The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1896-10-01
COPYRIGHT. .ss. BY Baar HARra.

looking Mephistopheles, with the burn
ing eyes, who is prowling around my
rooms as II searching for victim
Why, you're smiling for all the world
like poor Jim. when he used to do the
Red Avenger."
Susy's voice, an illustration, recalled
him to himself. Furious I may well
be-" he said, with gentler smile, al
though his eyes still glittered. furious
that | have to wait until the one woman
] came to see, the one woman / have
not seen for so long, while these pup
pets have been nightly dancing before
her-can give me few moments from
them, to talk of the old days"
In his reaction he was quite sincere,
although he felt slight sense of re-
morse as he saw the quick faint color
rise, as in those old days, even through
the to-night's powder of her cheek.
s'That,s like the old Kla'uns," she said,
with a slight pressure Of his arm, "but
we win not have chance to speak
until late. When they are nearly all
gone youth take me to get little re-
freshment, and we'll have a chat in the
conservatory. But You must drop that
awfully wicked look, and make your
self generally agreeable to those wom-
en- until then"
1t was perhaps part of this reaction
which enabled him to obey his hostess
commands with certain reclilessness
that, however, seemed to be in keeping
withtle previous Satanic reputation he
had, all unconsciorsly, achieved. The
women listened to the cynical fiippancy
of the good-looking soldier with an un-
disguised admiration, which, in turn,
excited curiosity and envy from his
own sex. He saw the whispered ques-
tioning, the lifted eyebrows, the scorn-
full Struggling of shoulders -and knew
that the story of his disgrace was in
the air. But I fear this only excited
him to further recklessness and tri-
umph. Once he thought he recognized
Miss Faulkner's figure at distance,
and even fancied that she had been
watching him-but he only redoubled
his attentions to the fair woman beside
him, and looked no more.
But he was glad when the guests be-
gan to drop off; the great rooms
thinned, and Susy, appearing on the
arm of her husband, coquettishly re-
minded him of his promise. For
want to talk to you of old times. Gen.
Brant," she went on, turning explana-
torily to Boompointer, married my
adopted motherin California, at Robes,
q dear old place were spent my earli-
est years. So you see we are sort OF
relations by marriage" she added, with
delightful naivete. Hoeker's once vain
glorious allusion to his relations to the
man before him flashed across Brants
mind, but it left now only smile on
his lips. He felt he had already become
a part Of the irresponsible comedy Of
life around him. Why should he resist
or examine its ethics too closely? He
offered hisarm to Susy; they descended
the stairs; but instead Of papsing in the
suppersroom, she simply passed through
it with significant pressure of his arm
and drawing aside muslin curtain
stepped into the moonlit conservatory
Behind the curtain there was smal
rustic settee; without releasing his arm
she sat down, so that when he dropped
beside her their hands met and mutual
+ ly clasped.
'Now, Kla'uns,' she said with {
slight comfortable shiver as she nestled
beside him, "it's little like your chail
down at old Robles, isn't it? Tell me
And to think it's five years ago. Bu
Kla'uns, what's the matter? You ars
changed" she said, looking at his darl
face in the moonlight, "or you hav'
something to tell me-"
Il have"
'sAnd it's something dreadful,
know she said, wrinkling her brow
with pretty terror. Couldn't yol
pretend you had told it to me and let u
go on just the same? Couldn't you
Kla'uns? Tellmes''
i am afraid ] couldn't, he said, will
sad smile.
us it about yourself, Kla'uns? 70,
know" she went on with cheerful ra
pidity, Il know everything about you
] always did, you know--and dom
care and never did care, and it don't ant
never did make the slightest differenc,
10 me, So don't tell it and waste time
Kla'uns."
tits not about me-but about m,
wife," he said, slowly.
Her expression changed slightly. 20
her!" she said, after a pause. Thel
half resignedly: go on, Kla'uns."
He began. He had a dozen times re
hearsed to himself his miserable story
always feeling it keenly. and even fear
ing that he might be carried away b,
emotion or morbid sentiment in telling
ittoanother, but to his astonishmenth b
found himself telling it practically
calmly, almost cynically to his old play
mate, repressing the half devotion an,
even tenderness that had governed him
from the time that his wife, disguised a
amulatto woman, had secretly watches