The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1896-10-02
ClkzARENsE
1S2A ST.
COPYRIGHT. 1894. ny
RREr HARTe. ~
PART I.
COP FRIGHT. 1894. ny
BREr HARTE.

CHAPTER L-CoNTINUED.
Thoroughly alarmed at her threats,
In his efforts to conceal his feelings he
q was not above a weak retaliation.
Stepping back he affected to regard
her with a critical admiration that was
only half simulated, and said, with
smile: Every well done-but you have
q forgotten the flag" She did not finch.
Rather accepting the sarcasm as trib-
ute to her art she went on with increas-
ing .exaggeration:
mo, it is you who have forgotten the
" fag-forgotten your country, your
people, your manhood everything for
that high-toned, double-dyed old spy
and traitress! For while you are stand
ing here your wife is gathering under
, her roof at Robes a gang of spies and
traitors like .herself-secession leaders
and their bloated, drunken 'chivalry.'
o Eyes! You may smile your superior
smile, but 1 tell you, Clarence Brant,
chat with all your smartness and book
learning you know no more of what
goes on around you than a child. But
others do! This conspiracy is known
to the government, the federal officers
lave been warned; Gen. Sumner has
been sent out here-and his first act
was to change the command at Fort
Alcatrez and send your wife's southern
friend-Capt. Pinkney-to the right
about! Yes everything is known but
one thing-and that is where and how
this precious crew meet! That alone
Enow, and that 1 have, told you.''
"And 1 suppose" said Clarence. with
an unchanged smile, that this valua-
BILE information came from your hus-
Oand-my old friend, Jim Hooker?"
No." she answered, sharply. 'It
comes from Cencho-one of your own
poems, who is more true to you and the
old Rancho than you have ever been.
He saw what was going ON and came to
me to warn you"
But why not to me directly?" said
Clarence, with affected incredulity.
ASK himt" she said, viciously. Per
haps he didn't want to warn the master
against the mistress. Perhaps he
thought we are still friends. Perhaps
=" she hesitated, with a lower voice
end a forced smile, perhaps he used to
see US together in the old times."'
Every likely" said Clarence, quietly,
land for the sake of these old times,
Susy," he went on with singular gen
tleness that was quite distinct from his
paling face and set eyes, Il am 60
ing to forget all that you have said of
me and mine, in all the old willfulness
and Impotence that 1 see you still keep
with all your old prettiness." He took
his hat from the table and gravely held
out his hand.
She was frightened for a moment
q with his impassive abstraction. In the
old days she had known it-had be-
lieVed it was his logged "obstinacy"-
but she knew the hopelessness of OPP
posing it, Yet. with feminine persis-
tency, she again threw herself against
it. as wall.
You don't believe me! Well, go and
see for yourself. They are at Robes
now! If you catch the early morning
stage at Santa Glare, you will come
YOU try M?"
Whatever ,do,' he returned, smil-
ingly,. 81 shall always be grateful to
you for giving me this opportunity Of
seeing you again-as you were! Make
my excuses to your husband. Good
night!7'
-'ClareDce!'
But he had already closed the door be-
hind him. His face did not relax it's
expression, nor change as he looked
again at the tray with it's broken viands
before the door, the worn, stained hall
carpet, or the waiter who shuff1ed past
him.
He was apparently as critically con-
scious of them and of the close doors of
the hall and the atmosphere of listless
decay and faded extravaganza around
him as before the interview.
Had the woman he had just parted
from watched him she would have sup
posed he still utterly disbelieved her
story. But he was conscious that all
that he saw was part of his degrade
ton, for he had believed every word she
had uttered.
Through all her extravaganza, envy
and revengefulness, he saw the central
truth-that he had been deceived, not
by his wife, but by himself. He had
suspected all this before-this was
what had been really troubling him,
this was what he had put aside, rather
than his faith, not in her, but in his
ideal.
He remembered letters that had
passed between her and Capt. Pinlney
letters that she had openly sent to no
torious southern leaders, her nervous
anxiety to remain at the rancho, the in
nuendoes and significant glances OF
friends which he put aside-as he had
this woman's message!
Susy had told him nothing new of his
wife, but the truth of himself. And the
revelation came from people whom he
was conscious We're the interiors of
himself and his wife. To an independ-
ent, proud and self-made man it was the
eliminating stroke.
In the same distracted voice he told
the coachman to drive home.
The return seemed interminable,
though he never shifted his position.
Yet when he drew up at his own door
and looked at his watch he found he
had been absent only half an hour.
Only half an hour! AS he entered the
house he turned with the same abstrac-
ton toward a mirror in the hall as if he
had expected to see some outward and
visible change in himself at that time.
hSmisSin0 his servants IN h>d ba