Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1902-08-08
A WIN SOME
VILLAIN n XIX
BY JOHN II. RAFTERY.
THE advent of Helen Barr as stenog-

THE advent of Helen Barr as stenog-
rapher created a genuine sensa-
lion in Hotel Packinghom. The staid
manager, broad of paunch and bald
II head, began to dictate his own let
5ers, instead of leaving them to his
assistant. The chief clerk surpassed
even his own high standard of sartor-
lai sptendor and curled the ends of his
nustacAe so high that the points
Served him as ga sight" for the aim
ng of many glances of admiration.
The captain of the bellboys began to
throw out his chest and take on the
airs of a grown man, the clarion tones
Of front" became music to the ears
Of the buttons" for it required a
sudden appearance within range of
Miss Bars incompatible eyes. Even
The house detective, the stewart and
he door men lighted up, and as for
he male guests, they suddenly de-
yeloped into continuous and most vol
luminous letter writer's.
Miss Barr was a beauty, as anyone
could see. Her hair was auburn and
aer eyes dark blue. The clerk insist
ed that they were "royal purple" and
set box of cigars with bold travel
f asked. He lost the wager, however,
for, when the saucy question was put
10 her, she blushed beautifully, and
said: 81 never noticed, SIR But, as
the inquisitor attempted to push his
Investigation, the girl turned back to
aer typewriter and murmured: ''Any-
way, there's no green in them" This
innocent retort had the effect of a
:ebuff, and Miss Barr's popularity
went off point" with the clerk. But
she could be very gracious without
stepping across the limitations of per-
feet decorum, and her calm anna bility
IF disposition and habitual cheerful
ness of expression intrenched her pop
nlarity without permitting familiar
.ty.
Capt. Hugh Baldwin, U. S. "A, came
20 the Buckingham to "recuperate"
after a period of detached service in
South America. EA was tall, sun
burned, blond. good to look at and
distinguished, with all the frank gen
tility of a soldier and an officer. Of
all her customers Miss Barr had found
Capt. Baldwin the most interesting.
Heswas friendly without being obtru-
sive, gay without being silly and re-
spectful without being distant. The
alert beauty had found out great
many things about him in the course
If. "a week, for he wrote to Mrs. Bald
win every day. He had assured her
that "he didn't know how soon he'd
che home" because he was still "far
from well,' etc. These seemingly I'M
warranted explanations gave Miss
Barr the idea that the handsome cap
tain was something of rogue, for she
had never seen a finer example of ro-
bust manhood.
The number of gay young men who
.alled on him seemed to indicate that
ae might be what she vaguely sus-
oected as lone of the boys" Some
times he wrote letters to other women
than Mrs. Baldwin, and, although
these were usually noncommittal and
} Of the jolly sort that might well pass
between jolly bachelor and his So
ciety acquaintance, yet Miss Barr
tancied that they were not the kind
Of letters she would like her husb band
% be writing if she were married.
Then, thought the girl, ''he has chill
1ren. Let's see. He mentioned Amy,
Tom, Catherine and Baby Hugh.
CIhph! I think he is pretty gay for a
man of family" 1t was not till he be-
gan the practice of leaving flowers and
boDbons on her desk that Helen awak-
aned to realization of Capt. Bald
wins possible villainy. Without re-
eecting that his character, good or
bad, should in no way interfere with
.er peace of mind, she began to worry,
yrieye and get pale. She knew that
,is wife was urging him to come home,
md she was sure that his trumpsd-up
excuses were either frivolous or ut
serly untrue. Finally she asked him
&c please stop giving her presents %
but try as she might she couldn't find
IN excuse for mentioning his wife and
his duty toward his family. 'I'm not
supposed to know anything about
hat" she thought, and yet she puz-
lied over the question whether his
candid display of his own duplicity
was not proof positive that. he was a
shameless wretch, making love to an
innocent girl without even taking the
p- eeaution to conceal his life obliga-
GoEs.