Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-02-02

see me now!
II will ask her." replied Jeanette,
with due appreciation of the romantic
situation.
Ann rose 10 comply. with a little
thrill of unpleasant excitement. she
did not want to see him. and yet she
could not decentiy refuse.
At the door of the sitting room Mrs.
Barnett stopped, and the girl walked
in alone, her face set in lines of cold
disdain.
Raymond sat in a big, padded chair,
with his back to the window and The
sunlight streaming over his head. lie
wore IL hal4a.;ou.2 cray crossing gown,
and the Linen at lis neck ana wrist
was spotlcssly clean. LIS han'.s Were
refined almost ,tei.eatc in e.icct-aE'l
his clean shayn lace and lbs wei!
brushed, abundant brown hair gave
evidence of Il most careful toilet,
Something mystically solemn ana
sweet was in his eyes, ana his lips
trembed as he greeted her. This is
very good of you. Pardon me, won't
you? | am forbidden to stand
II beg you, do not think of it,
"Dare | ask you to be seated! i
want to thank you more suitably than
I have been able to do for what you
did for me-
please don't, Mr.. Raymond. l as
sure you l deserve no credit. l Went
out there under compulsion, and what
l did was determined by pressure OF
circumstances. FIN not bit OF Il hero
inc, and do not like praise"
He was chilled by her tone and for u
moment hesitated. "A sick man may
be forgiven some things he began to
say at last. II may as we'll confess
that have been longing to see you. /
have been trying for many days to rise
and dress in order that l might have
you come in. You must let me ask
your forgiveness for the rude way i'll
which received you that day. All that
did seems incredible to me now, like
the action of another man"
A CLEAN of amusement crossed AIMS
face. II didn't blame you. I'm willing
to admit that your position was try
ing"
He was too exalted of mood to re-
spond to her quizzical tone. II had
lived for years quite apart from any
from association with cultivated peo-
pie, and besides l had begun to feel
that I was wasting my life and had be-
come irritable. went to the ranch to
pay off debt, and well, had fallen
into a groove. You recalled me to bet
ter things"
II and the bullet" she said rather
f1ippantly, for she was becoming appre-
hensive of the trend of his condolences.
He ignored her interruption, or, rath-
er, he plowed across it with something
like his old time resolution. ut is due
to you to know-or at any rate desire
you to know-that am not fugitive
from justice Baker thought he was
being funny"
II am not so dull as you think, Mr..
Raymond. l understood him perfect
IT,"
Il am glad you did 1t is true am
estranged from my family, but it is not
due My faults have never been Grim
inal.''
please do not feel it necessary to
explain" interrupted Ann. cit is pain
full to you, and-and it is wholly unnec-
essary. beg you to desist. hope you
will understand that l am in no sense
doubling you"
A shadow Of pain crossed his face.
Somehow the reality of their meeting
was not as he had imagined it.
She, on her part, was angry and dis
pleased with herself and resentful of
his implied social equality, and yet he
looked the gentleman, and his face
was very handsome, very moving in
it's clear pallor. Suffering had infinite
ly refined it's lines, but she could not
forget his services as cook and cow
boy, and, besides, she hated being per-
turbed. She resolutely changed the
subject.
"Dr Braide says you are getting on
splendidly and that you will soon be
returning to the ranch"
Checked and chilled by her manner,
he plainly abandoned all further
thought Of condding in her and an
swered, wearily and sadly: at will be
a long time before l return to the life
on the ranch. l have other plans
now"
Ann half regretted her action and as
she rose said, with a smiling assump-
ton Of easy, friendly interest which
hurt him worse than anything she had
hitherto spoken: II think it wonderful
the way you are coming on. We Will
see you at dinner in few days"
"rhank you. | shall be down at the
earliest moment" he quietly replied
and leaned back in his chair, white
and suffering, his eyes closed, his lips
quivering.
Ann was well aware that she had not
lived up to her higher self in this In
terview and that she had been cruelty
unresponsive .and distant with him
and yet don't see how l could have
acted differently" she argued with
her better self 'He must not go on
thinking me more deeply interested IN
his life than really am"
Mrs. Barnett was impatiently wait
ing for her return.
"What did he say?" she breathlessly
asked. I'm dying to know"
Ann answered with evasive indiffer