Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-03-14
CHAPTER VII
. nee more in Valley SPRING.
AIMS old self returned, and

real as the happenings of dream, but
her sense of injury deepened into dis
like 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 l must decline to be troubled by
him further" she said as she was
dressing to go ont.
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
lays. How do you feel?"
In his weak state he could only hoy.
ishly say: "Oh, Pm 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 u brother.
Hello, younker!' he called. "You
needn't walk SO soft voiced. I'm worth
dozen dead men yet"
The boys face shone. 81 thought
you were asleep. Can do anything
for your
mo; only come and sit down and
talk to me. What have you been do
ing since. you came back to the
Springs?
Louis took seat. Nothing of any
consequence, except to make some
drawings of the ranch. It's dull here.
want to go into the mountains"
you're wonderful youngster.
Wait till I'm able to travel, and well
go up into the high country together"
Louis clapped his hands. Won't
that be glorious? I'd rather do that
than anything else in the world"
How is yodT sister," asked Ray
mond, with abrupt change of tone.
"She is well. She's always well.
We just came in from IL drive. That's
the reason wasn't here to help you.
Didn't hurt you going upstairs"
Not bit. The boys handled me
as tenderly as side O. pork. Let me
see your drawings, will you?"
The, boys face glowed. "Well, you
just wait" And lie 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: II you can find the
man who shot me, reward him. He
has done me great service. l am
lost in dream Of luxury He asked
after you with emotion and said he
would like to thank you for you. serv-
Ice to him."
Ann, listening intently, remained cold
ly impassive of face. Mrs. Scribbins
was the really efficient person. 1 have
q horror of sick people, and as for
wounds She shuddered for lack Of
words.
Mrs. Barnett went on: II like to do
for him, he's SO grateful and SO ODE
dent. He says just the right thing al
ways. There must be good breeding
back of the man, although lie never
mentions his family. There's some love
affair to account for his being here.
He's too handsome not to have had en-
tanglements. Don't you think so?'
"He insisted not" replied Ann. HE
begged me to consider that his life had
been quite commonplace"
II don't believe 1t. He couldn't be
commonplace. He said to me just now,
Sometimes q man must hear the wash
of the river of death to realize how fu-
tile lie has allowed his life to become
His gratitude toward you is pathetic"
Ann frowned. Its worse; it's op-
presslve. / did SO little, and that little
was not done with gracious spirit. l
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 We're heroic"
Ann grew u little petulant. 81 wish
you wouldn't try to make mountains
out Of molehills. 1t was most un-
pleasant experience, and wish to for
get it, not to have it dinned in my ears
forever. My going was folly, and my
stay In that CHASTITY place was Il tor
ment. Please allow me to put it out of
my memory"
Ann had Il moment of bitter home
sickness, a feeling she had never known
before. This mad trip into the west
with reckless and supersensitive boy
grew each moment more disastrous. AT
the moment she fairly hated her cous-
ms 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
par Of Jeanette.
Aslbr Raymond, he had been mo.
mentarily interesting as n cowboy, and
When he was lying at the brink Of the
grave he had assumed tragic value, but
now that lie was on the way to recov-
cry lie ceased to interest. HE is mere
ly one of the thousands Of other COM
m0nplace young eastern men who have
tried their fortunes in the west and
failed" she said. ''Why should be
burdened with any further care of
him?"
At dinner Don told again for the for.
tieth time the story of Raymond's
shooting and in spite Of AIMS protests
put her in as the heroine, which reinfu.
rated her almost to the point of leav.
ing the table. The "Ah's!' and Dear
me's!' and "By Jovesw volleying from
the listeners were quite insupportable.
One lady said, "Poor felloww
"Not at ALL" said DIR. Braide. "He
was u lucky dog I'd be shot any day
10 get such nurse"
Jeanette saw the angry flush OH
AIMS face and hastily turned the con-
versatlon into less personal channels.
Thus every influence swept her to-
ward dislike of the wounded mans
very name, and thereafter she ignored
his presence in the house, his being in
the world, as though he did not exist.
She neither asked after his health nor
replied to any report or question made