Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1906-06-08

VI
"Nr RAYMOND was probably trying
TO keep you unalarmed," answered yea.
body. "And now that you are out OF
II do not think it well for either you
or Louis to return to II"
Louis uttered indignant cutlery. Oh'
see here! I've got to go back. I'm he'p'
ing Raymond"
81 guess he'll have to stagger along
without you, Louis" replied barnett
"You better not go into this mlxup
again"
"I,ll 90 back whenever please"
The dinner was finished with pleas
anter topic, and when the men were
alone with their cigars Peabody care
lessly remarked: 'l'm going to take
Ann back with me If she'll go. ] don't
like the idea of this yOungster dragging
her into all this filthy turmoil. Why,
found her living in log cabin with an
Irish family-nice people, but no place
for her."
'sThat's the singular part Of 1t She
seems to enjoy 1t. She wrote Jeannette
from up there pretty regularly, and she
out and out said she liked it, And she
is gay as a bird-she's lost some or ner
fat-I never saw her looking litter"
Peabody unused. "She Is changed.
can't quite make out why or how. she
was like a schoolgirl for spirits last
night. Do you suppose it's the high
altitude"
"My dear chap, suspect it is man,
and fear it is Munro" said Barnett.
81 hope not, for her sake"
81 do, too, and for your sake; but I've
seen too many women go to pieces In
that way to feel any assurance. IL
wouldn't have been so bad If she'd TAX
en- I'D with Raymond, for he is a fine
fellow aside from his present stand;
but there, again, he was too respectful,
too near her own type. 1t needed a
wild devil like this cowboy captain to
stir her Imagination" -
Peao,dy's cigar was broken between
his fingers. don, you scare me!'
Barnett, having fairly crushed his
friend, now tried to comfort him. All
this may be a wrong diagnosis, and
hope it is, but if l were you l would
20 to her and use words that would
startle her. She needs the strong
hand"
Peabody rose, all the quizzical lines
of his face lost in a plexus Of doubt
and hesitation.
Ann wondered at the change in Pea
1o,1x. huf bod No chanpQ fn sneak IN
him for some minutes, for a couple OF
young men were detailing their stern
plans for invading Skytown.
The large library was soon filled
with people who had heard Of AIMS
return from the peak, and the girl was
profoundly amused to find herself TAX
en- for fOunt of wisdom concerning
the miners war and their demands.
The feeling against the camp was saw
age, and the men were loud In denun-
citation of the governor of the state,
who had refused to order out the mill
tia. "He is as bad as Munro, an alb
solute anarchist" declared one man,
whose strident voice dominated all the
others.
One by one the guests dropped away,
and at last only the Barnetts and Ann
and Peabody were left in the library.
At a signal from Mrs. Barnett Don
sauntered out of the room as If on
some GRAND and forgot to return. A
few moments she, too, begged to be ex-
cused "for d moment" and was seen
no more.
Both Ann and Peabody understood
these actions, but as he was intent on
making an appeal to her and she knew
there was no escape from it they faced
each other with tensity Of emotion
which seemed impossible moment
before.
Ann broke the silence. "How indel-
icate of them!'
"How considerable, say I, for l want
TO talk with yOu," he hurried on. II
want you to go back with me, Ann, as
nv wife. l can't go back alone. l
have missed you horribly. Dear girl,
answer me, are you ready to go!'
Ann remained silent, her mind run
ming over for the hundredth time the
advantages. the duties involved, while
his plea proceeded, earnest and manly,
butleaving her cold. 1t permitted her
to calculate, to criticise. He had much
to give her. He was man or large
income, of unquestioned power, and bis
home was spacious. She liked him'
she respected him very highly, she al
mired him, but
The girls dream was not yet faded
ont of her soul. She hoped-faintly'
foolishly hoped-fOr a return OF the
glow, the mystery, the flooding, trans
forming power of love that was more
than respect, more than honor ana al
miraticn.
She found herself saying: II know,
wavne. we seem suited to each other
all our friends would say sO-but I'm
not so sure Of it. 1t is silly in me, Dut
am still wanting to be sure. l don't
care for you as l ought to do Pm no
longer q schoolgirl; know what mar
Wage means, and~unless / can feel diff
ferently from the way do now shall
not marry.
"Haye you met any one else VINO
rouses this other-emotiOn|
She flushed. II don't know. am
not sure" ,oo, md
He sank back in his chair, heavy ana
inert The muscles Of his cheeks droop.
cd giving him the aspect or man OF
eety "Don't throw yourself away
Ann. for Gods sake, assert your com,
.ann sensel If you cannot come to my
hnme don't waste your beauty your
culture on some savage. 1t hurts me
to see you oat here living among 'neSe
sordid men,