Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1901-01-25

time to go to his room for them. His
heart sorely smote him as he kissed her
white face and noted the dark hollows
under her eyes-eyes :ch absorbed the
red freight like diamonds. At any rate
he had good news for her, but the
thought pierced him like a dagger to
think of it as such. Despite himself, a
frown gathered on his brow. She
misunderstood it, and he saw her catch
her breath as she held his coat for him.
Neither of them spoke, though
when she had knelt at his feet
and her white tapering fingers trem-
bled over their task of unlacing
his shoes he felt an almost uncon-
trollable impulse to snatch her
to his breast and sob out the awful re-
be1lion within him. When she had
the wrinkles in. his stockings and put
on his slippers, finishing her task with
q little sad pat as she rose to her feet.
"Ah, you vixen" he said, tremulous-
ly-"Eve1yn, you are my baby!" He
looked towards the door. II have al
ways given you more of my heart than
I have to your sister, perhaps because
you have given me more of yours, poor
dear child!"
The tears sprang into her eyes, and
she turned away quickly to a table
where she had put a cigar and match
for him.
II have rolled it and cut the end"
There was q catch in her voice as she
scratched the match and held it to the
cigar.
''Thank you, baby" he said, as he
puffed.
For a moment she stood searching his
face and then, as he did not speak, she
said:
81 have waited as long as can, papa.
It seems to me that i shall die if do
not know the news. Is there any
hope?"
He pushed out his knee and drew her
down on it. He felt that her body was
rigid with expectancy.
Evelyn, you are my most helpless
child. must do my duty towards you
in spite of what you feel to be right"
She slid her arm round his neck, but
he knew that it did not clasp him with
her usual tenderness.
1--WE can talk about that later" she
said, 'but must know now what they
He averted his eyes; a scowl was on
his face.
''Don't torture me, papa; remember
am only woman"
He raised his hand till it touched her
head; he essayed to draw it down
against his own, but she held herself
firmly erect.
"Don't torture me-" she repeated, al
most threateningly.
"We1l, will not, he said. "Of course
I know what you want. The case was
thrown out of court. It was proved
that sgd Hart accidentally shot himself
with his own pistol. Fanshaw was in
no way responsible. He is at home by
this time, free man."
He felt her gasp, and then her head
fell on his shoulder, all the rigidness of
suspense was gone from her body; she
lay like one dead. He thought she had
tainted, but a moment later she stirred;
the color ran into her face, and she
stood up before him.
ooh, papa! oh, papal" was all she
could say, but a world of unutterab1e
joy lay in her tone. His cigar had gone
out; he took a taper from vase on
the mantelpiece and lighted it at the
fire, and as he applied it to his cigar
he felt his anger returning to him. The
outlook seemed so hopeless. She could
never be happy without Fanshaw-she
would be worse than miserable with
him, after she learned the folly of her
step. No, there must be some escape.
He would think it over again. He had
thought it over till it had become a
sort of monomania with him. Perhaps
some way of escape would present
itself. He led her to the door and
bowed silently as she turned from him
to go up to her room. He went into his
study and lighted a lamp on his desk,
then he sat down and began to tumble
some papers which one of his agents
was clinging to Evelyn-EvelyE-
Evelyni
He opened drawer in his desk and
took out miniature framed in gold.
1t held face strongly resembling the
daughter who had just quilted the
room, and as he looked at it a flood of
tender recollections rushed over him.
eff you had only lived, dear Evelyn"
he murmured; '.if you were here you'd
know what to do. 1t may be that
Fanshaw could love her as loved you,
and in that case, may be wronging
him; but. oh, my angel wife, I do not
know what is best!" He gazed at the
face in the little frame for another
minute and then he restored it to its
place and closed the drawer.
; Sal CHAPTER XVII.
The colonel began to walk back and
forth in the room. Now and then he
would stray across the hall and pause
in the doorway to give half an ear to
Caroline, who was listlessly playing the