The daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 190?-1908, 1907-06-24


her with surprised interest.
"Oh, so So l replied. I'm accus.
omed to being alone"
"Mlning?" she asked.
mo" | replied.
Punching cows?" l shook my
head
"Prospecting?" smiling at her own
persistence.
Government work Surveying.
The new irrigation DAM" l replied,
somewhat brusquely
oh" all interest faded from her
face.
Music and light. The sounds OF
] harmony were loud and insistent the
illumination glaring, even binding,
and in the white. blazing llgh: men
! and women danced. talked and drank.
! Not a pretty scene; still IL satisfied
the crude longing of these rude men
who. for the better part of the year,
herded together in COW and mining
camps, or, solitary and alone, pros.
pected in the mountains for the mine
which would make of them rich men,
and enable them to-and there the
dream usually ends. In a vague, un-
satisfying way some of the younger
men dream OF a home of their own,
of domestic life amid other scenes,
yet II all ends under the white light
with wine, women and cards. until
the last dollar is gone. Year after
year this goes on with changing act
ors, like the men | watched.
! had been sitting there alone, ut
terly alone, in that knew no one, and
like many other homeless strangers
fingered under the glare while the
hours of the evening passed. The
music had no charms for me, the deal
er's invitation: Make your game,
gentlemen" held no temptation,
though fortified by the sound of the
ball as 1t whirred in the wheel. even
the women of the place passed me by
as uninviting until the hours had
grown small, when one threw herself
into the chair opposite me. After sat
isfying her curiosity, she sat watch
ing the throng listlessly.
There's quite crowd here to
night" | remarked.
There always is," she replied, care
lessly.
Just at this moment a man passed
us to whom my attention was attract
ed by the very charm of his personal
beauty. While of a reckless, satanic
type, there was so much of the 1.-THE
grace and symetry of contour that
could but admire him; he was as
grand as Lucifer. and as dark and
virile.
who is that MANI" l asked. turn
ing to my companion, then shrank al
the expression of her face. l had
thought her beautiful as she leaned
on the table questioning me, now
should hardly have recognized her
Her big hazel eyes were grown black;
her cheeks burned scarlet; her lips
were two threads of crimson between
which her teeth cleaned, a line oI
pearl, her full bosom rose and fel
swiftly, while her hands which lay
on the table were clenched so hare
that the knuckles were as white al
ivory. Her eyes followed the mar
for moment, then, unseeing, came
, -lowly back to mine.
who is he?" l repeated. She start
ed violently, then laughed shortly.
} THAT? Oh, that is Bill Tyrone,
she answered. He's a beaut'. ism
he?"
> Certainly a very handsome man,
t I replied. What does be do?"
I "Oh, he's a sport; deals faro for tn
house Say, order something to drink
she demanded abruptly. Having beel
l expecting the request, signaled tn
). waiter.
"You don't belong in this country?
she asked, as she set down he
D glass.
o mo, I'm a tenderfoot,' l replied.
81 thought So" She sat silent TO
a considerable time, then turned t
4 me with a natural, cheerful smile, an
e said; Would you like to hear
4 story. one which is to end tonight?
= why, des,' | answered, and havin
: rolled two cigarettes, lighted the on
| kept. She began a word Of pre-
lude.
Ten years ago was living in tn
Ohio valley, girl of 16, and IL m
mirror had not told me that l wa
handsome, the attention Of score q
6 the young men of the village woul
a have, and now that | look back
know was, with plump figure. brow
hair full of shades of gold. and clea
IS ruddy skin. Robust health gave I
n. me overfcwing animal spirits-the
/, called me Tomboy," she laughed
L my life had been wholly uneventfr
n up to the time | was 16, and no dout
o. l would have lived and died there,
: staid matron, had not George Seymou
~ came into my life. He was but fou
5. years older than ! was and a hant
II somer man you never saw. Tall, darl
with eyes which fascinated and hel
} me as the serpent Is said TO hol
the bird. He had deep, melodiou
Ie voice, which thrilled my unsophist
II Gated heart to its very depths.
Il Among the young women OF the II
i