Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1898-02-05
THE Old SILVER TRAIL.
" MARY {. sncMtY.
tcoryight 1896. BY J. B. upplneou Col
CHAPTER Ix.-CoSr1SuEp.

CHAPTER IX.-CoNTINUED.
The colonel smiled perfunctorily. lie
had heard the tale before. II rather
wonder he did not come down on us
with IN order for examination this
time" he observed.
swell, I reckon from what they got
out Of 1t before that he thought he'd do
better to take somebody that had gone
through the workings without IN order
from the court" suggested the superin'
tendent, with grin.
Col. Meredith thrummed absently on
the table, his eyes fixed in frowning
thought upon the floor. "Itwould SIM
plify Matters" he observed ut length,
evidently referring to some proposition
that had been discussed before. "Thc
mine has stopped work, you say"
eyes; engine broke down." Nc
Cready's tone conveying n hint OF sub.
tie humor in the explanation.
swell, II you can make 1t go-1 don't
know that we take any great chances"
the colonel said, rising with distinct in
timation that he considered the inter-
view at an end. "But there is no object
In carrying the joke too far. ] would
stop short Of the dislocated shoulder
this time II ! were you. Come, Doro-
thy" but he started with surprise as he
looked ut her, exclaiming with genuine
concern: "But what is the matter,
child?-nre you sick?"
81 believe-I think ! have q slight
headache" she nervously returned, n
wave of red suddenly dyeing herchecks,
'The hcat"-she stopped to pass her
hands In bewilderea way across her
eyes-"it is sitting. is IL not?"
81 hope you're not going to hare
mountain fever" her father inpatient
" calculated, seizing upon her hand to
feel her pulse.
IT don't know but we've been givin'
Miss Meredith suthin' OF scare with
our talk" McCrendy mumbled, in .
somewhat jocose tone of apology from
the door. "AIebbc she thinks she's got
in with some pretty tough cltizens;
but nobody was giving heed to what he
said.
"a little too fast" the colonel pro-
nounced, releasing the wrist while lie
shut his watch with an impatient snap.
81 dare say it is nothing; but you would
better take some quinine and go to
bed"
"Yes; I do not care for any supper.
I will 60 back to my room," Dorothy
murmured, hurriedly, carefully avoid
ing q glance at McCready as she passed
him at the door.
"Takc at least five grains Of quinine,"
her father anxiously advised, looking
nfter her. "And I will send you up some
toast and tea"
Five grains of quinine! How far
would that 60 toward sparing Harvey
Neil dislocatcd shoulder? How far
toward saving her father from the dis.
grace of even tacit acquicscence in such
villainous work? Dorothy laughed in
historical amusement MS she restlessly
paced her room, q laugh which ended
in something like sob.
She had always been so proud Of her
father; proud Of the instructive refine
ment which spoke in the almost finical
care Of his person, lit the temperatures,
well-nigh nusterity, Of his living; OF his
fine appearance in the world of men; Of
his brilliant war record, when his title
had been won by signal bravery in the
field; OF the unbroken series of business
successes which had given him the
power and prestige of money. However
they might malign him, men treated
him with Difference which she had al
ways accepted Us just tribute to his
worth, looking up to him in that hero
worship which seems an innate impulse
Of the woman nature. That this adj
miration so boundlcssly fostered was
not nll love she had hardly realized
until now, when she seemed to feel her.
self shrinking back from him with
sort OF horror. Words that in moment
Of excitement her mother had uttered
years ago came back to her now
Us she paced the floor. II hope you
have inherited your fathers temper
.ement - for your father has no
heart" the unhappy wife had
sobbed, bitterly regarding the child,
who had been too young then fully
to grasp the meaning OF the words.
"People who have no hearts are never
hurt; they only hurt other people; aud
for them II Is better So" she had gone
on to say; and now for the first time
Dorothy seemed to understand. II was
true. He Ind no heart, 10 feeling; IL he
had, he could not have smiled in passive
consent 10 such an Ubiquitous scheme
rs that McCrcady had unfolded that
afternoon; he must have felt the shame
Of Il. Thank Heaven, she had not an
lierlted his temperament! II was to be
moral monstrosity. one of natures
most pitiable freaks.
She had worked herself into such
passion that she seemed hardly capable
Of coherent thought. Suddenly realiz-
ing that this would not do, she seated
herself by the window, steadily gnz-
ing out ut the fame fringed clouds rim
ming the western hills. She must be
calm to think what was to be done, for
ction Of some sort appeared to her In
evitable. The idea OF appealing to her
fnther she lmpatiently abandoned us
useless. Fur rather would she get
warning to Neil himself; but where was
the messenger who would serve her
purpose without danger Of betrayal?
Could she wait until her father Ind re-
tired for the night and go herself? Two
miles Of lonely mountain climbing
might have seemed a startling PROPOSE
tion at another time; but now, in her
intense preoccupation, she had not n