Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1903-09-11
A KNIGHT OF
THE HIGHWAY
By CLINTON SCOLLARD.
Author Of "a Man at Arms. The Son
Of Tory" Etc.
Copyright, 1901, by J. B. Lippincott Co.
All rights reserved.
CHAPTER II.-CoNTINUED.

CHAPTER 1I.-CONTINUED.
For an hour or more the new
stableman continued his labors, when
the hostler announced that it was
time for grub" After a good wash
at the barn pump, Rossiter followed
his companion into a small, bare
room which was filed with the odor
of cooking. It was a plain meal
that the two men sat down to, but
it was exceedingly palatable.
Neither spoke while eating, and the
maid who attended to their wants
evidently considered herself decided
ly above them, for she did not deign
to address them with SO much as
single word. When they had finished
they went out together.
Say" said the hostler, as they
halted in the center of the stable
yard, how'd you like my job fer
couple O weeks? I want to go hop
pickin'."
81 think some of going myself"
replied Rossiter.
"Oh, you do, Ell? Well, if you don't
conclude. to go, I'd be glad to have
you come ere. You're a pritty tidy
hand with hoss.'
Thanks. What's the job worth?"
Give week, with feed an lodgin'."
''When would you want to know?''
'Any time to-day 'ud do
''An right. I'll drop around to-
night and tell you if I'll come. If
you don't see me again, you'll have
to find another chap" and Rossiter
sought the street.
Here's luckl" he calculated. "May
be things are going to take turn at
last" He Strengthened himself and
something of the reckless sullenness
left his face.
81 must find quiet spot and think
It OUT he unused.
He crossed the railway tracks, and
struck into a narrow street which,
he recalled, formerly led to the base
ball grounds and the broad mead
Dws bordering the river. 1t was a
squalid neighborhood in the old days,
he remembered, and it did not appear
to have changed materially during
the years that had elapsed since he
had last viewed it. Ragged children
we're rolling in the dirt by the road
side, s1atternly women even at that
hour-nine o'clock had not yet struck
were gossiping from window to
window, and two or three men as
nnkempt as Rossiter himself were
squirting tobacco juice over the di-
apidated board sidewalk. Boa wo-
men and men eyed him furtively as
he went by, and one of the former
dung a coarse jibe after him.
He found an open field where the
fenced baseball grounds had been,
and beyond this, as in the past,
stretched a level meadow, sweeping
away beyond the river to the base OF
aaze-wrapt hills. Quarter of a mile
distant he noticed a group of elms
apon the bank of the stream, and
towards these he directed his steps.
When he reached them he cast him
self upon the sward in the shade
and set his back against one of the
massive boles. Behind him was the
rity, slowly beginning to steam with
heato under Che pitiless sun; before
him was the languid river. low from
drought, lazing between its irregular
and freshet-washed banks. Far over
head in the lofty boughs was the
Saint twitter of birdsong.
This Svas what Rossiter loved
The cityo meant nothing to him but
miserable failure, but the free all
of the country carried with it a GER
tain peace of spirit, and for the most
part a large .forgetfulness. During
the three years of his wanderings
the virus of vagabondage had so per
meated his every fiber that he rarely
ionged for the existence he had once
known. When he was candid will
himself he admitted that it was al
irreparable blot upon his manhood
that he did not strive to rise from
the slough into which his own weak
ness had dragged him. At rare in
tervals, when thoughts of re-enterins
thesstruggle came to him, there wa
o always the old weakness to combat
the Tealizat ton that not twice blu
thrice he had played fast and loos
with his chances in the world, and S,
he allowed himself to drift. Their
was nothing Inherently bad in ROSS
ter's nature; there was no dishonor t
be laid at his door If he had assume
something of the uncouth manner
and familiarize himself with tn
low 9anguage of the men with WHOM
he frequently associated, these wer
surface matters things which, if os