The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1896-06-26

''And you won't tell me what it iS?''
81 cannot"
"Then tell her; Hugh, II believe
she has right to know"
He looked up quickly. you mean
that she cares for me?"
81 have no right to say it-she, has
told me nothing-but can't help think
ing that she does. She seemed anxious
and disappointed when you didn't come
home last night"
Ringbrand hurried from the house,
resolving to break his engagement with
the colonel at all hazards, but that gen
tleman calmly waived his stammering
excuses aside and made room for him
on the seat of the carriage. "After I've
done spoiled your day, a-draggin' you
over the country afoot, the very least
you can do is to let me cyar' you home
with me, and the mo- especially as you
cyan't make US a visit"
Ringbrand gave up again, for the SIM
pie reason that he had no valid OBJ
lection to offer, and half an hour later
he was sitting on the veranda of THE
Laurels," deep in the discussion of the
race problem with the colonel dis
cussion in which the northern point of
view. Jared indifferently because the
mind of its advocate was too busy with
questions suggested by the pres
ence of Hester Latimer. All through
the argument he was studying her face,
searching therein for the proof or the
contradiction of Mrs. Ludlow's asser-
ton, and tormenting himself by trying
to imagine what Hester would say if he
should tell her of his intended depart
ure and the reason for it.
After an carly tea the colonel excused
| himself, riding off with Henry to the
west farm; a portion of the estate lying
| two miles farther back on the mountain.
When they were left alone together,
Ringbrand made a commendable effort
to keep the stream of conversation flow
ing in trivial channels; but his
thoughts set so persistently toward the
feud, and its bearing upon both their
lives, that he had spoken of it ALMOST
before he knew what he was saying.
II should think it would be constant
source of anxiety to YOU" he said, If
releyantly.
perhaps it would, if knew what it
was" she answered, demurely. o
Pardon mel must have been think
ing aloud. Imeant the feud.''7
She smiled at his preoccupation. 81
supposed that was what you were
thinking OF. No, can't say that it is
exactly a source of anxiety, although,
of course, 1, should be glad enough if
! the Bynums would leave the country.
! 1t isn't pleasant to have the enmity of
such people" Gao.
But your father and brother-don't
| you sometimes feel anxious on their ac-
! count?"
She shook her head. "That would be
disloyal; it would imply a doubt of
| their ability to take care of them
Selves
Ringbrand was thoughtful for a mo-
ment, and then he said: Its dreadful
state of affairs, though, Miss Hester;
should think it would be a perfect
nightmare to you"
ct seems terrible to you, no doubt,
but you must remember that we are
used to it-or, anyway, as nearly as one
can be used to such things. 1 should
feel quite lost without the feud."
II envy you your courage" O.
That's odd. [ didn't suppose man
ever envied a woman the possession of
such an ordinary virtue as courage"
Perhaps it isn't SO commonplace as
you imagine"
'Oh, 1 meant with gentlemen; of
towards, but that is only another way
OF saying that men are brave
I'm not quite sure that follow your
logic. Would you mind giving me your
definition of courage"'
Perhaps will-after you've told me
yours 90
Ringbrand reflected a moment before
answering. Possibly my definition is
not quite sincere. l have always
thought that the truest courage con-
sisted in doing right when it is easier
and safer to do wropg-in other words,
that it requires higher kind of cour-
age to suffer injury than to resent it.
I'm beginning to suspect, however, that
this test can be applied only to martyrs
and to cowards-to the latter, because
they use it as plea for nonresistance."
81 think that is little beyond my
depth" replied Hester, shipping rose
from the clambering bush that covered
the end of the veranda and beginning
to trim the petals into daalia-like pre-
cision with her scissors. Il have al
ways thought of brave man as one
who was simply not afraid of anything:
one of whom it could be said that he did
not know what fear was"
."That always seemed to me like du-
bious praise. If one doesn't know the
sensation of fear, there can be little vir
tue in being brave. To my mind. the
man who realizes the danger and yet
compels himself to face it, though it
5may be with pallid face and shaking
knees, deserves the greater credit"
81 suppose that's true: only never
got that far into the subject before, I
don't often reason about such things,
BECAUSE suppose you would say be-
anything; but it doesn't seem neces-
sary: life isn't so much a question of
motives as of deeds: it isn't SO much
what one thinks as what one does. And
father SAYS one does what his ancestors
did, @
I'm that case ought to be brave
man." said Ringbrand. smiling: my
forefathers We're Scottish clansmen.
and they haven't left q record of many,
other virtues"