Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1896-02-19
CLEMATIS KNOVLTON.
BY j. G. TOWNSEND.
Copyright, 1896, by Bachelor Johnson
& Bachelor.
PART I.
BY j. G. TOWNSEND.

homely, irregular ranch-hOuse, the long
low sheds, the sheep corral, the sunken
straw stack and the wide stretching
prairie were ingulfed in waves of glori-
Gus purple. In the distance was seen
the large herd of sheep, followed by the
herder and his dogs-slow moving spots
of gorgeous color.
Standing near the ranch-house was a
girl, with q face so pretty Wlthal that
Titan would have loved to paint 1t,
there were so much warmth and color
in it. Clad in a neat-ftting gown OF
some light color, her full and graceful
figure made a brave silhouette against
the dark side of the house.
A handsome man stood beside hef:
He was nearly 80 years of age, dark OF
face, eyes and hair. He was pleading
with the girl to be his wife, with the
rude and simple elOQuence of sincerity.
but [ have loved you, senorita, ever
seence you were so high" measuring the
height with a gesture of the hand, and
now you have come so tall and DeauIlIul
| cannot keep my speech.
But you would not wish me to marry
you unless | loved you, Lon" said the
girl, surprised at the persistence OF the
man.
Can you not love me little, seno-
rita replied the man, with passionate
hunger in his eyes.
"A sisters affection; yes, Lon, can
give you that"
Il want not a sisters feeling" said
the man, with angry but eloquent geSt-
ure. 1T is not the loaf | ask, only one
little crumb,'' his tender manner return
ing:
Sc But tut suppose LOn' there was some
The girl determined to treat him with
simple candor, though her cheeks
flushed with the revelation of her Sc
'.Ah!' said the man with deep res
piration. ''Ees is the Senior Alfred
Yes. it's Alph," said the girl, blush
ing divinely, her eyes upon the ground.
But when she raised her eyes the girl
noticed that his dark face grew &shen
in color. There was an expression IN
his face she had never seen before; and
his hand graSped neryouSly the handle
of his revolver at his side.
on would not shoot woman! You
would not shoot me, Lon:
She put her hand on his arm and
looked him bravely in the eye. Never
| was she so beautiful as she stood there.
! her large dark eyes flashing her courage
and her scOrn.
mo, senorita, l cannot shoot you. l
| could die for you"
The mans voice grew low and tender,
and the deep yearning came back into
his eyes.
but you'll not shoot Alph, will You.
| Lon? Promise me you will not
A look of hate cleaned again in his
eyes the man laughed loudly and I'M
naturally.
DO not be frightened, I will not
! shoot the senior"
"Ohi Lon, | love him so. Do not hurt
him for my sake"
The mans glance softened a little
| with her pleading.
LET not fear be in your heart, senior
! ita," said the man again. 'but strength
seems not mine any more
! The herd having now come up with
| tumultuous bleating, the man turned
and walked slowly away into the IL
Illuminated prairie. The girl noticed a
| look in his face as if he were ageing,
and his tall form seemed to stoOp and
totter.
Alonzo Memlico had come to this
! Kansas ranch several years before the
time of this meeting, with a gang OF
shearers from New Mexico. Of his for
mer history little was known. In
point Of education he was superior to
his fellows. He remained on the ranch
a good part of the year, sometimes
working with a vengeance, at other
times he sDent weeks III idling OF
dreaming. 1t occas1oned no surprise
when he came Or went, for he came and
disappeared without warning. He was
unusually good natured, and his anger
was slow in coming, but when it did
self in prolonged sullen and revenge
full moods. So, while not quarrelsome,
it came to be considered prudent not to
make an enemy of Lon.
1t was observed that Lon was eX-
tremely fond of Clematis, the only
daughter of Mr.. Knowlton, the owner
of the sheep ranch; but as she was
| Int hn fir.ct 10
ranch, and he nearly twice her age
nothing was thought of it by the fam
lily. Often Lon used to say to Glenn. as
they all called her, in his polite Spanish
way:
You shall be my wife some day
Glen would reply laughingly: eff my
hero does not come along / Will, Lon
But suddenly there had come to Gle
mats knOWlton that marvellous trans
formation into. the fullness of woman
hood; the prairie flower had bloomed
into wOndrous beauty, and with that
transition Glenn found that her hero had
come and she gave herself to him. with
all the confidence of her young and ar
dent nature.
The declaration that Alonzo Memicc
made came to her with surprise and
pain.
She had never thought of him as a
lover, and the manifestation Of his pas
sion filled the breast of the lovely Cir
with strange forebodings. She knew
something of his sullen and revengefuI
nature. That laugh of Ions when he
promised not to shoot Alph still rang
in her ears with a horrible dissonance.
She determined to walk out on the
prairie, for 1t was not quite dark tC
meet her lover, whom she was that even.
ing expecting. The solemnity and gray
ness that fell upon the wide expanse OF
prairie cOTreSDOnded to the vague fnnI
ing of trouble that possessed her She
felt that she must at once inform Alpl
of the danger that threatened him.
Alfred Long was a young man who
bad come from Ohio several years be
fore to make his fortune on a Kansas
ranch He had commenced with a lit
tie flock of sheep, and by industry and
good management his herd had grown
until he was one of the largest flock
masters in the country. There was that
about Alfred Long that marked hin
for manlincss and honor. He was mod