The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-08-15
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heroic action and begged pardon for
his rudeness, all Of which he might
have spared himself the trouble OF re-
peating.''
Mrs. Barnett was on the scent tor
romance. 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 mas
been all the morning dressing for II,
and now you tell me in that superch-
ious tone that nothing happened
Ann fred into anger. What could
happen? You needn't speak in riddles,
Jeanette. What do you think should
have happened? Come, now, you silly,
romantic thingp'
Some note in her voice touched Mrs.
Barnett. and she slowly replied: "Ann
Rupert, you are the coldest cruelest
creature I ever knew. 1 know what
YOU did to that poor fellow. You IN
mercifully snubbed him; you froze his
gratitude on his lips. Of course you are
infinitely his superior r''-she became
weakly sarcastic at this point-"but
YOU are not justified in stabbing sick
man to the heart-,s
You're quite mistaken. l 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
crawlv
Mrs. Barnett went Immediately to
Raymond's door and knocked. At his
word she entered. He sat where Ann
had left him, but Louis was beside
him, showing him new drawing.
isn't that wonderful said Ray
mond, holding the sketch in the air, his
eyes aglow with pride in the boy. IF 1
could do that would never be lone
some or restless. I wish knew my
use in the world as certainly as Louis
Goes.'
The young artist flushed with the
pleasure. Its just as wonderful to
ride the way you do and throw a rope
| and all that. I'll teach you to draw il
you want me to-
Raymond turned to Mrs. Barnett
with look in which amusement and a
certain sorrow met. ''I'm long past
such instruction, lad. haven't sense
enough to keep out Of mischief. You
draw, and I'll do the posing. I'm a
! good poser. Don't you think so, Mrs.
Barnettw
81 don't know what you mean said
she, feeling vaguely his pain and dis
coura agement-his disillusionment.
81 posed as a farmer and deceived
good Don Barnett. I made up for a
cowboy and fooled Baker and the rest
of the squad And now I'm posing as
an invalid when I ought to be out on
the ranch again. It's time I rode
away to a new range"
Mrs. Barnett was alarmed at the
undertone Of bitterness in his words.
you must not think Of even walking
downstairs for a week"
But can't sit here and sink deeper
and deeper into obligation to you" he
answered. What rights have in
this room? I'm only a poor, wander
ing neer-do-well, and your beautiful
home makes me ashamed-more than
ashamed-it fills me with a sense OF
guilt. I can walk now, and 1 ought
not to stay another day."
Mrs. Barnett knew very we'll that
his mood was due to AIMS icy dis
dain, and she realized, too, how diff
cult the task Of diverting his mind
from this foolish purpose would be.
She said gently: you were injured in
our service, Robert, and it is our duty
to look after you. You must not utter
another word of this sort Of talk to
me or will call Don, and then you
will hear q voice that will make you
quake. I tell you frankly will not
listen to your walking out Of this room
for week.
Louis, who had been sitting in some
wonder, tying to catch the undercur-
rent of this talk, put his hand on Ray
Inond's knee and said: when you go,
go too. Remember that.
It was interesting to Jeanette to
observe that evening dress changed
AIMS estimate of Raymond's charac-
ter The girl had to admit that he
looked surprisingly we'll as he came
elowly into the library just before the
little Chinese chime sounded for din
ner. Every trace Of the cowboy, the
man Of sun smit, wind swept plain,
was gone Ee was pale, languid, but
self contained and wore his dinner suit
with easy grace.
His manner toward Ann was that Of
polite acquaintance merely, and her
fear Of somethins-she hardly knew
what-instantly vanished His bearing
during dinner and throughout the even
ing made her force: The kind of person
he had hitherto seemed = he., and she
began to study him in his true charac-
ter. He dropped all his ranch life