Gunnison news-champion., 1905-10-13

A e0s< 80 " WV 80
~. ts~s< hs~s ssssee go knocasA
~ e.A.0 assa- Il wss . sss~aesk
sick bl~U 81 u closed Ne Aisssrh-
ssos - Uen - she right eye VI the
maa wAs ssssissd IT. Ne staggered "
ais Seet. gsvwl<d soaethln9 about the
eolios sHd walked sApsdiy away.
Mr.. tRsne ssrnsa " the laAy's maid
Tho. very psle, sss leaning hesvily
against tsse.
Il trust that ! did not friehsca yo9. -
he said .tsrhaps ! shcsid have been
iess violent-
The msid did aot reply At oaee. she
looked 81 Mr.. Draae in q daze 81 sur
PRISE until faint color crept into her
cheek and q suspicion Of smile crossed
her lips. Then Mr.. Drsne remembered
he glanced At his remnant Of q hat
which he held in his hand. and his ewes
immediately fell. bat he found no com
tort in his boots. whore they rested. All
his geBtllIty departed on the instant.
and he shifted awkwsrdly. irving ~
speak and mercy mHmbling With the
same irresistible gascherie he passed
his hand over his chin. and the rough
NNAb'i' ah't' khNt ~ i1ruft VI
bis absurdly miserable situation The
voGag woman seemed te realize some
what of his emotions. for her face i'm
SANITY became serious and she said,
softly:
Il am sure ! owe very much to your
kindness, your courage. your muscle.
Truly ! am very grateful"
Mr.. Drsne knew that he WAS blushing.
and he wondered whether his face were
clean enough to show it. He looked up
and saw the young woman's blue eyes
regarding him compsssionately.
Il feel IS il ] must apologize for ad-
dressing you st all, miss" he half STAN
mered. II forgot ny-well, my loath-
some appearance. 1t isn't mine,
isn't my fault; in fact An not exactly
the thing you see
oh, forgive me IL ! have appeared to
notice any thing but your goodness,
sir, exclaimed the young woman, ap-
preaching him impulsively - she spoke;
you have doubtless been unfortunate.
perhaps seen better days. I am sure
you are . gentleman st heart, and am
grateful, indeed an, believe me-" snd
without further aAo she took his hand
md pressed 1t warmly in both Of hers
Mr.. Drsne WINGED. There Was the most
delicate condescension in her manner
and tone; her action said what words
would have rendered offensive: ''See.
recognize your nobility of character, no
matter how ugly is your disguise. and
an not ashamed TO acknowledge it." To
be thus treated by q servant.
Yesterday this interesting young per-
sOa would have stammered in his pres
eace, hung her head. and would have
been overwhelmed at receiving a serv-
ioe at his hands. Now. forsooth, she
speaks grandly, airs her superiority,
condescends to grasp Mr.. Lawrence
DrAne's hand! The unhappy man began
10 experience profound resentment at
tins oOnceiteA ladys maid when . sur
prisiRg change in her manner aroused
his curious interest. She let fall his
hand rs impulsively IS she had sci a
1t, blushed painfully and looked at her
white little hands which she folded be-
fore her.
"Alss! forgot" she said, and her
lips trembled. "You can not un:er-
stand, of course. Oh, dear! oh, dear.
You see, I, too. am not at all what you
see me, or what you think ! am"
Mr.. Drane hastened to give the lie to
his recent emotions.
Il am sure. MISS" he declared, gal
lantly. 81 have seen you and thought Of
you only as lady in distress to whom
it has been my unalloyed pleasure to
render some small assistance"
The young woman looked up again.
Her eyes were brimming with tears,
nevertheless she laughed softly.
~ can not help it, miserable as I am"
she said: ''for your words do sound so
incongruous," and she glanced As il in
spite of herself At Mr.. Drane's tattered
clothing
"Yes, MISS" responded Mr.. Drane,
hurnbly. Then gathering courage from
the remnants of his pride he added:
And do you know. miss. have thought
the same about your words" and he
made no disguise of looking at the big
cuffs, the emblem Of her social position.
II do not wonder she replied. calm
ly. .sfor I am not miss at all. / am
widow"
Am ueepiy krleSeu! exclaimed MI.
Drane. hastily. "A blow Of that nature
coming upon one % young must be Sc
we're indeed"
There Was . most improper twinkle
in the young woman's eyes as she re-
sponded:
''Pray do not distress yourself Nv
widowhood came so unexpectedly. was
such . surprise. in fact that it was
more Of . shock than q blow. There
were certain compromising circum-
stances. but. OF course. i ought not to
speak Of such . matter lightly"
NO, I suppose not admitted Mr..
Draae. rather dubiously. Even in his
wretched situation ne felt an extr.or-
dinary interest in this young widow,
aaA he wondered again vaguely how it
ca@e that she was away from her en-
psoynent At daybreak. She was tapping
the ground with her foot though tfully,
eviAently hesitatinT about continuing