The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1903-06-26

husbands devotion and his grand
strength of character. They touched
once upon his fathers weakness, but
it was such a painful topic for him
she refused to prolong it.
But after, when he had forgotten
it, she went to the corner cupboard
and stood a long time looking at the
amber liquid, tempted to pour it on
the sun-baked ground. Then a great
wave of shame that she had distrust-
ed him even in thought sent her 10
mutely beg absolution by stil
farther adoring him.
IF he is too weak to resist I had
better know it now" she told her.
self when the temptation to destroy
Smiths medicine returned.
Their stay in the wilds was almost
up and Theora, with a bit of embroi-
derry, sat in the front window of the
little cabin, now daintily neat. Perry
was ostensibly reading. but he looked
up from his book every other line to
admire her and finally broke in Oh
her happy reverie with: 81 say. Thee,
am getting ravenous appetite. 1t
must be nearly noon. What do you
say if your famous biscuits form the
piece de resistance of our lunch? A
return to town means the last Of
such dainties, i suppose" regret
fully.
She looked up soberly and replied
with the plant of most farmers
wives: You will have to cut some
wood then. There is none to bake
them"
He stood up and stretched out his
right arm, on which the muscles
knotted a goodly bail, for her APP
proval. physical culture to a pur-
pose," he laughed. And in that
scorching sun, too. will have earned
them 1 think" STOPPING to kiss her
as he passed. ''The dry wood is ali
down at the spring"
She watched him shoulder a fall
chion of the woodpile and go whist
ling down the path between elder
bushes and wild grapevines, then
winding up her silks, she went into
the tiny lean-to kitchen and busted
herself with her cooking. They had
dropped so naturally into rustic
roles.
Before long the ring Of the axe.
ceased to echo back from the hills.
'Too warm" she thought, smiling.
Dear boy! He is so good, so true,
so strongI"
His hurried steps on the path drew
her to the door between the two lit
tie rooms just as he entered from
without bic nd hor hi
eyes contracted, looking straight
ahead.
Brushing past her as though his
life depended on his speed he crossed
to the corner cupboard and wrench
ing open the doors seized upon a bot
tie of Smiths liquor. She watched
him breathlessly, too shocked 10
move, as with that strange, fixed stare.
he snatched up the stove poker and
knocked the neck from the bottle.
draining the fiery, cheap intoxicant
at one draught.
He. half turned, hesitated, then
caught up the other bottle.
''No-no," she cried, staggering for
ward. Not that! For the love of
God-and memo more, Myron!"
Without seeming to see her the
poker was again lifted and crashed
through the glass with unerring aim.
then draining the last drop he let the
bottle fall and reeled to the bed in
the next room, profaning the sane
tuary of her slumber with his tainted
breath.
She could not follow him to ques.
ton or reproach. All the long after
| noon she sat huddled on the floor of
the lean-to watching the sun blink on
the broken bottles. covering her ears
to shut out his labored breathing
Slowly the mist crept up like bridal
veil from the Little Kaw and through
it the sun went down, a huge, red
J ball behind the western hill, and
when the round, white moon, climb
ing to her reign, peeped stealthily
in. the pale, crushed girl still sat rig
idly silent.
She was thinking. Thinking of her
uncle's warning, her trust, her yet
enduring love, her bare, desolate flu
ture apart from him. The broken
empty bottles were her decree of alb
solute separation.
At midnight she tiptoed softly in
and looked down on him as she had
seen him in her maiden dreams
flushed, senseless, but as yetsthe lines
of character retained their strength
Nothing but the yapping of coyotes
on the divide kept her from leaving
him and the cabin-sepulchre of her
brief happiness, then. But fearing
to venture into the night she crept
back to the lean-to and crouched in
the glass-ruins of her life. sparkling
diabolically in the moonlight, and
waited for day.o When the clock
struck six yawning groan drew her
to the bedroom door for one last
look before she left. His eyes were
oDen confused heavy hut at Sioht of