The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-05-07
A LIARS DREAM.

Years ago, on a fearfullv stormy night
late in the fall when Wichita was a.
lively trading post and frontier head
quarters for cattIemen, picturesque cow
punchers and tradesmen, a solitary horse
man rode fur1ously through the one long
street Of this city, coming in from the
south and riding directly west. He needed
not the raging storm or the curious gaze
Of the scattered groups of hangers-on
who had gathered about the front doors
of the several dance halls, saloons and
gambling quarters. Straight across the
Douglas avenue long bridge he rode and
dlsmounted before the brilliantly lighted
'Iron-Clad." He threw the bride Of his
foaming broncho over the worn out ami
mails head and walked with firm step TO
the door. To the one who responded TO
his knock he simply asked for Blanche"
She was not there and the man rode
away The next night he appeared again,
though he had not been seen all during
that day. Then the girl was there. Man
and woman met each other in crowded
and suffOcating dance room, with the
fumes Of bad liquor permoating the heated
hall, and amid the loud laughter and
For one long moment the two stood gaz-
ing at each other both transixed. and
each wishing the other was not in the
same realm of a hundred square miles.
Neither spoke and only one showed signs
Of any emotion. and that was the hand
some though roughly-clad man. The girl
might have been seen to vince slightly
as she first met the penetrating gaze of
her interviewer, but this gave way TO a
stolid. almost fierce and defiant look of
challenge doring. There they stood and
only a few were watching the silent vet
intense scene. The girl was deadly pale,
and in spite of her assumed Indifference
and defiance, was clearly affected and be-
yond her own control. The man was
cool and calm, and on his face was also
pallor which told of a terrible struggle
inside His lips curled a little with a
smile Of bitterest woe-a sort Of inter
mingling Of hate sorrow, disgust and
latent hone. for after all hons really never
dies so long as life thrills she finer senses.
He was the first to speak, and slowly and
clearly he spoke through the din of the
raspins music the one word, "Blanche!'
From the painted demi-monde there
came no reply. only a heaving of her
breast a great sigh. and a noticeable
tremor over all her being. Again they
stared intentIy at each other. and then
the man made an advancement as though
- approach closer 70 the outcaet. but he
was at once repulsed and she stepped
back. The strain was too great and she
could bear no longer the ordeal which
h4l
giving hurried look around she motioned
for him 20 follow. and unseen. both left
the heavy smoke and fumc-taden air OF
The packed hall for the cool and bracing
air of the autumn night Alone. the man
spoke first. and again his lone word of
address was blanche" She crept close
70 him and replied soft and low. Ed
mUu5e." Then they knew that The game
was ali over and that after the woe and
the gloom Of the spendthrift years they
We're once again on a common plane and
the traveller and his bride Of the years
gone by had met. and for the las; time
would balance the ledger of life close the
record. and settle all accounts He had
come from afar and had ridden long and
hard. eating. he and his trusty mustang
when and how they could. he sleeping
wrapped in his saddle blankets. and the
WHY. horse browsing the while on buffalo
grass and sage brush on the measureless
plains Now he had found her and the
meeting was not more than simply tragic
perhaps. in the eyes Of the critic. IL was
melo-5ramadc and pathetic. why did
YOU desert me?" she asked. and his reply.
olmost Kissed ont. was why were YOU
uatrue2' Then she came closer and told
him the story of how on a June night.
years and years before. she had planned
for him she loved 50 earnestly ard sin
ce-ely. a pleasant surprise and had called
in for an assistant in the wei meant Not
a young man Of the neishoorhocd. whose
fine appearance and wei propor;ionef
form made him ghe Hon Of the little east
ern village. BY accident the young hus-
band had come home earlier By an hour
than usual and he saw the TWO taking
together under a large tree. Su,lenly lie
watched the pair, VINO were really limo
Gently planning for him sweet recep-
ton on the following night. his birthday.
Rut ,hey were suspected by the jealous
groom. aad he IN a III Of mad and m
reasonable jealousy left secretly the VII
lage by an obscure path and worked the
cheap trick OF an overturned boat near
= dangerous rapids, with i1Hs coat and hat