Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1903-10-30


ment of mystery encompassing hip
was added the deep sense of gratitude
which Miss Densmore felt towards
him, despite the fact that he had SO
strenuously repealed any expression
of it on her part. Her dreadful ex-
perience at the spring by the wood
was TO her like an evil dream, through
which Rossiter passed in the guise of
knight subduing the ravening drag
on. Though he had only acted as
any man of ordinary feeling and
courage would have done under SINH
lar circumstances, she could. not but
invest him with certain halo of hero
ism. This, however, was in no wise
patent in her demeanor towards him,
and her cousin had several times up
braided her because she did not show
in a greater degree an appreciation of
Rossiter's services. Perhaps for
more than anything else she admired
and respected him for his attitude
towards herself and her cousin. Never
once, that she could recall, had he
presumed upon his position to adj
vance his acquaintance with them,
although it was perfectly evident that
he found pleasure in their society and
conversation. Herein, more than in
aught else, she told herself, he re-
vealed his innate gentfemanliness.
The talk between Miss Densmore
and Rossiter having touched upon
foreign lands, it naturally turned up
upon places that were in common
familiar. He spoke with freedom
and ease upon remote scenes and
customs, of the delights and discom-
forts of travel, but it was largely in
an impersonal way. Whenever she
tried to draw him out in regard to
himself, which occasionally she made
an effort to do, she met with but lit
tie response.
GLOW different she said at length,
"the life of a traveller is, the eXpe-
riences one passes through, from the
life one takes up on returning homel
I was at first sorely disconnected af-
ter my first year of wandering and
study to come back to so much that
is humdrum and trivial. And you,
Mr.. Rossiter; I can hardly connect
the happy pilgrim which you evident
ly were with the She hesitated
for the word with which to complete
her sentence, for she did not wish to
give offense.
''With the pole-puller!" he ex-
claimed.
eyes, with the pole-puller, since you
put it So" she said.
"Why try to connect them?" he
asked. 81 have felt all the time /
have been talking with you as though
in comparing "reminiscences with you
mine were those of another person"
~ have heard it advanced as a
theory that all people pass through
several eXistences in living one. but I
have always regarded that notion as
a vagary Of the visionary"
cit is a theory to which can
heartily subscribe"
"Well, 1 am inclined to think my
hop-picking experience may convert
me to your view. I suppose one gar
ners something from these various
stages, each with it's new set Of ex-
periences."
eff it were only the good that one
gathered, the agreeable that one re-
Called"
isn't that a matter of the will, at
least in part? I'm sure I do not meal,
to carry away from my hop picking
existence aught but it's happy
| phases"
Rossiter, though looking at her in
| the Pickering and dying lantern-light,
for the boughs obscured the moon
| beams, and catching the outline of
her delicate profile, the poise of her
| head, and the witchery of that stray
| ing lock of hair, told himself that
among his gleanings from the hop
| fields there would certainly be one
| golden memory.
The music ceased suddenly, evident
| ly in the midst of measure. There
seemed to be commotion within.
| Then Jack Parmelee appeared at the
| door. followed by three or four men.
"You go that way, some of you" he
said. pointing towards the upper cor
ner of the kiln; ''In take the lower
| side.''
He was off as he spoke, while two
of those who had accompanied him
were quick to do his bidding. A third
followed hard after Parmelee.
''I can't imagine what has hap
pened," said Rossiter, "but think ii
might be well to go in"
Miss Densmore chung rather ner.
vously to his arm as they walked ia
the door of the kiln. Within they
/ found the dancers gathered in groups
and Rossiter led Miss Densmore to.
wards those with whom Miss Merton
was standing. She was glancing about
her anxiously.
"Ah, here you are!" she exclaimed
when she caught sight of her cousin
There was a decided note of relief in
her tone.
what was it? asked Rossiter.
''Oh, horrid creature stuck his
| head in at the yxindo1x axeI. there an6