Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1905-08-18

SSS don't call the other girls.
can't bear to tell this to any
body but you.
You know how ! kicked when Tom
hit on Latimer's as the place we were
to scuttle. And the harder ] kicked
the stubborner he got, till he swore
he'd do the job without me if
wouldn't come along. Well-this is
the rest of it.
The house, you know. stands at the
end of the street. If you could walk
through the garden with the iron fence
you'd come right down the bluff on
to the docks and out into East river.
Tom and | came up to ii from the
docks last night IT was dark and
wet you remember. The mud was
thick on my trousers-Nance 0ldens
a boy every time when it comes to
doing business.
We'll blow 1t all in. Tom" | said
as we climbed. We'll spend a week
at the Waldorf, and then. Tom Dor
gan Wen 20 TO Paris. want a red
coat and hat with chinchilla. ike that.
dear one lost, and low-nerk satin
gown, and a silk petticoat with lace
and a chain with rhinestones. and"
Just wait, Sis, till you get out Of
this. And keep still"
81 can't. I'm SO fdgety | must talk
or I'll Shrek"
well, you'll shut up just the same
Do you hear me?'.
shut up, but my teeth chartered so
that Tom. stopped at the gate.
Look here. Nance, are you going to
funk? Say it now-yes or no"
That made me mad.
TON Dorgan," said, 'Tll bet your
own teeth chartered the first time. you
went in for a thing like this. I'm all
right. You'll. squeal before | do @
That's more like. Here's the gate.
It's locked. Come, Nance"
With a good, strong swing he boost
cd me over. handed me the bag of
tools and sprang over himself. He
looked kind O. handsome and fine, my
Tom, as he lit square and light on his
feet beside me. And because he did,
put my arm In his and gave it a
squeeze.
| Oh, Mag, it was so funny, going
! through Latimer's garden! There was
the garden table where had sal read
ing and thinking he took me for Miss
Omar. There was the bench where
that beast NORWAY sat sneering at
me. The wheeled chair was gone
And it was so late everything looked
asleep. But something was left be-
hind that made me think | heard
Latimer's slow, silken voice. and made
me feel cheap-turned inside out like
an empty pocket-a dirty, ragged
pocket with a seam in it,
you'll stay here. Nancy. and
watch, Tom whispered You'll
whistle once if cop comes inside the
gate. but not before he's inside the
gate. Don't whistle too soon-mind
that-nor too loud. III hear We all
right. And I'll whistle just once il
. anything happens Then YOU run
hear me? Run like the devil"
"Fommy-"
well what?"
"Nothing-all right" | wanted Il
say good-by-but you know Tom.
( Mag, were you ever where YOU
oughtn't to be at mitnight-alone'
No. q know Won weren't. Twas YOU
: ugly little face and your hair thai
saved you-the red hair-we used to guy
. so at the Cruelty. can see you nov
Ga freckle-f faced. thin little devil. will
the tangled hair TO the very edge o.
: your ragged skirt. yanked in that frs
day to the Cruelty when the neighbOr!
Complained your crying wouldn't le
e 'em sleep nights. The old woman haC
g just locked you in there, hadn't she
to Narve9when she lit CIT. Mother!
+ are queer, aia't they; when. they arr
a queer never remember mine.
YES, I'll go on.
I stood ii all right for a. time. on
there alone in the night. But | nevel
= was one to. wait patiently. ] can
wait-it isn't in me. But th,re ha(
9 to stand aad just-GOd!-just wait.
If | hadn't waited so hard at tn,
very first | wouldn't a given out 81
p soons But stood so still and listened
r so terribly hard that the trees begal
o to whisper and the bushes to cracl
q and creep. heard things in my heaa
and ears that weren't sounding any
, where else. And all of a sudden
4 tramp, tramp. tramp heard the cop
8 footsteps.
n He stopped over 'thefe by the swing
@ Ing electric light above the gate. -
a crouched down behind the iron bench
J. And my coat caught twig on
bush and its crack-ck was like yell
t thought I'd die. thought II
scream. thought I'd run. though
d I'd faint. But l didn't-for there
asleep on rug that some one had for
L. gotten to take in. was the house cal
gave her quick slap. and she FEY
I out and across the path like fash.
u The cop watched her, his hand o
the gate and passed on.
Q. Mag Monahan, II Tom had come on
re that minute without bean and gon
k home with me, I'd been SO relieve