People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1893-06-30


81 RECKON DEFY WON'T Try ANY GAMES
ON ME-"
and all that, for, by Jove, she's always
more like a fellows sister, don't you
know, than his girl. OF course it was
hard lines for me, but l suppose she
was about right" He stopped and
then o ed with kind of gentle per-
sisteacy: "You think she was about
right-don't you?"
With what was passing in Courtland's
mind, the question seemed 81 bitterly
ironical that he leaned haf angrily
forward, with an unconscious move
ment of attempting to catch the speak
er's expression in the darkness. 81
should hardly venture to give an
opinion" he said deliberately. Miss
Dows' relations with her neighbors are
so very peculiar And from what you
tell me of her cousin it would seem that
her desire toplacate them is not always
to be depended upon"
I'm not finding fault with her, you
know" said Champney, hastily. I'm
not such a beastly cad as that; /
wouldn't have spoken of my affairs at
all, but you asked, you know. l only
thought if she was going to get her.
self into trouble en- account of that
Frenchman you might talk to her;
she'd listen to you because she'd know
you only did it out of business reasons.
And they're really business reasons,
you know. | suppose you don't think
much of my business capacity, colonel,
and you wouldn't go much on my judg-
ment-especially now-but I've been
here longer than you and" he
lowered his voice slightly and dragged
his chair nearer CORTLAND, 81 don't
like the looks of things here. There's
some devilment plotting among those
rascals. They're only waiting an OPP
portunity-a single fash would be
enough to set them in blaze-even if
the fire wasn't lit and smoldering
already like a spark in a bale of cot
ton. I'd out the whole thing and clear
out if | didn't think it would make it
harder for Miss Dows-who would be
left alone"
You're a good fellow, Champney,"
said CORTLAND, laying his hand on the
young mans shoulder with a sudden
impulse, land forgive you for over
looking the fact that could help them.
Indeedm he added, with an odd serious
ness and half sigh, Its not strange
that you should. But must remind
you that the Bows are strictly the
agents and tenants of the company
represent, and that their rights and
property under that tenancy shall not
be interfered with by others as long as
am here. l have no right, however, {"
he added gravely, ito keep Miss Bows
from imperiling them by her social re-
lations."
Champney rose and shook hands with
him awkwardly. 1.-THE shower seems
to be holding up" he said, land I'll
toddle along before it starts afresh.
Good night! | say-you didn't mind
my coming to you in this way, did you?
By Jovel | thought you were little
stand-ofish at first. But you know
what l meantp'
Perfectly, and | thank you" They
shook hands again. Champney stepped
from the portico, and reaching the
gate seemed to vanish and become a
part of the darkness.
The storm was not yet over; the air
had again become close and suffocating.
CORTLAND remained brooding in his
chair Whether he could accept
Champney's news as true or not, he felt
that he must end this suspense at once.
A half guilty consciousness that he was
thinking more of it in reference to his
own passion than his duty to the COM
pany did not render his meditations less
unpleasant. Yet while he could not
reconcile Miss Sally's condolences in
the cemetery in regard to the indiffer-
ence of her people to Champney's atten-
tons with what Champney had just told
him of the reasons she had given him
for declining them, l am afraid he was
not panied by her peculiar ethics. A
lover seldom finds fault with his mis-
tress for deceiving his rival, and is as
little apt to consider the logical deduc-
ton that she could deceive him also. as
0thello was to accept Brabantio's warn
ing. The masculine sense of honor
which would have resented the friend
ship of man capable of such treachery
does not hesitate in accepting the love
Of woman under the same conditions,
Perhaps there is an implied compliment
in thus allowing her to take the sole
ethical responsibility, which few women
can resist.
In the midst of this gloomy abstrac-
ton CORTLAND suddenly raised his head
and listened