The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1898-01-21

I'm that case you can Judge for yourseii
by what was done day before yester-
day. Sharpless is thoroughly unscru.
pulous; and Thorndyke could send hin
to the penitentiary. It's kidnapping al
the best. and it may be something much
worse"
The engineer found the result of his
experiment ana. his own punishment il
the expression of horror that crep.
over Elsie's face when his inference be-
came plain. 1t hurt him more than he
cared to admit.
All through the long summer. while
Philip and Elsie were apparently jour
neying hand in hand along the road in
which he had unselfishly set their feet.
frotheroe had Rugged his ideal. play
ing the heroic part of the high-minded
lover who generously effaces himself
IN order that the object of his affections
may be free to walk in path of her
! own choosing. 1t was an unjoyous
| task, this that he had set himself. and
he was Inundated by the conviction,
repeated and emphasized every time he
saw Elsie. that it gained nothing in
gladsomeness with the lapse of time.
In such case, absence seemed to be the
proper emollient; but when Duncan
asked his help, he said nothing about
| going away, and entered heartily into
the farmers plans for warning Kilgrow
and for beginning an Immediate search
for the missing man. 1t was agreed
that the young engineer should try to
! trace Thorndyke from Glenco or ALA
coOche while Duncan made journey
to the Pocket; and when the farmer
had departed ON his errand, Protheroe
turned back to the house for final
word with Elsie.
She was alone in the sitting-room
when he entered, standing at the win
dow which looked out upon the road
He saw that she had been crying and
he went to her quickly and took he-
hand in both of his.
Can I say anything to comfort you
before 1 go?" he asked.
She shook her head.
What is it, Elsie? does it mean more
to you than the possible danger of Il
friend?"
|
of her reply staggered him. 1T was
1 who sent him into the danger. He
he said 1 was responsible"
Protheroe never knew the strength
of his love until that moment, but the
gentler emotion was mingled with :
dash of contemptuous anger for the
man who could be so pusillanimous a:
to lay the burden of his responsibilities
upon the tender conscience of Il young
girl, and his resentment spoke befor.
he could muzzle it.
THAT was ungenerous," he said.
She turned away to the window
again, and her voice was unsteady wher
she answered him. ''You mustn't say
that; you don't understand; he wa:
very unhappy and discouraged when HI
said it,
Protheroe told himself that his con
illusions were verified in so many words
and yet he had to grapple fiercely will
the spirit of lawlessneSs prompting
him to apostatize once for all by telling
her that she was more to him than sh,
one else. When he could trust himself
to speak he said, quietly: Don
grieve; We'll find him all right; I'll fine
him and bring him back to YOU"
He meant to go when he had said it
and he might have kept his resolution
if she had not looked up into his face
with her eyes full of trouble. "Pleas'
don't" she began, but the ungovern
able impulse slipped the leash, and fol-
a. moment Protheroe put the cup of pos
session to his lips and drank deeply
taking her in his arms and covering
the burning cheeks with his kisses
Then sudden sense of the enormity
of his transgression overwhelmed him
and, releasing her, he ran from the
house and flung himself into the saddle
to gallop away toward Allacooche:
with the ruins of a shattered ideal pelt
ing him at every bound of the horse.
fro BE Continued