the veriest
double-faced creature who ever
weedled man into believing her?"
Eric had known Clara Raymond
for six months or more. He had paid
her good deal of attention in the
non-committal fashion which men are
apt to fatter themselves compromises
no one. "Let us be good comrades"
be had said to her, and she had given
him her hand frankly, and consented.
The face in the picture. seen by the
mellow light, was rather striking and
n1ooe;or 1yb;1o II hold tho uprood q hlo
quality in large degree. There was
the low, broad forehead with wavy
hair combed back from it. the rather
strong nose, and the mouth which
puzzled you by its mixture Of strength
and tenderness. You were sure it
could be kind, you were not sure but
1t could be cruel in its strength. The
laughing eyes were reassuring, but
the next moment attention was drawn
back to the mouth, and strong,
rounded chin. Here. you felt, was
The key note of the character.
1t was plain that the face was an
interesting one to Eric Fleming. 1t
did not need very shrewd observer
Of human nature to see that he had
already passed the boundaries of good
comradeship in his relations with
this woman friend. The exclamation
which begins this story was but
an assumption of Dravado. He had
begun to feel the ground under him
shaky. The bitterness of his expert
ence with Maude was still ranking,
and he felt the need of bracing him
self against the insidious approaches
Of another passion.
Eric was one of those large, good
hearted fellows, who usually begin
lie idealizing women, and who are
apt to cut their wisdom teeth rather
painfully. while learning discrimina-
ton in regard to the inconsistent sex.
He was clear-headed on most matters,
but he was obtuse in spiritual per-
ception, in, common with a greater
number of men than is commonly
suspected. He was, therefore, in
capable of understanding the fine
shadings and gradations Of feminine
characters.
Right here it may be admitted that
women are also incapable of under
standing men. It would be pathetic,
IL it was not often ludicrous, to see
the kindred yet alien spirits of the
two sexes trying vainly to peer across
the gulf which divides their forever
distinct Municipalities
Eric was making big blunder at
present To use homely saying, he
was putting Maude and Clara in the
same peck measure. Maude had been
one of those pretty, bewitching,
frivolous creatures, who take mans
heart by storm, and marry him If
they will to do so. II he is wise, he
makes the best of a bad bargain after
marriage when he finds he is tied to
either an insipid nobody, or a woman
w,o makes harmless Irritation the
business of her life. II he has failed
to secure helpmate, he has no one
to blame in particular.
Clara Raymond, on the contrary
was a strong. womanly character,
with many reserves in store to sur
prise the man who should be fortunate
enough to win place In her regard.
Eric was attracted by her strongly,
vet she seemed sometimes to repel
him. Lately there had been falling
on in her frank friendlinesS He adj
vanced in proportion as she seemed
to recede. And yet she had no in
tention of feigning indifference in
order to lead him a chase. She was
merely following the instinct of self
preservation. She was guarding her
self from crossing a safe boundary.
Danger was not likely to result to
either from over precipitation.
As time wore on. Eric began to find
that his attachment was OF an alto
gether different nature from that he
had felt for Maude. A singular
soothing influence seemed to foat out
from Clara when he he was with her,
and enfold him like . garment
Alone and apart from her be tried to
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