Rock Island Argus., 1906-02-17
CHAPTER VII.

A~1A as Tic HtppculHSS OI u uTedIu, Du
her sense of injury deepened into dis
ike Of Raymond and the life he rep
resented Therefore she took care not
to see him as he was borne into Bar
nett's house. He is nothing to me
and 1 must decline to be troubled by
him further" she said as she was
dressing to go out.
Mrs Barnett, however, was waiting
and when the carriage in which he
lay came TO the door FASTENED to take
his hand in both of hers and make him
welcome. I'm glad you came. Rob.
We are going to have you out in few
days. How do you feel?'
In his weak state he could only boy
ishly say: "Oh. I'm on the up grade.
You and Don are mighty good TO me"
Thereafter Raymond abandoned him.
self to the joy of travelling back TO life
along such ways of wanton luxury as
he had never known. He permitted
himself to be waited upon. even by
Mrs. Barnett, without protest, and
when Louis came stealing into the
room in awe and love his heart went
out to the boy as to IL brother.
Hello. younker"' he called. You
needn't walk So soft voiced. I'm worth
a dozen dead men yet"
The boys face shone. II thought
you were asleep. Can | do anything
for you?'
NO; only come ana sit down and
talk TO me. What have you been do
ing since you came back to the
SpringsE"
Louis took seat Nothing of any
consequence. except TO make some
drawings of the ranch. Its dull here.
4 want to go into the mountains
You're a wonderful youngster.
Wait till I'm able to travel. and We'll
go up into the high country together"
Louis clapped his hands. Wont
that be glorious? I'd rather do that
than anything else in the world"
How is your sister," asked Ray
mond, with abrupt change of tone.
''She Is well. She's always well.
We Just came in from drive. That's
the reason L wasn't here to help you.
Did it hurt you going upstairs?'
Not Il bit. The boys handled me
as tenderly as side o. pork. Let me
see your drawings, will your
The boys face glowed. We'll, you
just wait" And he rushed away to
get them.
Mrs. Barnett upon meeting Ann said,
with deep feeling: ''Rob's illness has
Transformed him. He said TO me a
few moments ago: IF you can find the
man who shot me, reward him. He
has done me a great service. 1 am
lost in a dream of luxury He asked
after you with emotion and said he
would Ike to thank you for your sery-
ice to him."
Ann, listening intently, remained cold
ly impassive of face. Mrs. Scribbins
was the really efficient person. L have
a horror of sick people, and as for
wounds She shuddered for lack of
words.
Mrs. Barnett went on: Il like to do
for him, he's SO grateful and so obe-
dient. He says just the right thing al
ways. There must be good breeding
back of the man, although he never
mentions his family. There's some love
affair to account for his being here.
Hes too handsome not to have had en-
tanglements. Don't you think SOP
HE insisted not" replied Ann. HE
begged me to consider that his life had
been quite commonplace"
81 don't believe II. He couldn't be
commonplace. He said to me just now,
Sometimes a man must hear the wash
of the river of death to realize how fu-
tile he has allowed his life to become
His gratitude toward you is pathetic"
Ann frowned. It's worse; it's op
pressIve. did so little, and that little
On init 7
didn't enjoy it then nor in retrospect"
"You mustn't let him know that. His
worship of you positively irradiates his
face, and he's very handsome. He in
sists that you were heroic"
Ann grew n little petulant. 81 wish
you wouldn't try to make mountains
out of molehills. 1t was a most un-
pleasant experience, and 1 wish to for
get 1t, not to have it dinned in my ears
forever. My going was folly, and my
stay in that CHASTITY place was u tor
ment Please allow me to put it out of
my memory"
Ann had a moment of bitter home
sickness. feeling she had never known
before. This mad trip into the west
with a reckless and supersensitiye boy
grew each moment more disastrous. At
the moment she fairly hated her cous-
ins and all the guests at their table and
longed, with unspeakable hunger, for
the roll OF carriages on Fifth avenue
and the glitter and tumult of Broad
way. The stony, uninterested stare of
her mother was better than this pry-
ing. this overstrained interest on the
part OF Jeanette.
AS for Raymond, he had been mo-
mentarily interesting as a cowboy. and
when he was lying at the brink of the
grave he had assumed tragic value. but
now that he was on the way to recov
cry he ceased to interest. "He Is mere
ly one of the thousands of other COM
monplace young eastern men who have
tried their fortunes in the west and
failed" she said. 'Why should 1 be
burdened with any further care of
him?'