Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1906-09-28


uerihg, she drlfted into the library b,
the hall door. AS rose, she lifted he
eyes, saw me, and drove away tn,
frown OF annoyance which came owe
her face like the faintest haze. II
lact' II may have existed only in m,
imagination. She opened a large
square silver box on the table. tool
out a cigarette, lighted it and holdin,
IT, with the smoke lazily curling III
from IT, between the long slender frs
and second fingers of her white hand
stood idly turning the leaves of a mac
azine. | threw my cigar into thI
fireplace. The slight sound as II strucI
MADE her Jump, and | saw that. under
meath her surface of perfect calm. sh,
was In a nervous state full as tense a,
my own.
You smoker" said |.
Sometimes" she replied. ut 1,
soothing and distracting. don't know
how it is with others, but when
smoke my mind is quite empty"
It's a nasty habit-smoking.
said |.
DO you think so?" said she, will
the slightest lift to her tone and he
eyebrows.
Especially for a woman" I wen
on, because | could think of nothin.
else TO say, and would not, at any cost
let this conversation, so hard to begin
die out.
Your are one of those men whC
nave one code for themselves and an
other for women" she replied.
I'm a man." said |. "All men have
the two codes"
MOI all, said she after a pause.
All men Of decent ideas" said
with emphasis.
Really" said she, in a tone thai
irritated me by suggesting that what
said was both absurd and unimpor
tant. ''i...----. ...
IT is the first time I've ever seer
respectable woman smoke" | wen
on, powerless to change the subject
though conscious | was getting tedi
GUS, I've read of such things, but
didn't believe" ~ * -. :.
That is interesting" said she, hel
tone suggesting the reverse.
I've offended you by saying frank
ly what | think" said |. "Of course
It's none of my business"
"Oh, no" replied she carelessly
I'm not in the least offended. Preju
dices always interest me-"
saw Ellersly and his wife sittins
in the drawing-room, pretending t.
talk to each other. | understood thai
they were leaving me alone with hel
deliberately, and | began to suspect
she was in the plot. smiled. and my
courage and self-possession returned
as summarily as they had fed.
I'm glad of this chance to get bet
ter acquainted with you" said |. Eve
wanted it ever since | first saw you
As put this to her directly. she
dropped her eyes and murmured some
thing she probably wished me to think
vaguely pleasant.
, You are the first woman | ever
knew" | went on, with whom It was
hard for me to get on any sort Of
terms. | suppose it's my fault.
don't know this game yet. But III
learn 1t, II you'll be a little patient;
and when do, l think I'll be able ia
keep up my end"
She looked at me-just looked.
couldn't begin to guess what was
going on in that gracefully-poised head
of hers.
viii you try to be friends with
me-" said | with directness.
She continued to look at me in that
same steady, puzzling way.
will your" / repeated.
81 have no choice" said she slowly.
| flushed. What does that mean?"
! demanded.
She threw a hurried and, il seemed
to me, frightened glance toward the
drawing.room. 81 didn't intend to Of.
fend you" she said in a low voice.
you have been such good friend to
papa-I've no right to feel anything
but friendship for you"
I'm glad to hear you say that" said
/. And / was; for those words Of
hers were the first expression Of ap-
probation and gratitude / had ever
got from any member of that family
which / was holding up from ruin. |
put out my hand, and she laid hers
in II.
There isn't anything I wouldn't do
to earn your friendship, Miss Anita"
] said, holding her hand tightly, feel.
ing how lifeless 1t was, yet feeling,
too, as II flaming torch were being
borne through me. were lighting q
fire in every vein.
The scarlet poured into her face and
neck, wave on wave, until thought
1t would never cease to come. She
snatched her hand away and from her
face streamed proud resentment God,
how loved her at that momentl
Anita! Mr.. Blackjack" came from
the other room, in her mothers voics.
"Come in here and save US old people
from boring each other to sleep"
She turned swiftly and went into the
other room, following. There were
a few minutes OF conversations mon