Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-08-02
DOWN Blythe
- re GRANDE
III. s. CANFEELD.'

4SoiS- as SISTER
There was even a ring of hope in his
voice and he half attempted TO retain her
hand, which she had withdrawn quickly
at his change of tone.
Only as a sister," she responded stead
ily
Why, OF course" be replied with Il
short laugh, rising and shaking himself
/ know that-in fact, wouldn't have it
any other way if | could. What am |
but an irresponsible, poverty-stricken
cow-puncher? | wouldn't marry you,
Lois, If you got down on your knees to
me. l couldn't afford it, you know. I'd
rather have you as you are. to sing to me
at night, TO play billiards with me. to
give me your condolences. l feel, in
kind of way, as if l were pledged. or it
were my duty, to see you through almost
anything all right, you know, toto pro-
tect You, If you need it, though you don't
seem likely to need it. That's the way |
feel, pom hOnOr-most times. But don't
put your hand on my hair any more.
There's something about you that sets
us all crazy. | caught Fontane writing
verse yesterday, and deuced bad verse it
was He wanted me to put on the gloves
with him.
Lois laughed merriy. The boys inno-
cent tlattery pleased her, because it was
so transparent and heartfelt and there
fore harmless. She liked him. she
thought, better than any man she had
ever seen and she believed that she liked
him as we'll as she would ever come to
like another
Il am obliged to YOU" she said. with
quick change to gravity. Il agree with
you and Capt, Harding. Mr.. Maude is
a strange man."
He has a wild. hard streak in him.
that's fact" her companion answered,
possibly because of his wild, hard life.
Maybe he was better some day and got
started wrong. That happens to so many
poor devils"
Il think not" she responded. The
base quality to which we refer was in
him always. He started fair He was
Of good family, well placed, finely taught,
with a high profession and enough
means for his needs. Ny sympathy does
not go out to the man who, 50 fitted for
ife's struggle, so armed for the combat.
so trained to excel in good things, seeks
the bad. | sympathize rather with him
who is the victim Of circumstances.
There are many such. Who can tell, for
instance, the things which make or mar
US. The man tossing in delirium in yon-
der room is of gentle blood. That is
plain enough. We cannot say what drove
him into the wilderness to lead life of
crime-to end his days, possibly, in q
felon's celtic bear certainly in the near
future a convict's shame. We may know
his story some day
She spoke rapidly and with deep feel
ing. Her hand was stretched out, her
face was pale, a spot of red burned in
each clear cheek. She seemed TO be
pleading in bar of Judgment of the
wounded bandit. Allyn stared at her
awed, fascinated.
''Why-why," he stammercd, you're
not specially interested in the beggar,
are you? You'd make a bloomin' bar
rister, Lois
She came to herself with a laugh.
I'm interested in him." she said "only
as nurse is interested in patient. We
can't help it. There is always something
that appeals to US in the sight of big
strong man dependent upon our weak
ness. 1t is our time to be strong and we
get our revenge in being good to you"
That you do" he said heartily. IF
Lasceles cuts my head open with his
mallet, as he did last year, hope only
that you'll be here to attend to the hurt.
If your time were not already engaged,
I'd get him to do it next game think"
He went his way TO his quarters and
she turned to her room. On the way she
looked into the sick room for moment.
The prisoner was lying upon mis- back,
his eyes open and staring at the ceiling.
He had been silent, but spoke as the
door creaked slightly.
"Tordillo," ne said, "TordilIo, do not
desert me, for the water is deep and dark
and have much to do
She closed the door gently and stole
away She had been long enough in the
southwest and had picked up enough of
the Mexican nomenclature to know that
''Tordillo' was the name of a horse, and
she OWNED that in her patients fevered
brain was memory Of the dark, rushing
river with the shock of the wound and
the weakness of his once powerful mus
cles and the stars drifting overhead.
At dinner that night she sat. as usual.
opposite to the Hon. Russell Maude. and
between courses she studied furtively,
but attentively, his dark face. She mark
ed now things in il, though she had
thought that she knew it well-a certain
thinness of lip behind which the sharp
pointed teeth showed occasionally. and
the man took on Il wolfsh likeness for
her She wondered what scenes he had
Witnessed and how deeply sta ned We're
his slender hands, if only the rcd would
show. When he addressed a remark 10
her, as he did in courtesy more than
once-his manners were nearly always
irreproachable--she answered steadily,
but briefly. She was too at Of a
woman to give him a hn ~, Inc
thoughts behind her frank eye Never
theless there was an indefnable chill
from her to him, and he felt it, When
he came into the drawing room he man
aged 10 approach her when she was for
a moment alone, and whispered:
we should still be friends. despite
past things. We are still friends, are
we notT'
There were times when Lois was not a
fencer. The impulsive blood mixed with
u