Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1907-10-05
Copyrieht 1895 By Bobos-Merrili Co.

"Ah. to be sure. You were away
Christmas eve, when those vandals
broke in Bates merely mentioned it
IN the last report 1 got from him in
New York That was all right. 1 as
sumed. of course, that you had gone
of somewhere to get little Christ
mas cheer; I don't care anything
about it."
But 1 had followed her-I went to
Cincinnati to see her-don't you I'M
S1erstand? She dared me to comet
was a trick, a part of the conspiracy
to steal your property"
The old gentleman smiled. 1t was
an old trick of his to grow calm as
other people waxed angry.
''She dared you to come, did she!
That is quite like Marian; but you
didn't have to go, did you, Jack?"
%Of course not; of course I didn't
have to go, but"
stammered, faltered and ceased.
Memory threw open her portals with
a challenge. 1 saw Marian on the
stairway at the Armstrong;; 1 heard
her low, soft laughter; 1 felt the mock
cry Of her voice and eyes; 1 knew
again the exquisite delight of being
near her. My heart told me well
enough why 1 had followed her,
Jack, I'm glad I'm not buried up
there in that Vermont graveyard with
nobody to exercise the right of guar
dianship over you. I've had my mis-
givings about you; 1 used to think you
were born tramp; and you disap-
pointed me in turning your back on
architecture,-the noblest of all pro-
fessions; but this performance of
yours really beats them all. Don't
you know that girl like Marian De-
-vereux isn't likely to become the agent
of any rascal? Do you really believe
for minute that she tempted you to
follow her so you might forfeit your
rights to my property"
But why was she trying to find
those notes of his? Why did she
come back from Cincinnati with his
party? If you could answer me those
things. maybe I'd admit that I'm a
fool. Pickering. imagine, is a pretty
plausible fellow where women are con-
cerned."
For Gods sake, Jack, don't speak
eof that girl as women! 1 put her in
that will of mine just to pique your
curiosity, knowing that if there was a
penalty on your marrying her you
would be wholly likely to do it,-fo1
that's the way human beings are
made. But you've mixed it all up now
and insulted her in the grOsSest way
possible for a fellow who is really a
gentleman. And I don't want to lose
YOU; I want you here with me! These
rich Americans. who go to England tC
dive, don't appreciate the beauty Of
their own country. This landscape is
worthy of the best that man can do
And 1 didn't undertake to build g
crazy house out here but one thai
should have some dignity and charac
ter That passage around the chin
ney is an indulgence, Jack,-I'll admit
it's a little bizarre,-you see thai
chimney isn't so big outside as it is
in,"-and he laughed and rubbed his
knees.-"and my bringing foreign
Iaborers here was really to make il
easier to get things done my way
Wait till you have seen the May apples
blossom and heard the robin sing il
the summer twilight,-help me II
finish the house.-then if you wan
to leave I'll bid you Godspeed."
The feeling in his tone, the display
of sentiment so at variance with m,
old notion of him. touched me in spit.
of myself. There was characteristic,
nobility and dignity in his plan; i
was worthy of him. And 1 had neve
loved him as now, when he finished
this appeal, and turned away to tn,
window, gazing out upon the sombe
woodland
Mr.. Donovan is ready to go, sir.
announced Bates at the door. and W,
went into the library. where Larry an,
.Stoddard were waiting
CHAPTER XVI.