Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1906-08-24

- gu III au easy Cna1r, anu
calling Mrs. Barnett to him, Raymond
asked, do you think Miss Rupert will
see me now!
Il will ask her," replied Jeanette
with due appreciation Of the romantic
situation.
Ann rose to comply, with little
thrill of unpleasant excitement. She
did not want to see him, and vet she
could not decently refuse.
at the door Of the sitting room Mrs.
Barnett stopped, and the girl walked
in alone, her face set in lines of cold
disdain.
Raymond sat in big, padded chair
with his back to the window and the
| sunlight streaming over his head. He
wore handsome gray dressing gown,
1 and the linen at his neck and wrists
was spotlessly clean, His hands were
refned-atmost delicate tn effect-and
his clean shaven face and his well
brushed, abundant brown hair gave
evidence of most careful toilet.
Something mystically solemn and
sweet was In his eyes, and his lips
trembled as he greeted her. "Thls is
very good of you. Pardon me, won't
you? am forbidden to stand"
II beg you, do not think of it,
"Dare l ask you to be seated? l
want to thank you more suitably than
I have been able to do for what you
did for me.'
| please don't, Mr.. Raymond. as
sure you deserve no credit. l went
out there under compulsion, and what
did was determined by pressure of
| circumstances. I'm not bit of a hero.
Inc, and do not like praise"
| He was chilled by her tone and for q
| moment hesitated. "a sick man may
be forgiven some things" he began to
say at last. Il may as well confess
that I have been longing to see you. l
have been trying for many days to rise
and dress in order that l might have
| you come in. You must let me ask
your forgiveness for the rude way i'll
which received you that day. All that
did seems incredible to me now, like
the action of another man."
A CLEAN Of amusement crossed AIMS
face. Il didn't blame you, I'm willing
to admit that your position was try
| Ing"
He was too exalted of mood to re-
spond to her quizzical tone. II had
lived for years quite apart from any
from association with cultivated peo-
pie, and besides had begun to feel
that was wasting my life and had be.
come irritable. went to the ranch to
pay of debt, and I-well. had fallen
into groove. You recalled me to bet.
ter things"
II and the bullet" she said rather
Mppantly. for she was becoming appre-
hensive Of the trend Of his condolences.
He ignored her interruption, or, rath
or, he plowed across 1t with something
like his old time resolution. at is due
tovyou to know-or at any rate desire
you to know-that am not a fugitive
from justice. Baker thought he was
being funny"
Il am not SO dull as you think, Mr..
Raymond. l understood him perfect
IT,"
II am glad you did. It is true am
estranged from my family, but it is not
due My faults have never been Grim
| inal."
please do not feel it necessary to
explain" interrupted Ann. ut is pain
full to you. and-and it is wholly unnec-
essary. l 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 it.
She, on 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
It's clear pallor. Suffering had Infinite
" refined its lines, but she could not
forget his services as cook and cow
boy, and, besides, she hated being per-
turbed. She rssolutely changed the
subject.
"Dr. Braide says you are getting OH
spsendidly and that you will soon be
returning to the ranch"
Checked and chilled by her manner,
hs plainly abandoned all further
thought of conhding In her and an
swered, YEARLY and sadly, ut will be
long time before return to the life
ON the ranch. have other plans
now"
Ann half regretted her action and as
she rose said, with smiling assump-
ton Of easy, friendly interest which
hurt him worse than anything she hid
hitherto spoken: II think it wonderful
the way you are coming on. We will
see you at dinner in few days"
"Thank you. I shall be down at the
earliest moment" he quietly replied
and leaned back in his chair, white
and suffering, his eyes closed, his lips
quivering
Ann was we'll aware that she had not
lived up to her higher self in this in.
tervtew and that she had been cruelty
unresponsive and distant with him
"And yet don't see how could have
acted differently" she argued with
her better self. HE must not go OIL
thinking me more deeply interested in
his life than really am"
Mrs. Barnett was impatiently wait
ing for her return.
what did he sayY she breathlessly
asked. "I'm dying to know"
Ann answered with evasive indiffer
ence. "He thanked me again for my
heroic action and begged pardon FOL
I, to ,,,,1n NJ oP nj, hn ,fcrl,-
have spared himself the trouble Of re