Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1906-04-11
THE
CRAFTERS
BY
FIR NCIS Lynn DE
Copyright. 1904, by The Bobbs-Merrill Coz
CHAPTER VII.-CONTINUED.


1--WE needn't keep these sleepy young
persons out of bed any longer" he an
nounced briefly; and the coadjutor
said goodnight and joined him at
once.
What luck?" was David Kent's anx-
house and had turned their faces
downward
Just as much as we might have
expected. Mrs. Hepzibah refuses
point-blank to sell her stock-won't
talk about it. The idea of parting
with it now, when it is actually worth
more than when we bought it," he
quoted, mimicking the thin-lipped,
acidulous protest. Later in an evil
minute, l tried to drag you in, and
she let you have it square on the point
of the jaw-intimated that it was a
deal in which some of you inside peo-
pie needed her block of stock to make
you whole. She did. by Jove,"
Kents laugh was mirthless.
II was never down in her good
books" he said. by way of accounting
for the accusation.
If Ormsby thought he knew the rea-
son why, he was magnanimous enough
to steer clear of that shoal.
Its a mess" he growled. 81 don't
fancy you had any better luck with
Elinor."
'She seemed not to care much about
1t either way. She said her mother
would have the casting vote"
81 know. What l don't know is,
what remains to be done"
More waiting" said Kent, defini-
lively. ''The fight is fairly on now
as between the Bucks crowd and the
corporations, l mean-but there will
probably be ups and downs enough to
scare Mrs. Brentwood into letting go.
We must be ready to strike when the
iron is hot: that's ALL"
The New Yorker tramped a full
square in thoughtful silence before he
said; ''Candidly, Kent, Mrs. Hepzi-
bah's little stake in the Western Pa
cific isn't altogether a matter of life
and death to me. don't you know? If
1t comes to the worst, can have my
broker play the part of the god in the
car. Happily, or unhappily, which
ever way you like to put it, l sha'nt
miss what he may have to put I'D
to make good on her 5000 shares. -
David Kent stopped short and
wheeled suddenly upon his companion.
"Ormsby, that's thing I've been
afraid of, all along; and it's one thing
you must never do"
why not?" demanded the straight
forward Ormsby.
Kent knew he was skating on the
thinnest of ice, but his love for Elinor
made him fearless of consequences.
If you don't know without being
told, 1t proves that your money has
spoiled you to that extent 1t is be-
cause you have no right to entrap
Miss Brentwood into an obligation
that would make her your debtor for
the very food she eats and the clothes
she wears. You will say she never
need know: be very sure she will
find out, one way or another; and she
would never forgive you"
"Um," said Ormsby, turning visibly
grim. you are frank enough-to draw
~ <AnOlutI Ildu MY DldCe
might suggest that it isn't Mr.. David
Kent's affair.""
Kent turned about and caught step
again.
I've said my say-all of it." he re-
Joined stolidly. We've been decently
modern up to now, and we won't sc
back to the elemental things so late in
the day. All the same, you'll not take
I 1t amiss If I say that l know Miss
Brentwood better than you do"
Ormsby did not say whether he
would or would not, and the talk went
aside to less summary ways and means
preservative of the Brentwood for
tunes But at the archway of the
Camelot club. where Kent paused
Ormsby went back to the debatable
ground in an outspoken word.
81 know pretty well now what there
IL between us, Kent. and we mustn'i
quarrel II We can help it" he said.