Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1905-02-15

/ But what drove him out that night"
responded Martin, having Meier in
mind; did he see another ghost?''
wal. we callate he did, n that's
what must hev skeered him. Thar's
been Gurus things goin' on bout his
premises the last three months, n q
good many b'lieve they're hanted by
Amzis ghost. It's my private 'pinion
though, that old Dawes conscience had
been worrying him lately since you
come back. I've heerd," he continued,
glancing at Martin, and anxious for
information, that you've bought the
Mizzy property and was like to begin
legal percedings fer Angie; leastwise
that's the story"
Martin smiled at this truly Yankee
| method of obtaining news.
! i did obtain an option on the prop
erty," he responded "But as for bring
ing any legal action, I've never said 1
should l was willing to buy the Mizzy
power and land, however, and pay
David's price,"
wal, mebbe that won't be necessary
now" with another inquisitive glance;
they're all comm to Angie now, NJ
n, we all callate it'll be plain sailin'
now fur YOU"
But Martin made no response to this
decidedly pointed assertion, and little
did that Yankee stage driver realize
how far away from plain sailing
| Martins future course seemed to him.
| He had returned to Greenvale pre-
pared to astonish the natives, confound
David Curtis, and save Angie her her
itage, only to find that the Great Reaper
had robbed him of his opportunity.
| For David, he felt not one grain of
| pity or regret, and as for Angie, his
first thought was-was it now wisest
| or best to disclose the fact of her
| fathers existence at all? 1t was but
momentary, for come what might, it
was Martins fixed faith that all con-
cealments would prove unwise in the
end. His first plan had been to go to
Angie as SOON as possible after he ar
| rived, and tell her all. She, first and
| foremost, should hear it. He dreaded
the telling, however, for many reasonsi
Then its result on Angles peace of
mind and future was an all-important
matter, and his own hopes as well.
! For half the slow journey to Green
vale, Martin listened to the drivers
repetition of all the grewsome facts OF
Davids fate, including the gossip that
followed it, with interest, and then.
more absorbed in his own vexations,
| paid scant heed until the doctors
home was reached.
A cordial welcome here and a good
supper restored him somewhat, and
after an hour of patient listening to
| the doctors version of the all-impor-
tant news, and still retaining his own,
he rose and declared his intention of
calling upon Angie.
"Oh, by all MEANS" laughed the doc
tor. land l wish you success. If You
l'didn't pop the question before you
left, you ought to tonight, and mat
tiers between you must be settled soon,
as l need your advice regarding her
estate. am appointed administrator
and have awaited your return before
doing anything"
1t was a pleasant send-off, but pro-
posal of marriage was farthest from
Martins thoughts just now.
1t was late when he reached Aunt
Comforts, and she and Angie, always
awaiting each others wish to retire,
were alone in the sitting room. The
evening, a typical November one, was
chilly, the stars obscured, and cold
wind rustled the brown leaves about
the ancient dwelling. Angie. too, was
in much the same mood as the night,
and for many reasons that need not be
specified, and the slow-ticking clock
and low-burning fire, merely accented
heY feelings. Life had for many years
been without much color for her, and
lately, less so than ever.
And then came knock, and he who
had been absent for two long months,
but oft present in her thoughts, met
her when she opened the door,
His greeting, also, seemed unduly
constrained and formal, and after
shaking hands with Aunt Comfort, and
inquiring after her health, he drew his
chair to the fire and a pause came.
1t is always problem how either
good or bad news can best be con-
veyed to its recipient, and poor Mar
tin, after many days of worriment and
dread, was now facing such. And the
one person in all the world now dearest
to his heart was the one most inter-
ested. For few moments he watched
the smouldering fire, the two ladies
growing more curious each instant,
and then he turned to them.
/ You must pardon my abstraction %
he said, "but I've only just arrived,
and have brought you some strange
news that will seem incredible, and I
hardly know how to tell it. The
stage driver has told me all that has
happened here, but you two are first
to be told what have learned"
He paused a moment, looking first
at Aunt Comfort, now wide eyed with
establishment, then at Angie, even
more so, and then continued:
.1t's not bad news l bring you. and
yet not as good as I could wish. You