The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1906-10-05

will not matter; he will concern him
self little with me-"
The evening was nearly over, and
still the visitor had addressed no word
in private with Lavender. For this, the
maid was thankful; hers was keen
ness Of intuition, fostered by the va
ried experiences of the last few
months; by the new and strange mode
of life The shrinking bashfulness-
the guileless ignorance, which the fash
ion of the day demanded in maids,
were lacking in her, and circumstances
had served to cultivate neither. So
she did not fail to note and read Alright,
the visitors covert glances and smiles
of admiration.
Once she went to the kitchen for
some cider. America greeted her with
theremark: dat yaller man been cast'n
sleeps eyes at yo' all ebenin'. l
boun' he gwine AK 20 to marry him.
How can you say that, America?
He pays all his attention to mother"
Satin de COW, to ketch de calf"
the old servant said, sagely.
Lavender laughed ripping accom-
paniment to the cider gurgling from
the jug. I'm afraid the Spanish cav
lier is not in your good books" she
said.
II amt sayin' nothin' agin i'm; he
mought be all right, and, then again, he
moughtn't."
And Lavender, who could extract
nothing more to the point, returned to
the company.
When the cider was poured, Mrs.
Creighton said: Let us drink to the
kind friend who sent us this"
The Spaniard paused in the act of
raising his glass, curve of interroga-
ton in his handsome brows.
Lavender's cheek glowed with an
added color, not altogether a reflection
of the freight.
Her mother continued: ut was
brought the other day by Mr.. Wins
lows trusty Indian guide. You re-
member Owatoga, perhaps? He WHO
was with us on the boat? 1t seems
that he prefers to remain with Mr..
Winslow-ever at his beck and call"
Gonzaga merely touched his lips to
the glass, then asked, coolly: Wins
low? All, yes; where Is the gentle
man? He seems to have disappeared"
To the sighting tone, Mrs. Creighton
replied, warmly:
II am sorry to say it is long since
we saw him, but we had message
from him saying he is detained a pris-
oner at st. Louis, on parole. Informa-
tion, through whom he does not know,
was given the authorities of his con-
nection with the Burr expedition. 1t
seems that affair is, for some reason
cannot understand, regarded by the
government in the light of conspir-
acy. Trouble is brewing for the lead
ers, and until that is settled, our friend
is held in st. Louis"
Here Gonzaga inquired: you say
he has written-when, may I ask"
"Owatoga delivered the note on his
first trip here"
The Spaniard paused with the cup
at his lips: THE Indian? He was the
bearer of note, did you say?"
Yes, few lines written on the day
of Mr.. Winslow's arrest"
Lavender, put in with little tenn
per: ut is disgrace to our country
that honest men can't go forth to find
a home without interference-without
insult"
But the Spaniard hardly needed; he
was thinking of what they had just
told him-that the note had been given
that he had been outwitted. Holding
the cup of cider untasted, he reit-
Grated: And you say that the Indian
delivered the note on the first visit?"
AS Lavender nodded assent, CLEAN
of baffied anger lit the dusky eyes.
Only for moment; lifting the cup, he
slowly drained it, then said, with an
indolent smile: "On behalf of my own
country, l am quite interested in Col.
Burr's project. There seems a prom
ised advantage to Spain in the affair,
but ! can readily see how the gentle
men in Office at Washington might OBJ
ject."
Lavender flushed at this, and went
abruptly into the kitchen, leaving the
elders to champion cause in which
she would not trust herself to speak.
A few moments later she returned,
and, to make amends for her rudenesss
said: America is not sure that she
closed the door of the shed. If Senior
Gonzaga will allow us, we will go that
far with him. Perhaps we will meet
Gerald, too; he ought to be coming
home now"
The Spaniard was delighted at the
prospect, and said so, adding an effu-
sive goodnight, and begging that he
might come again.
Outside in the moonlight the forest
lay half asleep. Grasses waved laz-
lily, the frogs kept up their drowsy
monotone. and birds twittered in the
branches. At the waters edge, where
the boat rocked with the lulling waves,
they paused and gazed down the river.
There was no sign Of life on its broad
bosom; in the air was scent of shells
and water grasses; the sky was clear