Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1906-04-13

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have Lcen trying for many days to rise
All dress in order that l might have
you cone in. You must let me ask
your forgiveness for the rude way IN
which received you that day. Ali that
| did seems Incredible TO lie now, like
the action Of another man."
y CLEAN Of amusement crossed AIMS
face. Il didn't blame you. Pm willing
to admit that your position was try
ing"
lie was too exalted OF mood to re-
Spond 10 her quiZZical tone. Il had
lived for years quite apart from any
pie, and besides | had begun to feel
that | was wasting my life and had be-
come irritable. | went to the ranch 10
pay off debt, and well, had fallen
into groove. You recalled me to bet.
ter things"
Il ana the bullet" she said rather
fippantly, for she was becoming appre-
hensve Of the trend of his condolences.
He ignored her interruption, or, rath-
err lie plowed across it with something
like his old time resolution. ut Is due
to you to know-or ut any rate desire
you to know-that | am not q fugitive
from justice. Baker thought he was
being funny"
II am not so dull as you think, Mr..
| RAYMOND. | understood him perfect
ly."
81 am glad you did. 1t Is true am
estranged from my family, but l. IS not
due My faults have never been Grim
inal."
"P!ease do not feel 1t necessary to
explain" interrupted Ann. st Is pain
full to you, and-and it is wholly unnec-
essary. beg you to desist. / hope you
will understand that | 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 1t.
She, OH 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
its clear pallor Suffering had infinite
ly refined its 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 confiding in her and an
swered, YEARLY and sadly: at will be
a long time before l return to the life
on the ranch. 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
Tie way yOu olC SpAiiho Oh' w y "->-
see you at dinner in few days"
"Thank you. shall be down at the
earliest moment" he quietly replied
md leaned back in his chair, white
md suffering, his eyes closed, his lips
Iuivering.
Ann was we'll 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 / could have
acted differently" she argued with
l.er better self. "He must not go on
thinking me more deeply interested in
his life than L 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-
ence. "Hc thanked NE again for my
heroic action and begged pardon for
his rudeness, all of which he might
have spared himself the trouble Of re-
pcating."
Mrs. Barnett was on the scent for
comance. what else"
Nothing else"
poor fellow. He has been strug-
Cling toward this event for days. Only
the doctors express orders kept him
from getting up ten days ago. He has
been all the morning dressing for it,
and now you tell me in that supercil-
ious tone that nothing happened"
Ann fired into anger. What could
happen? You needn't speak in riddles,
Jeanette. What do you think should
have happened? Come, now, you silly,
romantic thingr
Some note in her voice touched Mrs.
Barnett, and she slowly replied: Ann
Rupert, you are the coolest, cruelest
creature | ever knew. / know what
you did to that poor fellow. You I'M
mercifully snubbed him; you froze his
gratitude on his lips. OF course you are
infinitely his superior became
weakly sarcastic at this point-"but
YOU are not justified in stabbing a sick
man to the heart"
you're quite mistaken. was very
nice to him."
'Nice! I've seen you nice to young
men before. Oh, I'd like to see some
man crush you! I'd enjoy seeing you
crawlp'