Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1907-03-22


Bates gave me my coffee in the
library. as | wished to settle down 10
an evening of reflection without delay.
Larry's report of himself was not reas-
surfing, despite its cheerful tone.
knew that If he had any idea Of trying
10 reach me he would not mention II
in a letter which might fall into the
hands Of the authorities, and the hope
that he might JOIN me grew. | was
not, perhaps, entitled to a companion
at Glenarm under the terms of my
exile, but as matter of protection in
the existing condition of affairs there
could be no legal or moral reason why
| should not defend myself against my
foes, and Larry was an ally worth
having.
Ny neighbor, the chaplain, had in
advertently given me a bit of impor-
tant news; and my mind kept revert
ing to the fact that Morgan was re-
porting his injury to the executor of
my grandfather's estate in New York.
Everything else that had happened
was tame and unimportant compared
with this. Why had John Marshall
Glenarm made Arthur Pickering the
executor of his estate? He knew that
l detested him, that Pickering's noble
aims and high ambitions had been
praised by my family until his very
name sickened me; and yet my own
grandfather had thought 1t wise to in.
trust his fortune and my future to the
man of all men who was most repug-
nant to me. ! rose and paced the floor
in anger.
My rage must fasten upon some one,
and Bates was the nearest target for
1t. / went to the kitchen, where he
usually spent his evenings, to vent my
feelings upon him, only to find him
gone. ] climbed to his room and found
ii empty. Very likely he was of con.
doing with his friend and fellow con
spirator, the caretaker, and / fumed
with rage and disappointment. | was
thoroughly tired,-as tired as on DAYS
when l had beaten my way through
tropical jungles without food or water;
but | wished, in my impotent anger
against | knew not what agencies. t.
punish myself,-to induce an uttel
WEAKNESS that would send me ex
hausted to bed.
The snow in the highway was wei
beaten down and swung off country
ward past st. Agatha's. A gray mis-
hung over the fields in whirling clouds
breaking away occasionally and show
ing the throbbing winter stars. TIL,
walk and my interest in the altena
ton of star-lighted and mist.wrappet
landscape won me to a better state q
mind, and after tramping a cou'e o
miles. | set out for home. 81 IA
times on my tramp had caueh, my
sell Whistling the air of a majestic
old hymn, and smiled. rememberin;
my young friend Olivia, and her play
ing in the chapel. She was an anus
ing child; the thought of her furthe
lifted my spirit and turned into tn,
school park when reached the QUITE
gate with half-recognized wish L
pass near the barracks where sh
spent her days.
At the school gate the lamps Of
carriage suddenly blurred in the mist
Carriages are not common in this re
gion, and | was not surprised to fin
that this was the familiar village hacl
that met trains day and night at Ar
Mandate. Some parent, conjecturet
paying a visit to st Agatha's; poss
bly-and the thought gave me pleas
, ure-perhaps the father of Miss 0livi
Gladys Armstrong had come to carr
her home for a stricter discipline tina
Sister Theresa's school afforded.
The driver sat asleep on his boz
and / passed him and went on int
the grounds. A whim seized me
visit the crypt of the chapel and e.
anime the opening to the tunnel. A
| passed the little group of schoC
. buildings man came hurriedly froI
one Of them and turned toward tn
chapel.
o l first thought it was Stoddarl, bU
/ could not make him out in the mi!
and in my uncertainty waited for hi
!. to put 20 PAGES between US before
followed.
Z He strobe into the chapel pore
r with an air Of assurance and | hear
him address some one who had bee
, waiting. The mist vas now so heay
:. that | could not see my hand befol
= my face. and stole forward until
heard the voices Of two men distic ctl
= "Bates!"
!. Eyes, sir"
heard feet scraping on the stol
4 floor of the porch.
A This is a devil Of a place to Ia
= in, but it's the best we can do. D
o the young man know | sent for you
+ mo, sir. kept him quite bui
, with his books and papers"
"Humph! We can never be sure
=. him"
10 81 suppose that is correct, sir"
well, you and Morgan are a 81
" pair, | must say! | thought he h
a some sense and that you'd see to
- that he didn't make a mess Of Ii
NJ whole thing. He's in bed now with
y