Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1894-04-07

life exists in the man. who for hours
has remained in the one position.
alone with his bitter grief, his terrible
disappointment
The figure is that OF Adrin Dyke.
He has not recovered from the horrible
! blow rs yet. lie has gone into the
dining-room after Gardner has left
him, seen to the departure Of his I'M
welcome guests, sha p eyed. bitter.
tongued busy-bodies. h shtlien hands
with Bellnap at the door, and has then
gone to his library to wrestle with his
sorrow, his disappointment Night has
come. Darkness steals upon him
Sti he does not move. lie is un, on.
ious of the lapse of time, needless,
caring nothing Of the hour, thinking
only of his sin. OF its horrible conse-
quences. by his action he has ruined
his every prospe brought disgrace
and shame upon himself and family.
enriched his brother and one of those
children who, but w days before,
he had designated as brat A bratl
All, the brat will ride in her carriage,
he surrounded with every luxury,
while he lie rises to his feet his
fa:e working with violent passion. II
must not be! This vast fortune shall
not slip from him: rather disgrace,
rather the humiliation of confession
than that; rather the scornful, con-
tcmptuous eyes of the world, their
condemnation, than poverty.
lie has resolved in his desperation
upon daring step. He will carry it
out.
The clock in the hall strikes the half
hour. He strikes n match and looks at
his watch-hulf-pas nine. lie has an
appointment with Conrad Gardner
at ten. lie goes out into the hall. The
house is As still rs death. No one
seems 10 he stirring. The hall lamp
is burning, casting q sickly light
around. lie dons slouch hat, turns
his collar up around his throat and
goes out into the night to keep his ap.
pointment. He hurrics down the path,
out Of the gate. on past Gardeners cot
tage. He does not see the dark form,
which, keeping in the shadow of the
trees which skirt the roadside, follows
him-a dark shadow, but one with
wide open eyes, keen ears. A danger
GUS shadow. He leaves the road, leaps
over fence, and makes his way to a
small grove about two hundred yards
from the road-a grove used Tor picnic
purposes.
The shadow follows his example In
the centre of the pleasure ground is n
square platform probably sixty feet
square, used by pleasure seekers as n
dancing pla form, by the negroes of
the vicinity rs place for open dir or
camp meet ngs, tn, platform ut that
time being filled with benches carried
out from the churchD upon which the
devout sit and hear the exhortation Of
their sable pastor. who makes use Of
the musicians railing upon one side
as pulpit. Toward this place Adrian
Dyke directs his footsteps. and reach
Ing It. sits down upon the edge Of the
platform TO await the coming Of his
servant.
The shadow halts in the shade of
the trees. lie Is close enough to see
and hear.
1t is not long before the craclxl-
ing of dry twigs, under the tread
Of q heavy foot, announces the
coming OI 06EuucI. 0OOu nc mbk66
his appearance. Man and master are
face to face.
"You are q little behind time" the
master begins.
"You know there amt anybody to
wait on my missus but me, and the baby
was very fretful," answered Gardner,
In an apologize tone.
1T matters but little. There Is time
enough between now and daylight.
You say the child IL peevish?"
"Yes, sir. She amt been we'll for q
day or no. She caught cold that
night"
'sIIush-h-h! Don't speak so loud.
Perhaps she did. That was sad mis-
take on my part, Conrad. modify.
.'Yes, sir. indeed IL was" quickly.
''But you can help It, sir, hope.
anxiously.
II hope SO, Gardner. hope 90"
gravelyi but 1t is terrible thing TO
do"
After all was done; after such an
awful crime, not 10 have Il come
right, . mutters Gardner, looking about
him fearfully.
eyes. Il was = crime" answers the