The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1904-01-29
The Woman
Who Knew "a
By WILL LEXINGTON COMFORT

DILL DUDLEY, who owned the
n peach farm touching the western
borders OF the hills, peered in through
the open door of HatfsId's shanty as
he drove by. Hatfield was there, bend
ing over the stove, occupied probably
with rasher of bacon and tin cup
of tea. Above the faint siZzle from
the pan and the rustling grind OF the
wheels in the heavy sand OF the road,
Dudley heard the muttering of voice.
It was as if Hatfield we're talking back
at the sputter of the fat Dudley pulled
up in sudden pity and called. The mans
murmur ceased, but a flock of geese be-
hind the shanty whanged up a general
and animated comment. Hatfield APP
peared at the door.
He was tall, young, black haired. His
face had the yeIlowish whiteness Of an
unblued washing. His body was bent,
his long arms hanging forward like an
aged farmers.
'-Tomorrsr's Sunday" Dudley began.
with effort. What be you a-goin'
do? They's par.ridge-slews o part
ridge-in them swails yonder on the
west slopes. Then, eff we want blue
bill, or redhead, or mallard-you know
Titman lake, an fshin' in old Silver?
Lew Gail got 20 FOUNDER thar yisti0dy
grass pike. Come on along. Peaches
all marketed. Apples are better out in
the cool. Least ley won't Spite. Save
yer pork fur winter and hev game fur
a week. Come on!"
Thank you, Dudley, but I'd better
not I'm a moor hunter"
Time you war learnin'. then. Come
on
But"
TIL rout you out bout three an half
in the mornin'. Well, go to the duck
cove fust, an wait for light to see the
birds. l got two guns. Git up, Polite!
G'long!"
This invitation of Drdfey's must weigh
IN as virtue. He would far rather
have gone hunting alone. Moreover, the
days sport would be strained because
free silencss and random chatter were
impo, sible in the presence of an inscrut-
able fellow like Hatfield. Dudley was
the happiest man in the hills just now.
He turned back after Polite had plodded
Ou d uuHOISO y dECS VI SO IIdtnSlu VS.
still standing in his doorway, his body
appearing long drawn and helpless.
Dudley smoRed, chuckled TO the mare,
and smacked his lips at the west. He
had reached the High ridge. The view
was glorious, startling. The fields and
lakes and forests shone Through golden
grenadine of Indian sum mer haze. All
the jewels of heaven seemed to have
dropped into the valley, there to glow in
the smoky light of the red-hot crucible
sagging down west. About quar-
ter of mile south of Dudley's place
there was white cottage with green
blinds. A handsome young woman APP
peared at the door of the cottage, glanced
back cautiously, then waved hurried,
laughing kiss at Dudley as he passed.
Hatfield fingered at the doorway until
the tea boiled over and the bacon was
charred. He would, perhaps have for
gottsn to eat had not the scalding bub-.
bles aroused him. Most pitiable was
his attempt. The odor of food sickened
him. He drank the tea from the leaves
and set the rest away. handling the
dishes repugnantly. Then he rollsd
cigarette, and lit ii, and hurried out inthe
air. The dark was growing. He re-
fiected miserably that cigarettes were
always endurable.
Why did Hatfield live alone on the Hill
forty? One must travel beyond the ridge
district to learn this. A few suggested
that weak lungs were responsible for
his purchase, of the little fruit farm and
his stanch adherence thereto; others
he1i hot bo nod tod r<r
physique and morals in metropolitan
company, ard that he sought to repair
all three by solitude and toll incessant.
Which guess was farthest afield is not
for this narrative. A few things were
known: that he spoke as ore having
culture and understanding; that he la
bored from dawn to dark in the frail but
ceaseless manner of woman; that he
paid for what he bought swiftly and
without question; that he gladly har-
bored wayfarers, but avoided affiliations
with his neighbors; that he lived care
lessly, bitterly. ard abs olutely alone.
Had you watched him that night, you
would have learned that Hatfield's soul
held the passion and poetry of Greeks,
the supreme feryor of a man allied with
Iu0 iOOiS VI q IVY Anu sOu hight nave
imagined without touching doubtful fab
rio that his mastering romance was tor
tured by knowledge of physical unfit
ness, famed by solitude and rendered
ma0deping by its purposeless fruition.
II was dark before moonrise. The
geese were regabbing the days events
by the water trough. Hatfield paused sud-
denly. He had walked for an hour.
walked swiftly to and fro. between the
barn and the shed. He almost ran
indoors, lit his lamp. placsd # beside the
mirror in the kitchen and shaved with