The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1897-10-15

pened to remember what you told me
about the pumps that first day / was
up at the mine, when you were show
ting me about and / was asking so many
questions. You said if the pumps
stopped. the mine would fill with water
in "a hours. 1 could not sit here-how
couiG I?-thinking that through the
! Vaccinations of that wicked McCready,
you might even at that moment be in
| directly conniving at a murder!-I al
most went mad with the thought of it!
until I could stand it no longer; and
then / ordered Ey horse and rode up
| there"
"And made a precious fool of your
self" calculated the colonel, savagely.
''There was not the slightest danger
of the fellows drowning, and if your
head were not so full of dime-novel
sensationalism, you would have known
better than to suppose that | would
take chances of anything like that. l
] thoughtlessly exaggerated when 1 said
that "a hours would fill the mine; the
lower levels did fill, for fact; but he
would have been safe in the 100-foot
had blankets and plenty to eat. 1t
may be that he found the situation
not altogether to his mind, but, if SO,
it only served him right. He came
sneaking around, trying to bride my
men to go back on me, hoping to get
me in some sort of hole, and instead,
slipped into one himself-a case of bitter
bit. AS for your posing as his deliv-
erer-' he stopped short, as though
fairly choked with anger at the thought.
Nobody could regret the pose more
than L; but it seemed to be forced upon
me- returned the girl quietly, as she
rose. "Now that 1 have explained the
matter, however, 1 need not keep you
out of bed any longer"
'Wdit," exclaimed her father, sharp
ly, as she started toward the door. Il
should like to know how your precious
protege took his deliverance. Did he
appreciate the situation? and did he
thank you prettily?" the last words
replete with biting sarcasm.
For the first time Dorothy's calm
seemed shaken. She glanced toward
the door as though half disposed to
GO away without answering; and when
she spoke it was with obvious effort.
81 was not there when he came out
of the shaft; at first it seemed as
though / could not face him, as though
L must sink to the earth in shame if L
but felt his eyes upon me; but after
ward / waited for him outside-I felt
L had to-and told him that it was all
a mistake-that you had nothing to
do with it" her voice, which had been
faltering, ceased entirely until her
father gave vent to an impatient eX-
clamation, when she broke into a little
nervous, mirthless laugh. at is so easy
to fall into the habit of lying, you
know" she ironically observed.
whether he believed me or not l do
not know; but at least he was gentle
manly enough to assume that he did
and kind enough to promise, when
begged him, that he would never bring
the charge against you in any way
that he would be absolutely dumb In
regard to the whole affair"
, He promised that?" anger giving
way TO sudden alert interest.
, Yves; he promised. He was more
, generous than / when | eXacted such 3
: promise of him." she bitterly declared
.'WeIl, upon my wordl" the tone hal
amused, half incredulOus. Il mus
: give you credit for having some method
q in your madness, but =" he hesitated
with a note of sardoniC laughter, hi:
. stcely eyes surveying the girls glowing
:, beauty with a look of keen comprehen
t sion; ''all the same, / should have to b'
much harder pushed than ever | have
been vet, before [ could willingly SET
! my daughter go out into the highways
4 making mashes on lmpressionablt
! | young men in my behalf" He waited ;
moment, narrowly watching,her face tC
6 be sure that she felt the coarse thrust, be
:. fore he added, the tone telling more thai
] the words of the cold, tense rage which
4 possessed him: 81 supposed tina
= you had been brought up to know
what conduct was BETTING a lady
that you had some tact as well as dis
% cretion; but this event goes to prov
= that have overrated both your intelli
gence and your breeding. And if it ha
n reached point when must tell you il
plain English that my business is no
n to be meddled with"
- perhaps it would be as well that
= should place myself beyond the reaci
+ of such temptation" interrupted tn
!. girl, coldly; Aunt Marion has beer
= urging me lately to go east and sta.
=, with her. | have been thinking tina
( that would be the best thing for me &
: do"
t. LAS you like" returned the colonel
II indifferently; but Dorothy fancied tina
:, he looked a little startled. ''Whel
. should you like to go?"
V Right away, L think"
Il shall have to stay here n couple o
= days longer" the words coming hesi
V tantiy, as though he hardly knew wha
/ to say to this proposition; ''but cal
v take you down to Denver then, and yo1
d can make your arrangements to go an.
4I,4 l,o,