Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1906-07-11

win you do Il he says 1t. doesn't make
|. any difference?"
The blue-gray eyes were downcast.
II don't know. Having asked SO
much, and accepted SO much from him
lit shall be as he says. mother"
The afternoon had been all that
summer afternoon on the brown high
lands can be, and the powerful tour
ing car had swept them from mile to
mile over the dun hills like an earth
sktmming dragon whose wing-beat was
the muffled. explosive thud of the
motor
Through most Of the miles Elinor
had given herself up to silent enjoy
ment of the rapture of swift motion,
and OrmsDy had respected her mood,
as ne always did. But when they
were on the high hills beyond the
mining-camp of Megilp, and he had
| thrown the engines out of gear to
brake the car gently down the long in
clihes.l there was room for speech.
'fThis is our last spin together on
the high plains, suppose" he said.
Your mother has fixed upon to-mor-
row for our return to town, hasn't
sh@?"
| Elinor confirmed it half-absenIly
/ She had been keyed up to face tle in
evftable in this drive with Ormsby,
and she was afraid now that he was
going to break her resolution by a
dip into the commonplace.
Are you glad or sorry?" he asked.
Her reply was evasive.
Il have enjoyed the thin, clean air
and the freedom of the wide horizons
Who could help it?''
.'But you have not been entirely hap
pyi"
i was on her lips to say some con-
ventional thing about the constant
Earring note in all human happiness,
but she changed it to a simple "No."
MAY try if can give the reason?"
She made a reluctant little gesture
Icf assent; some such signal of ac-
quiescence as Marie Antoinette may
have given the waiting headsman
"You have been afraid every day
l.
press you for an answer. haven't your"
She could not thrust and parry with
him. They were past all that.
YES" she admitted briefly.
"1ou break my heart. Elinor," he
said, after long pause. But
with sudden Tightening of the lips
I'm not going to break yours"
She understood him, and her eyes
filled quickly with the swift shock
Of gratitude.
eff you had made a study of woman
kind through ten lifetimes instead of
a part of one, you could not know
when and where to strike truer and
deeper," she said; and then softly:
why can't you make me love you.
BroDkes?"
| He took his foot from the brake
| pedal, and for ten seconds the released
| ear shot down the slope unhindered.
Then he checked the speed and an
| sweSed her.
| "a little while ago would have said
| didn't know; but now do know. I.
| is because you love David Kent: YOU
| loved him before I had my chance"
| SIZE did not deny the principal fact
but .she gave him his opportunity to
set 1T aside if he could-and would.
| Call it foolish, romantic sentiment
| if you like. Is there no way to shame
me put of it?"
| He shook his head slowly.
| you don't mean that?'
| ''But if l say that l do; if l insist
| that l am willing to be slammed out OF
| it."
| His smile was that of brother who
remembers tardily to be loving-kind
Il; shall leave that task for some one
who cares less for you and for youl
true happiness than do, or ever shall
And it will be mighty thankless ser.
| vicei that that some one will rende
you.e!'
| 'But ought to be whipped and sen
to bed" she protested, almost tear
fully. do you know what have done
| how 1 have"
| She could not quite put it in words
even for him, and he helped her gen
erously, as before.
I ri know what Kent hasn't done
; which is more to the point. But b
will, do it fast enough if you vii
give, him half chance"
NO" she said definitively.
Il III say yes. One thing, and on
thing only, has kept him from tellir
you .any time since last autumn: tina
lis al sort Of fnical loyalty to MT
III saw how matters stood when he cam
| aboard of our train at Gaston-I'm ask
ing you to believe that l didn't kno'
lit bsfore-and saw then that my onl
hope was to make handfast frien
Of him. And I did it."
, I'll believe you can do anything 20
try TO do" she said warmly
. This time his smile was a mel
grimace.
, You will have to make one excel
toni after this; and so shall l. An
$ since it is the first of any consequent
- | in all nv mounting Years III grind