The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1897-01-08
PEAT III.

looking Mephistopheles, with the burn
ing eyes, who is prowling around my
rooms as if searching for victim.
Why, you're smiling for all the world
like poor Jim, when he used to do the
Red Ayenger."
Susy's voice, an illustration, recalled
him to himself. Furious / may well
be-" he said, with a gentler smile, al
though his eyes still glittered, furious
thatI have to wait until the one woman
I came to see, the one woman l have
not teen 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 a slight sense of re-
morse as he saw the quick faint color
rise, as in these old days, even through
the to-night'a powder of her cheek.
That's like the old Kla'uns," she said,
with slight pressure of his arm, but
we will not have a chance to speak
until late. When they are nearly all
gone you'll AXE 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 a certain reckIessness
that. however, seemed to be in keeping
with the previous Satanic reputation he
had, all unconsciously, achieved. The
women listened to the cynical f1ippancy
of the good-looking soldier with an I'M
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 1 fear this only excited
him to further recklessness and tri-
umph. Once he thought he recognized
Miss Faulkner's figure at a 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 l
want to talk to you of old times. Gen.
Brant," she went on, turning eXplana-
torily to Boompointer, married my
adopted mother in California, at Robes,
dear old place were spent my earli-
est years. So you see we are sort of
relations by marriage" she added, with
delightful naivete. lockers once vain
glorious allusion to his relations to the
man before him flashed across Brant's
mind, but it left now only a smile on
his lips. He felt he had already become
n part of the irresponsible comedy of
life around him. Why should he resist
or examine it's ethics too closely? He
offered his arm to Susy; they descended
the stairs; but instead of pausing in the
supper-room, she simply passed through
it with significant pressure of his arm,
and drawing aside a muslin curtain
stepped into the moonlit conservatory.
Behind the curtain there was a small
rustic settee; without releasing his arm
she sat down. so that when he dropped
beside her their hands met and mutual
~ clasped.
4No", MD uuS, Slc Sdlu Will d
slight comfortable SILVER as she nestled
beside him, Its little like your chair
down at old Robes, isn't it? Tell me.
And to think it's five years ago. But
Kla'uns. what's the matter? You arc
changed" she said, looking at his dark
face in the moonlight, 'or you have
something to tell me-
II have"
and it's something dreadful, !
KNOW" she said, wrinkling her brows
with pretty terror. Couldn't you
pretend you had told it to me and let us
go on just the same? Couldn't you,
Kla'uns? Tell me-"
81 am afraid couldn't" he said, with
sad smile
us it about yourself, Kla'uns? You
know" she went ON with cheerful "a
pidity, II know every thing about you
1 always did, you know-and 1 don't
care and nevei did care, and it don't and
never did make the slightest difference
to me. So don't tell it and waste time,
Kla'uns."
Its not about me-but about my
wife," he said. slowly.
Her expression changed slightly. 20,
her!" she said, after a pause. Then
half resignedly: go on, Kla'uns."
He began. He had dozen times re-
hearsed to himself his miserable story,
always feeling it keenly, and even fear
ing that he might be carried away by
emotion or morbid sentiment in telling
it to another. but to his establishment he
found himself telling it practically.
calmly. almost cynically to his old play
mate. REFRESHING the half devotion and
even tenderness that had governed him,
from the time that his wife, disguised as
mulatto woman, had secretly watched
him in his Office, to the hour that he had
passed her through the lines. He with
held only the incident of Miss Faulk-
ner's completely and sacrifice.
And she got away-after having
kicked you out of your place, Kla' uns ?''
said Susy when he had ended.
Clarence stiffened beside her. But he
felt he had gone too far to quarrel with
his confidante. "She went away. 1
honestly believe that we shall never
meet again-or should not be telling
you this!"
"kla' uns," she said lightly, taking his
hand again. don't you believe it! She
won't let you go. You're one of those
men that woman when she once has