Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1898-04-06
The Heart of Woman,
Continued from last week,

his eyes long from her face. Present
~ the road dipped sharp cash in
the woodland either side said they had
come upon running water. Gordon
leaned over and caught the slack rein,
saying, as one not to be gainsaid:
We will rest at the spring, you must
be deadly tired.
Then he guided the two beasts into
a narrow, shaded cross-track, which
led in three hundred yards or so to a
gray lichen-wrought bluff. Fair wa
ter broke from the face of it in a bod,
letting stream, and fell with lulling
tinkles down over great messy rocks,
to babble happily away in the COM
pany of tall ferns and late asters.
AS the thirsty horses thrust their
mouths deep in the stream, Gordon
sprang down and held out entreating
arms to the other rider. But she
waved him aside, slid lightly to the
earth, kne1t at the waterside a little
way above, and flung it by handfuls
over her hot face and throat.
There, I am rid of my black dog!"
she said, after a little, turning full
upon him face of enchanting sweet
ness. Be wise, sir, lake your peace
before my humor changes. You were
horribly impertinent, you know you
were! What have you to say in excuse?
The one possible excuse, which I
have said already a hundred times,
and shall say million more-I love
you Gordon answered, moving nearer.
She had dropped down upon a messy
root, now she set her head upon a
slender hand, and said, ref1ectively:
1 wonder men have so little ipi-
na1ity in their love making. You are
let me see-the seventh, since was
married, to try it seriously, and every
one has said just the same thing.
How very impertinent in those
other fellows! Gordon said, stretching
himself at her feet. Now, am not
the least to blame. I had no vo1ition
in the natter-you made me love you
wonder if you remember, or ever
knew, that my name is Annette Haw-
kins she said, subtle hardness set
ting under the light laughter of her
lips. My mother was sister to
that first Annette, and old people
say am my aunt over again. 1 will
not tell you her story-on1y that she,
too, married, was not particularly
happy, and in the end shot a man,
who was not her husband.
1 dare say he deserved it, Gordon
said, TRANQUILITY. Women of your type
seldom make small mistakes.
How did manage it-making you
love me? she demanded, sitting sud
denly very erect.
Goedon laughed lazily, pillowsd his
head upon one arm, and made to take
her hand within his free one, as he
said, musingly:
Oh, let met me see 1 think it was
when I tainted after that saber cut,
and came out of it to find the 1ove1iest
woman in the world bathing and ban
daging my hurt. Then in an easy
carriage I was whisked away, tsat
enchanting creature beside me,
through silver world, to an enchant-
ed palace no marauding Yankee would
ever find, or if he found it out, ever
dare to invade. There 1 stayed, see
ing the sorceress every day. In
week my head had healed, but my
heart-lack-a-day! Even you must
see what clear victim am
People look at things so differently,
she said, her lip half curling. Now,
if told that story it would run some
thing this way: Mrs. Annette Haw-
kins Henry, very willful and yet more
patriotic, finds a wounded Confeder-
ate captain left suddenly upon her
hands. To save him the chance of
tedious captivity she takes him, at
great inconvenience to herself, away
to the house of her aunt, in the deep
country, where
Do not go on, please! Gordon said,
desperate entreaty in his voice. An
nette, darling! 1 remember every
minute. Fate threw us together. 1
love, love, love you, and you fout me,
as dare say you flouted those others.
But have this advantage of them,
poor wretches If they had died for
love of you, it must have been in cow
ardly fashion, soldier can die as be-
comes gentleman-
Stop
The monosyl1ab1e was imperious,
but full of heart-break. Gordon pos
sessed himself of her hand, and went
on, dreamily:
I can do and die, dear, but what of
you? Dare you stay in this dull town,
waiting for-your husband and weary
ing for me?
With the last word he rose and
stood up. She also had sprung up,
her hands clinching hard. Suddenly
one unclinched. She struck him
fiercely with her open palm, then
staggered back against tree trunk
and locked both hands over her heav-
ing breast.
You-you-dare say that, to my
face she gasped.
He caught her hands between his
own, bent and let the light of his