Cañon City record., 1904-02-25
1.-The Gentleman From indiana

we forget to be presented to each
other?"
Il beg your pardon. Miss Sherwood.
In the perturbation Of comedy I for
got
"It was melodrama. wasn't itr' she
said He laughed, but she shook her
head.
"Purest comedy" he said gayly. -sx-
cept Jour part Of It You shouldn't have
done it. This evening was not arranged
In honor OF visiting ladies' But you
mustn't think me a comedian. Truly.
didn't plan II. My friend from Six
Crossroads must be given the credit OF
devisIng the scene. though you OWNED
it"
"It was little too picturesque. i
think. | know about Six Crossroads.
Please tell me what you mean to do"
Nothing. What should II
"You mean that you will keep on let
ting them shoot at you until they-untii
you She struck the bench angrily
with her hand
There's no summer thenter In Six
Crossroads. There's not even n church.
Why shouldn't theyT'' he asked grave
ly. During the long and tedious everf
ings II cheers the poor crossroader
soul to drop over here and take shq
at me. 1t whites away Gull care for~
him, and he has the additional exercise
OF running NIL the way home"
"Ahr' she cried Indignantly. They
told me you always answered like this.
well. you see. the Crossroads efforts
have proved so thoroughly hygienic for
me. As a patriot have sometimes fen
extreme modification that such ba
Workmanship should exist In the couht
ty. but console myself with the
thought that their best shots sre. un-
happily. in the penit.ntinry."
There are many left. Can't you un-
derstand that they will organize again
and come In ii body. as they did before
you broke them upi And then. II they
come ON night when they know you
are wandering out OF town
"You have not had tb. advantage OF
an Intimate study OF the most exclusive
people OF the Crossroads. Miss Sher-
wood. There are about thirty gentle
men who ieinain in that neighborhcod
while their relatives sojourn under dis
cipllne. II you had the eniree over
thirty could not gather themselves inIP,
a company nnd march the seven NJ y
without physical debate In the raj ls
They are not precisely arniable peop |.
even among themselves. They wou
quarrel and shoot one another to pie<
long beforr they 20, here"
But they worked In compaf
once"
Never for seven miles Four MIN
was their radius. Five would see thcmN
all dead
She struck the bench again. "oh. you
laugh n, me. You make joke OF your
own life and death aud laugh at every
thing. Have Ave ycarr OF Plattviile
taught you TO do thatf'
II laugh only at taking the podr
Crossroadcr~ too seriously. don't inugh
at your running into tirc TO help fei-
low mortal"
II knew there wasn't any risk.
knew he hnd 10 stop to load before be
ahot again"
ale did shoot again. II had known
you before tonight. r. His tons
changed. nnc he spoke gravely. Il am
ut your feet In worship OF your divine
philanthropy. It's 10 much finer to risk
your life for a stranger than for
friend
THAT Ia a mans point Of view. isn't
nr'
"You riskcd yours for a man you had
never seen before"
"oh. no. saw you At the lecture.
heard you introduce the Hon. Mr.. Hal.
ioway."
Then don't understand your wish
ing TO save me"
She smiled unwillingly and turned her
gray eyes upon him with troubled sun
niness. and under the sweetness OF her
regard lie set watch upon his lips.
though he knew II would not avail hiEn
long, lie had drivelcd along respect
ably 40 far. he thought. but he Ind IN
sentimental longings Of years. starved
OF expression. eliminating In his heart.
She continued 20 look at him wistfully.
searrhingly. gently. Then her eyes trav.
eled over his big frame. from his
shoes IN patch OF moonlight fell -
them; they were dusty: he drew them
under the bench with n shudderl to his
broad shoulders lhe shook the stoop out
OF them. She stretched her small white
hands toward him and looked Mt them
in contrast aud broke into the most de