Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1897-11-11

Thanks to you And now to have
you come a second time to rescue me-
from despair!" She paused express
lively, looking at him as though in new
amazement as she reflected upon the
strangeness of such happenings. did
you recognize me at once?-but I re-
member-you called me by my name.
Now / think of it. though, I am sur
pris-d that you know my name. 1 did
not suppose mentioned it that night
'You did not; but heard your friend
call you Dorothy" he confessed. eft
is not very common-the name; and
Dorothy Meredith was the only Dor
othy to be found in 20 pages of the
visitors book at the Colorado build
ing. I had plenty of time to look
while I was waiting for you to come"
His face had flushed deeply, and there
was a curious light in his eyes as he
smiled up at her.
It flashed upon the girl that to r
woman who loved him he would be sim
ply adorable with that smile upon his
face; and then her cheeks, too, red
dened for the froward thought, and she
hastily moved away as she murmured
| a comprehensive "Oh!"
81 felt most certain of the name" he
went on, "but you made your address
cruelty vague. don't you know? 1t was
simply Colorado. There was not even
hint as to where you might be found
| in Chicago"
ooh, it was simply tribute of loyal
| ty to Colorado, signing the name at ALL"
| she hurriedly rejoined, embarrassment
growing upon her for the frank admis-
sion of how much he had cared to see
1
! the man who was born down Cape Cod
| and all along shore. I could hardly lay
claim to any fixed place of abode
''No?'' he returned, interestedly, The
| tone courteously interrogative.
81 was born in Colorado" she eN-
planned, with an air of friendly conf
dence; ''but the altitude never agreed
with my mother, and when was twelve
years old she took me east, partly that
I might be educated there, and partly
for the sake of her own health. Since
then have only been back for occasion
al visits; but have always called Col
| orado home. And now suppose I shall
| be here more'' Her face clouded over.
as after brief hesitation she added:
my mother died last spring."
| Indeed" he murmured. Seeing that
| lie SooH1eu ABOUT III MS IIllHu lcT
further comment, the girl fastened to
add, with kindly garrulity: eve were
to have gone abroad this summer, papa
and I. but just at the last minute we
were stopped by a wretched lawsuit
| here at Windy Gulch. Perhaps. by the
way, you know my father, Col. Mere
| dith?''
s'Yes; I know him. the young man
+ Il
dragging his box a little farther from
the fire, which brought his face more
into shadow; irrelevantly adding, in
tone which somehow struck the girl as
odd: "And so it was this lawsuit which
brought you to Windy Gulch, and gave
me the pleasure of meeting you again %
Eyes. 1t is strange how things turn
out, is it not?" She looked at him with
a rather baff1ed feeling, conscious of Z
vague sense of irritation. For her own
part, she had been so cordially frank;
there was even ranking suspicion in
her mind that she had been more friend
ly than the conditions might warrant.
Only by reciprocal confidence could he
relieve the situation from awzwardness
now. "And do you live here-at Windy
Gulch?" she went on, curiosity in her
glance.
THAT is my post Office address," he
said, devoting himself to putting more
wood on the fire, with rather an inscru-
table smile. 81 live-so far as it can be
called living-up at my mine. Which
reminds me-" starting up abruptly,
eontrition in his air, 81 promised you
1 would ride over to the Grubstake and
let your father know that you are all
right. I had almost forgotten it; but
would you like me to go now?''
What! and leave me alone here %
Dorothy cried, in tone of sharp pro-
| test.
Not unless you like, of course"
''The fact is, have been thinking
papa might not be there himself" she
| went on. "He rode over to Tomtown
this afternoon to see a surveyor there.
| a Mr.. Brigham. It is bad road, You
know, and, with a storm and all, it
seems as though he might have been de-
tanned. does it not?"
'T should think it quite probable. -
the young man returned, looking at her
with an expression of keen interest.
''He rode over to see Brigham, did you
say?" And then, the odd, shamefaced
look upon his face, he added, prefacing
the hurried explanation with a note of
laughter that seemed strangely forced,
Brigham is rather a friend of mine,
you see."
''Is hep" Miss Meredith returned,
looking at him in vague surprise. 81
| fancy papa does not know him very well.
In fact he"
Don't, Miss Meredith! You must
not!" he brusquely interrupted. 'Iwas
| a cad to let YOU saw a word about him
but" He rose hurriedly, leaving the
sentence unfinished. while he went to
The door and looked out with an air OF
| Seo;rcr r,othi1ncr Eacr N