, 1906-03-14
GHApTERNJII

tient to be clothed and seat
Al n ed in an easy chair, and,
calling Mrs. Barnett to him, Raymond
asked, do you think Miss Rupert will
see me now?'
with due appreciation of the romantic
situation.
Ann rose to comply, with a little
thrill of unpleasant excitement. She
did not want to see him, and yet b
could not decently refuse.
At the door of the sitting Mrs.
Barnett stopped, and the girl walked
Ia alone, her face set in lines of cold
disdain.
Raymond sat in a big, padded chair,
with his back to the window and the
sunlight streaming over his head. He
wore a handsome gray dressing gown,
and the linen at his neck and wrists
was spotlessly clean. His hands were
refined-almost delicate in effect-and
his clean shaven face and his well
brushed, abundant brown hair gave
evidence of a most careful toilet.
Something mystically solemn and
sweet was in his eyes, and his lips
trembled as he greeted her. This is
very good of you. Pardon me, won't
you? l am forbidden to stand"
~ beg you, do not think of It,"
"Dare l ask you to be seated? I
want to thank you more suitably than
l have been able to do for what you
did for me-"
"Please don't, Mr.. Raymond. l as
I'LL you l deserve no credit. l went
out there under ~compulsion, and what
l did was determined by pressure of
circumstances. I'm not a bit of a hero
Inc, and l do not like praise"
He was chilled by her tone and for a
moment hesitated. "A sick man may
be forgiven some things" he began to
say at last. Il may as well confess
that | have been longing to see you. l
have been trying for many days to rise
and dress in order that | might have
you come in. You must let me ask
your forgiveness for the rude way in
which | received you that day. ALI 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. Il 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 off n debt, and well, l had fallen
into a groove. You recalled me to bet
ter things"
i and the bullet" she said rather
fippantly, for she was becoming appre-
hensive of the trend of his condolences.
He ignored her interruption, or, rath-
er, he plowed across it with something
like his old time resolution. 1T is due
to You to know-or at any rate l desire
you to know-that l am not a fugitive
from justice. Baker thought he was
being funny"
Il am not SO dull as you think, Mr..
Raymond. | understood him perfect
ly."
du Sldu you ulu. II Is lfue L uHl
%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. at is pain
full to you, and-and it is wholly unnec-
essary. beg you to desist. l 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 md 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
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