Owingsville outlook. [volume] (Owingsville, Ky.) 1879-192?, 1897-02-04
PART Ill.

PART III.
CHAPTER u.-CoNrrNl m.
We'll. I don't wonder, Here are all
the women asking me ~ IN T., that good
looking Mephistophclrs. with the hurr-
ing ewes, who is proving around my
rooms as il searching for a victim.
Why, you're smiling for all the world
like poor Jim. when he used to do the
He'd Ayenger"
Susy's voice. an illustration, recalled
him Ia himself. Furious | NAV well
he" he said. with a grntlcr smile. al
'hough his eyes still clittcrcd. furious
that have Ia wait until the one woman
1 came TO see, the one woman ! have
not seen for so long. while these pup
pets have been nightly dauriHG uClur'
her-can give me few moments from
Them. 10 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 those old days. even through
the to-night's powder of her cheek.
That's like the old Kla'uns." she said.
with a slight pressure Of his arm, but
we will not have n chance 20 speak
until late. When they are nearly all
gone you'll take me 10 get a little re-
freshmen. and well have chat in the
conservatory. But you must drop tina;
nwfully wicked look, and make your
self generally agreeable TO those wom-
en- until then"
IL WAS perhaps part Of this reaction
which enabled him 10 obey his hostess
commands with certain recklessness
that. however. seemed to be i'm keeping
with the previous Satanic reputation hc
had, all unconsciously. achieved. The
women listened 10 the cynical 1lippancy
of the good-looking soldier with an I'M
disguised admiration. which, in turn.
excited curiosity and envy from his
own sex. lie saw the whispered ques-
tioning, the lifted eyebrows, the scoTn-
full Struggling of shoulders-and knew
that the story of his disgrace was in
the air. But l fear this only excited
him TO further recklessness and tri-
umph. Once he thought he recognized
Miss Fanlkner'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 90 drop off; the great rooms
thinned, and Susy. appearing on the
arm of her husband, coquettishly re-
minded him of his promise. For I
want to talk 20 yoa of old times. Gen.
Brant," she went on. turning eNplana-
torily 10 Boompointer. married my
adopted mother in California. at RobleS,
n 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
aan before him flashed across Brant's
mind, but it left now only smile on
his lips. He fel, he had already become
a part of the irresponsible comedy of
life around him. Why should he resist
or examine its ethics too closely? lie
offered his arm 10 Susy: they descended
the stairs; but instead of pausing in the
sunpcr-room. she simply passed through
Il with significant pressure of his arm,
end drawing aside a muslin curtain
ftcppcd into the moonlit conservatory.
Behind the curtain there was a small
rustic settee; without releasing his arm
she at down, so that when he dropped
lrss = her their hands met and mutual
T. oiasPed.
NOW. Ela'uRs." she said with Q
- NJ CON, f.la 81 -.
las de him. ITS little like your chair
down nj Old Robes. isn't IL? Tell me.
Ard 10 thini, it's five years ago. But
isiz'Cas. what's the matter? You are
hanged" she said. looking at his dark
face in the moonlight, ''or you have
.Omeihing 10 tell me-"
Il have"
And it's something dreadful, /
know," she said. wrinlling her brows
with a pretty terror. Couldn't YOU
pretend you had told it to me and let us
30 on just the same? Couldn't you.
kla'uns? feline"
Il am afraid couldn't, he said, with
sad smile.
lis it about yourself, Kla'uns? Yoa
know" she went on with cheerful ra-
pidity, Il know everything about you
] always did, you know-and / don't
care and never did care, and it don't and
never did make the slightest difference
60 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. lie 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
il TO another, but to his astonishment he
found himself telling it practically.
calmly, almost cynically to his old play
mate, depressing 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. lie 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, K!a' -
said Susy when he had ended.
Clarence stiffened beside her. But nc
felt he had gone too far to quarrel with
his confidante. she went away.
honestly believe that we shall never
meet ngain-or I 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 thosc
men that a woman when she once has
hooked on 10 won't let go of even when