Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1896-04-09


come to me to find out and put them
off with your sayin' that they shall
know in time? CAD. miss, when the
people of this town want to know a
thing there amt no SIGH thing as time
the whole scheme is an eternity until
they find out, and unless they find out
before the next election Ira beaten as
sure as horn, and I've been mayor so
long now that can't quit. Set down
here now and tell us, won't you?.'
Not this evening. Nell, I'm going
cut into the garden"
Polly was sitting in the summer house
| when Nell joined her. They were ST.
lent for time and then Nell said: Il
am so sorry that ything should have
happened was as happy as I could
be until then. Tell me, dear, what it
all means, and I'll promise to stand by
you, no matter what it is, for do think
SO much of you. do, Polly, I love you,
in fact, and now it docs grieve me SO to
have anything come between U.s."
Polly took her hand and, holding it,
replied: There are many features of
life in a city, and some of them might
seem strange to you. That ] should
have become acquainted with those
men was happening; that they should
have come to this place is another hap
pening. and neither happening amounts
to enough to cause any real uneasiness
on the part of my friends So l beg Of
you not to let it worry you.''
''Oh, it doesn't worry me so far as I
am concerned, but what will the peo-
pie say? Indeed, what won't they say?"
"Ne1l, the view and the opinion of
village are necessarily narrow; here
people are suspicious Of strangers and
are ever on the lookout for an oppor-
tunity to suspect one another, SO it
would be quite impossible for me to
make an explanation that would be
satisfactory to them"
But, my dear Polly, you can make
an explanation that will be satisfactory
to me-
Not now, my dear, but after awhile
will. Your father is calling YOU
The old man stood at the garden
gate, whooping the name Of his daugh-
ter, and when she had come to him,
having left Polly sitting on bench in
the summer house, the old fellow said:
Nell go it into the house and stay there
till come, and when do come 1 may
have some mighty interestin' news for
you"
The girl passed on without replying,
and the old man joined Polly in the
summer house. He sat down on the
bench near her. tanning himself with
his straw hat, and it was some time be-
fore he spoke.
''Hotter'n it was last night" he said.
Hotter than it was night before last,
think" the woman replied.
II CAD, guess you're right You
always raise me one; must have played
poker in your time"
''Dut if I were to play poker might
not always raise; / might sometimes
simply call"
Cad, believe you have played; but
that amt what want to talk about.
See this?" He touched his shirt collar
and it was fastened with horseshoe
nail. Been threatenin' to git it for
long time and got it jest now in honor
Of you, don't you see? But it amt
nothin' to laugh at. VIII you Let me
tell you somethin'?"
Yes, am going to sit here few
moments longer"
Don't exactly like the way you pat
it, but reckon it's all right" He was
silent, fumb1ing with the nail at his
collar; he sighed deeply. threw his hat
On the ground, thrust his hands into
his pockets and leaned back against the
vine-woven lattice work. And in the
twilight she could see that his face was
hard-set and his countenance eager.
What were you going to tell me?"
she asked.
''Somethin' powerful important to
both of US, but you'll have to let me
git at it in my own roundabout way.
By this time the whole town is discuss
in the fact that three men, strange
men at that, come here and called you
Polly. And mebbe in the mornin' they
will tell you that you better git out
Then what?'
''I'll tell them to go to place not on
the school maps, but we'll located in
spiritual geography"
ST CAD, that's the way to talk to avoid
strength, but it won't do to tell EN- no
such a thing. There is a way by
which the whole affair may be made
smooth
1T is smooth enough now" she re-
piled.
"I'll be dinged if it is; it's as
rough as toad's back; but we can
smooth it. Now here" he leaned
toward her. SCI say now here, you
marry me and the whole affair will be