Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1896-12-10

said, on his way home from the beach
tried short cut which ran near the
knoll. Leaving his team in the little
hollow where Dorothy Gray afterward
found him, he cautiously approached
the hummock and climbed to its sum-
NIT. Turning corner of the house, he
came face to face with Lamar. What
talk passed between the two 1 never
learned, but the intruder departed in
such haste that his foot slipped on the
slope, and he fell. From the way he
limped on arising, Lamar believed that
his ankle was sprained, but he con-
trived at last to reach his horses. He
had picked up the lines, and was pre-
pairing to climb to the wagon-seat,
when his injured ankle gave way, and
he fell. AT the same moment the
horses started. The fore wheel of the
loaded vehicle passed over his leg, and
before he could get it out of the way
if, indeed, power to move it remained
the hind wheel had completed the work
the other had begun. Lamar from an
upper window of the house watched
what was happening. and, so far as I
could determine from his account of it
spent most of his time until the girl
helpless man stretched out on the
ground at the bottom of the depression.
When Dorothy hurried to his house for
assistance, he sat within, listening IN
moved to her knocks upon his door and
her cries for help. Moreover, he pre-
vented old Martha from responding to
the summons, when sounds of it pene-
trated even her dulled hearing. These
things he related as calmly as if they
had occurred at the other end of the
earth, as shamelessly as if there were
no sense of pity in him. What my
opinion of his conduct might be appar-
emily concerned him not in the least.
He sat there telling the tale of his heart
lessness, with the cold, dispassionate
directness Of a man who is his own
judge, and who holds himself blameless
and beyond the need of apology.
HE will survive, you say?" he asked,
in the same level tone of indifference he
had maintained throughout.
''We hope that he WILL" I answered,
striving to keep all trace of feeling out
of my voice.
'The odds?''
LAST night they were against him;
to-day they are in his favor
"Ah! He rallies?'
''He has the best of constitutions. In
that lies his hope. I may as well tell
you that in his incoherent talk last
night made out the word mis-. AIKEN
1t was repeated several times. Did it
have any bearing on his visit here %
Lamar's face bore the grim smile
which, rare as it was, was the unit Of
his demonstrations of emotion
cit had bearing he said. 1.-The
man regarded me as a suspect He
thought me a criminal of this country,
in hiding. When we met, he perceived
his mistake. That is ALL"
''And you have no fears that lie may
cause you trouble?'
''None," he answered. And he picked
up his book, to warn me that orr dis
cussion had reached its close.
I left him as gladly as one leaves a
room the air of which is heavy with pois-
onous vapors. I was oppressed by
him, by his cruelty, by his utter disre-
gard of the sufferings of another. Often
had been on the verge of hatred for
him; now realized that the line had
been crossed, that the feeling that
was bound to obey his nod, to come and
go at his command, would be more
odious than ever. Why had not the
courage to denounce him to his face
and to quit his services then and there?
Why had I listened cowed and unpro-
testing? Why, even now, did not
turn back to ease my conscience like
an honest man and to cast off the yoke
which CALLED me? In my own heart
the answer was only too clear. By
degrees Lamar had gained an ascenden-
cy over me, until now, even as cursed
him, I recoiled at the very thought of
boarding him, of daring to pit myself
against his relentless will. Moreover,
I realized that within the last few
months a fresh reason for caution had
| sprung into existence. They say love
| makes men brave; know it sometimes
makes them towards.
| When I approached the farmhouse,
still bitterly considering the difficulties
| which seemed to hedge me about, Mrs.
Weston appeared in the doorway.
I've got message for you,' she
called out "Your birds flown
What? Not Jones? He can't be
| moved" cried.
mo, he's here fast enough. DIR.
Banks has called, and says he's doin'
well; no more fever than to be looked
| for. But he's got something to do with
|