Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1905-09-15


this sort of thing-the risk. the near
ness to danger, the chances one way
or the other-would have intoxicated
me. used to. feel as though | was
dancing on a volcano and daring II TO
explode. The more twistings and
there were to the labyrinth,
the greater glory It was TO get out.
darlin'. you have before you
a mournful spectacle-the degenera-
tion of Nancy Olden. 1t isn't that
she's lost courage. It's only that she
used to be able to think OF only one
thing and now. What do you sup
pose 1t is, Mag? II you know. don't
you dare to tell me.
When we got to the fiat Obermuller
was already there. At the door |
pulled out my key and opened It with
a flourish.
Won't you come in. gentlemen. and
spend the EVENING"" | asked.
They followed me in. First to the
parlor. The two fellows threw of
their coats and searched that through
and Throughout a drawer did they
miss. not a bit Of furniture did they
fail to move. 0bermuller and | sat
there guying them as they pried about
In their shirt-sleeves. That Trust
business has taken the life out OF him OF
late. All their tricks, all their squeez-
ings, their cheatings, their bossing
and Dragging and bullying have got
on to his nerves till he looks like a
bear getting a drubbing. And
he swears that they're in a cor piracy
to freeze him and a few Others like
him out; he believes there's actually
a paper in existence that would prove
II. But this affair Of the purse seemed
TO excite him till he behaved like a
bad schoolboy.
And I? Well, Nance 0lden was
never far behind at the Cruelty when
there was anything going on. We
trailed after them, and when they'd
finished with the bedrooms-yours
and mine-I asked the big fellow to
come into the kitchen with Mr.. o.
and me, while the blue-eyed detective
tackled the dining-room, and I'd get
up lunch for us all.
Mag. you should have seen Fred
0bermuller with a biz apron on him.
dressing the salad while | was max
Ing sandwiches. The Cruelty taught
me how to cook, even II It did teach
me other things. You wouldn't have
believed that the Trust had got him
by the throat, and was choking the
last breath out Of him. You wouldn't
have believed that our salaries hadn't
been paid for three weeks, that our
houses were dwindling every night,
that
! was thinking about II all there In
the back Of my head, trying to see a
way out Of it-you know If there is
such an agreement as 0bermuller
swears there is, it's against the law
while We ratified on, the two of us,
like a couple of children on a picnic,
when ! heard a crash behind me.
The salad bowl had slipped from
Obermullers fingers. He stood with
his back turned to me, his eyes fixed
upon that searching detective.
But he wasn't searching any more,
Mag. He was standing still as
pointer that's scented game. He had
moved the lounge out from the wall,
Gnd there on the floor. spread open
where ii had fallen, lay a handsome
aephant-skin purse. with gold corn
ers. From where | stood. Mag. ]
could read the plain gold lettering
on the dark leather. | didn't have
to move. 1t was plain enough-quite
plain.
MRS. EDWARD RAMSAY.
Hush, hush, Mag; if you take on so,
how can / tell you the rest?
Obermuller got in front of me, as
started to walk into the dining-room.
| don't know what his idea was.
don't suppose he does exactly-if it
wasn't to spare me the sight of that
damned thing.
Oh how ! hated ii, that pursel
hated it as if 1t had been something
alive that could be glad of what il
had done. ! wished /; was alive that
| could tea and rend it and stamp on
1t and throw it in a fire, and drag it
out again. with burned and bleeding
nails, TO tear it again and again.
wanted TO iall on II and hide II; to
push it far, far away out of sight; to
stamp 1t downtown into the very
bottom of the earth, where il could
feel the hell it was making for me.
But | only stood there, stupidity
looking at it, having pushed past
Obermuller, as though | never wanted
to see anything else.
And then | heard that blue-eyed fell
lows words.
We'll" he said, pulling on his coat
as though he'd done a good days
work. 81 guess you'd just better come
along with me-"
CHAPTER XII.
ONT you think you'd better