The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1898-10-16


This ingenious ncte was sent by
Hannibal at an hour when the captain
was alone, and when. had he been dis
posed, he might have hobbled to the
door and answered in person; but hob
bic he did not, nor did he answer until
after long thought. He received the lit !
tie missive with surprise, read it with ,
out tremor Of hand or lip, but with !
something of shame and pity that over
spread his face like a cloud. Was he |
only just beginning to know her, after !
all?
Pray do not give my scratch thought-he
answered IN writing late that afternoon-and
believe, my dear Mrs. Vim, that have every
comfort that one can possibly desire. Every
one Is most kind. expect to be out with my
men in q week and shall be delighted to take
the field and send Mr.. Winn back to you forth
with. Most sincerely.
And that was how, with polite but
positive indifference, he had treated her
reference to old times and old friends.
Shallow as she was, Laura Winn was
deep enough to see that he meant TO
bold himself far aloof from her. He
could hardly have told her more plainly
he would have none Of her. He had
even dared to say it would be pleasure
to go that he might send her husband
back to her arms And this was the
man she once thought she loved, the
man who, she believed, adored her and
would never. outlive the passion Of his
sorrow at losing her.
Even now the foolish heart Of the
woman might have accepted its lesson,
but it was time for friends again to
come and, as Laura expressed it, "pry
and prod and preach, " and that brought
on a climax.
Mrs. Faulkner had dropped in and
dropped out again, and Laura, who
seemed forever going to the porch these
days, followed and called her back.
Zone thing you said don't under
stand, she began, and Mrs. Faulkner
pre- 7ty face showed plainly there had
been something of storm.
II said this, Laura" her friend re.
sponded, permitting her to go no fur
ther, but turning at the step and look
!, ing up into her indignant eyes "YoU
: do yourself injury by showing suct
: concern about Captain Barclay. Every
l body says SO, and it's all wasted as IA
as he's concerned. He never notice
your messages in any way"
Itwas CALLING to feel herself censure'
or criticised, but Mrs. Winn was be
, coming used to that. 1t was wors
: than CALLING to be told that her whilor
lover now turned from her almost wit
: contempt. She could bear it that the
y should say that Galahad Barclay we
a again circling within danger of he
. fascinations and would speedily fin
himself powerless to resist She coul
not bear it that they should declare hil
dead to her. The anger ablaze in he
eyes and flushing her cheeks was som'
3 thing even Mrs. Faulkner had nev'
i seen before. 1t was as though she ha
reused some almost tigerish trait Fl
- a moment Laura stood glaring at b.
u visitor, one hand nervously clutchiI
!. at the balcony rail, the other at Il
'r snugly buttoned bodice Of her dal
!, gown.
:, At that instant the door of Barclay
quarters opened and the sound Of gil
= voices preceded b1t a second or two Il
- appearance of feminine drapery at t
~ threshold. Mrs. Brooks came backiI
- into view. chatting volubly with son
|
~ siding after, and then as they reach
= the open air the deep tones of their
=. valid host were heard mingling wi
u the lighter, shrii2er, if not exactly s
- very, accents of his visitors. One CLAN
- they threw toward the young matr
e. at the opposite end of the piazza, a
then it seemed as though Mrs. Frazi
ho promptly precipitated herself into {
- doorway again, as though to block
- against Barclays possible egress. y
az termined not TO let him see me, nor ]
"a him" were the nnspoken words tt
% flashed through Laara's thoughts. Sol
20 devil of mischief seemed to whisper
az ~ her ear, for when Mrs. Faulkner turn
u u again there stood her hostess holdi
N forth for her inspection little note 1
&C &C. dressed to Mrs II. II. Winn in ha
u Mrs. Faulkner recognized at once
Barclays. With an icy sneer the La
-, spoke.
~ = "You think he doesn't write L
came only an hour ago
s;4 Gn Not five minutes later Mrs Fraz
Ia n5A turned to Mrs Faulkner and ask
~ "What was Laura Winn showing }
o1e "a letter.
- Mrs. Blythe was passing at the i
=" ment, Ada Lawrence, tall, pallid s
10 of girl, in her first black dress, wa
ith
net Se. &3