Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-01-13

about the pumps that first day was
up at the mine, when you were show
ing me about and I was asking so many
questions. You said if the pumps
stopped, the mine would fill with water
in "a hours. I could not sit here-how
could I?-thinking that through the
Vaccinations of that wicked McCready,
you might even at that moment be in
directly conniving at murder!-I al
most went mad with the thought of it!
until 1 could stand it no longer; and
then / ordered Eny 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 dine-novel
sensationalism, you would have known
better than to suppose that 1 would
take chances of anything like that. L
| thoughtlessly exaggerated when / said
| that "a hours would fill the mine; the
| lower levels did fill, for fact; but he
would have been safe in the 10o-foot
| level for at least Sc hours longer. He
| 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 1 but it seemed to be forced upon
me-" returned the girl, quietly, as she
rose. Nov that have explained the
matter, however. I need not keep you
out of bed any longer"
wait" 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.
| II was not there when he came out
! of the shaft; at first it seemed as
| though / could not face him, as though
! must sink to the earth in shame if /
but felt his eyes upon me; but after
ward I waited for him outside felt
I had to-and told him that it was all
a mistalke-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 little
nervous, mirthless laugh. .It is so easy
to fall into the habit of lying, you
KNOW" she ironically observed.
Whether he believed me or not do
not know; but at least he was gentle
manly enough to assume that he did,
and kind enough to promise, when l
| 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 l when I eXacted such a
promise of him." she bitterly declared.
'Well, upon my world" the tone half
amused, half incredulous. 81 mus5
give you credit for having some method
in your madness, but - he hesitated
I with note of sardonic laughter, his
steely eyes surveying the girls glowing
beauty with look of keen comprehen-
sion; "all the same, should have to be
much harder pushed than ever L have
been yet, before L could willingly see
my daughter go out into the highways,
making mashes on impressionablc
young men in my behalf!'' He waited a
moment, narrowly watching her face to
be sure that she felt the coarse thrust, be-
fore he added, the tone telling more than
the words of the cold, tense rage which
possessed him: 81 supposed that
you had been brought up to know
what conduct was BETTING lady;
| that you had some tact as well as dis
| Cretion; but this event goes to prove
that 1 have overrated both your intelli-
gence and your breeding. And if it has
| reached point when I must tell you in
plain English that my business is not
to be meddled with"
Perhaps it would be as we'll that
should place myself beyond the reach
of such temptation" interrupted the
| girl, coldly; Aunt Marion has been
urging me lately to go east and stay
| with her. 1 have been thinking that
that would be the best thing for me -
do"
LAS you like" returned the colonel,
indifferently; but Dorothy fancied that
| he looked a little startled. when
should you like to go?"
Right away, think
81 shall have to stay here.a couple of
days longer" the words coming hest
tantly, as though he hardly knew what
to say to this proposition; but I can
take you down to Denver then, and you
can make your arrangements to go any
time after that. unless you change your
mind