Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1893-02-23

tonight, Cousin Bessie" he said, easily.
81 really believe you have discovered
that the judges grandmother was
Scotch; though he has dropped the Nc,
which clings to me-"
''You are mistaken, SIR" the digni-
tary answered, rather frigidly, at inter
ruption of his tete-a-tete.
'.Beg pardon, really!'' the young man
retorted, blandly. 81 thought 1 had
read that about you in something some
where; but we're making history so
fast, nowadays, that really fellow
can't pretend to keep accurately to it. !"
''Where do you come from, Willie?"
Miss Bessie asked, her quick tact catch
ing the boys pert tone. ''You are dread
fully late, sir!''
s'Not bit of it, COZ. Been here an
hour-in the conservatory with la belle
Nina, from Philadelphia. Was routed
out by your mammals Roman regard as
she strolled in on the arm of Peyton
Fitzhugh Handsome dog, that fellow;
and deep, too"
'"That swarthy, handsome man just
now at the dOor?" the secretary queried
quickly, as he caught the flush deepen
ing on the girls cheek.
YES" she replied.
"A friend OF yours, Miss Bessie?"
81 know Mr.. Fitzhugh," she answered,
quietly; bat she shot a quick, meaning
glance at her cousin, as she added,
''but we have seen very little of him of
bate
''From the name he should be Vir-
girian,'' the Judge said.
--Or Scotch, Hke-ne," Willie Mckee
added, innoccntly, coming TO the res
cue.
The minister only smiled at the per-
Eistent badinage of the youth; the wife
of another great man-herself a bril-
liant neutrality-suspicious. the piano,
surrounded by an admiring group, and
as the secretary joined it Bessie West
chester slipped her arm into her cous-
in's and passed into the deep bay win
dow.
Anything more?' she asked, eager
ly, as the shadow of heavy curtains
yelled them from the buzzing thrOng
without.
Eyes; everything is ready the boy
answered low. Carroll Meredith got
back from Prince Georges this evening.
Old Pete recrossed last night; the river
is clear, and I am going down duclxing at
two o'clock in the morning"
81 am so glad!'' the girl murmured,
feelingly. ''She is SO wretched at the
delay"
There is no moon; and no picket, that
know Of" Mckee went on ''Still,
thought it safer to get passes for myself
and boy I had that dapper Yankee,
Maj. Bond, for supper, to get them.
That is the reason was late
''You dear, good boyr' The girl held
ont her hand warmly. ''But what risk
for your
The clear face of the boy grew grave,
but he retained the little hand gently,
as he answered, with earnestness:
''i.i,si1 Tor me! Bess, you forget the
grave peril for her. You forget, too,
that would risk something really Sc
rious-ten times this-for your His
other hand covered the little one he
held
Her face was turned away, and she
withdrew her hand-but very gently
as she answered, in half sigh:
t'Hush, Willie. We are not speaking
of that now. But do thank you, with
all my heart. Tell me,"-she inter
rupted herself suddenly,-''wasm mamma
really talking seriously with Peyton
Fitzhugh?''
answered. Coming suddenly on Miss
Nina and me, she stopped, but not be-
fore had heard her say: But you are
Viginian; your place is therep and had
caught his reply: Perhaps; but moth
ing is doing this weather. 1 may go
across, and Then he caught sight of
us and stopped to shake hands with me-"
You're welcome!' the girl said. with
a toss of her head. ST am glad he did
not, with me! / mistrust that man,
Willie. His name and race should make
ohm a southern soldier; yet he stayed
abroad long, and now dawdles about
Washington and Baltimore as a society
man. while his brothers are sleeping in
snow and eating mule feshi''
''Well, scarcely that bad" the youth
retorted, with a smile. ga letter old
Pete brought Carroll from Gilmore
Howard is full of muffin worries and
starvation dances in Richmond Lord!
nearly forgot! This is for her,, the run
ner said it was for your mother; but l
could not catch her alone" He drew a
tiny folded slip from his pocket, glanc-
ing warlly out to see if prying eyes
noted its transfer to Miss Bessie's fair
hand and Its quicker disappearance in
her bosom.
81 don't like Fitzhugh's course, my
SELF" he went on; land I hope your
mothers lecture may wake him up"
Not if his own self-respect sleeps"
the girl retorted, bitterly. ''He doesn't
look like a bastard in war"
''Nor a 1aggard in love, neither, ii I
can judge man." Mckee urged. "a
face like his must have the soul of q
man behind it. Then he's so lately
from Europe"
''Three MONTHS" she broke in. Cam
paigns are planned and won in less
Jimei 1t had been more graceful to
stay abroad than to return only to
lounge about union clubs and toady
Yankee officials
Perhaps he came here tonight on
their account" Mckee answered, with
one of his quizzical lifts of his eye
brows- But wasn't he soft on her
once? 1t seems to me that at Capon,
her first summer out
q quick, warning gesture cut off his
speech and wheeled him to the light. as
Mrs. Gray approached, leaning on Fitz-
hugh's arm.
The latter's quick eye rested but an
instant on the young man, flashed back
to the girl and then his face-raised