Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1894-11-03


able TO offer you home and take you
away from Laurel Run. II was all for
you-it was all for love Of you. Betsy,
my darling. Listen to me-"
In the fury, outraged sensibility, In
dignation and infinite disgust that filled
her little body Mt that moment, she
should have been large, imperious, god
dess-like, and commanding. But God
Is mt times ironical with suffering
womanhood. She could only writhe
her hand from his grasp with childish
contortions; she could only glare Mt
him with eyes that were prettily and
piquantly brilliant; she could only slap
at his OBTAINING hand with plump and
velvety palm, and when she found her
voice It was high falsetto. And all she
could say was: Leave me be, looncy,
or I'll scream!"
lie rose, with weak, confused laugh,
half OF miserable affectation and half
of real anger and shame.
"What did you come riding over here
for, then? What did you take all this
risk for? Why did you rush over here
TO share my disgrace, for you are as
much mixed up with this now rs am
II YOU didn't calculate TO share every
thing else with me? What did you
come here for, then. II not for mc?"
hat-did-I-comc here for? Well!
I came here for John Bakers sake!
John Baker, who stood between you
and death ut Burnt Ridge, rs ] stand
between you and damnation Mt Laurel
Run, Mr.. Green! Yes, John Baker, ly-
ing under half of Burnt Ridge, but more
10 me this day than any living man
crawling ovor it-in-in-". Oh, fatal
climax! "A month OF Sundays! What
did | come here for? came here us
John Bakers Twin wife to carry on
dead John Bakers work. Yes, dirty
work this time, maybe, Mr.. Green: but
his work. and for him only-prccious!
That's what | came here for; that's
what | live for! that's what I'm wait
ing for--to be mp to him and his work
always. That's me-lIetsy Baker,"
She walked up and down rapidly. ty-
ing her chip hat under her chin again.
Then she stopped, and, taking her
chamois purse from her pocket, laid 1t
sharply on the desk.
"Stanton Green. don't be u fool! Rise
M out of this, and be man again.
Take enough out o that bag to pay
what Won owe the gov'mcnt, send in
your resignation, and keep the rest to
start you in an honest life elsewhere.
But light out o Hickory Hill afore this
time tomorrow"
She pulled her mantle from the wall
and opened the door,
lyon are going?" he said. bitterly.
YES" Either she could not hold
seriousness long in her capricious little
| fancy, or, with feminine tact. she
sought To make the parting less diff
cult for him. for she broke into u daz'
2ling smile. "Ycs, I'm goin' to run
liluc Lightning agin Charley and that
way-bag back to Laurel Run, and breal;
the record"
Il is said that she did. Perhaps ow.
ing to the fact that the grade of the
return Journey to Laurel Hill was in
her favor. and that she could avoid tho
1 long. circuitous ascent u the summit
taken by the stage or that owing to the
extraordinary difficulties in the car
| riaTc of the way-bag-which had TO bc
twice rescued from under the wheels OF
the starc-she entered the Laurel Run
hpa,, Office MS the coach leaders came
tra;.ing W the hill Mr.. Home was nj
ready on the platform.
You'll have to ballast your next way
bag. boss" said Charley. gravcly. MS il
escaped his clutches once more in the
! dust OF the road. Tor you'll have to
make new contract with the company
We've lost ten minutes in five miles over
that buc.,ilg thing"
Slr. Home did not reply, but quickly
dragged his prize into the Office, scarce
" noticing Mrs, Baker. who stood be
side him pale and brcatalcss As the
| bolt Of the bag was drawn. revealing
IL, chaotic interior. Mrs lial;cr gave d
! little sigh Home glanced quickly al
her. cmpticd the ba.! upon the floor anc
picked ~ the broken and halt-dlled
money parcel Then he collected the
scattered coins and counted them "lt's
all right. Mrs Baker" he said. gravcly'
"llc's safe this tim
I'm so glad" said little Mrs. Baker
with hypocrltical gasp.
$50 am l." returned Home, with in
creasing gravity as he took the coin
FOR. from al have gathered this af