The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-08-02

Y
II proved d restless day, and Q SUI:
1tciently unpleasant one fnr Mr.. Hamp-
ton. For 3 number d years he had
Sbapn diligently training himself in the
.s.achooi Of cyjsniclsn, sndea voring to PSF
.suade himself that be did not in the.
least care what Others Thought nor
how his own career ended; ampellingi
himself % constant reckle in life,
and thought He had thus successfully
buiit mp avail between the present
and that past which hing haunted his
lonely moments, and had finally de
3clded that II was Theoretically sealed
Yet now, this odd chit tot . girl, this
,waif whom he had plucked from the,
Jaws OF death, had overturned this
carefully constructed barrier as II It
had been originally built of mere card
board, and he was compelled again to
see himself, ioathe himself, just as he
had in those past years
one thing he grasped clearfy5-tle
girl should be given her chance moth
ing in his life must ever again soil her
or lower her ideals. Mrs. Herndon
was right. and he realized it; neither
his presence nor his money were fit to
influence her future. He swore be-
tween his clinched teeth, his face
grown haggaTd. The SUMS rays bridged
the slowly daTkening valley with cords
of red gold, and the man pulled him
self to his feet by gripping the root
al a tree. He realized that: he had
been sitting there for hours, and that
he was hungry.
Down beneath, amid the fast awak-
entng noise and hustle Of early even
ing, the long discipline Of the gambler
reasserted itselE-he got back his
nerve 1t was Bob Hampton, cool, re.
sourceful, sarcastic Of speech, quick %
temper, who greeted the 1oungers
about the motel, and WHO sat, with his
back to the wall, in the little dining
room, watchful. Of all others present.
and it was Bob Hampton who stroIled
carelessly out upon thedarkened porch,
an hour later, leaving a roar d laugh-
ter behind him, and an enemy as well.
Little he cared for that, however, in
his present mood, and he stood there,
amid the black shadows, looking con-
temptuously down upon the stream Of
coatless humanity trooping past on
pleasure bent, the blue smoke circiing
his head, his gray eyes glowing half
angrtly. Suddenly he leaned forward,
clutching the rail in quick surprise.
kid, )" he exclaimed, harshly, what
does this mean? What are you doing
alone here?r
She stopped Instantly and glanced
up, her face flushing in ths light
streaming forth from the open door
of the Occidental.
81 reckon I'm alone here because !
want to be-" she returned, deflantly.
u amt no slave. How do you get up
there?"
He extended his hand, and drew her
up beside him into the shaded corner.
"well," he said, tell ne the truth"
'Tve quit, that's all Bob. Just
couldn't stand reform any longer, and
so I've come back here to you"
The man drew deepbreath. Didn't
you like Mrs. Herndon?"
"oh, she's all right enough, SO far as
that goes. IT amt that; only Just
didn't like some things she said and
did"
kid" and Hampton Strengthened
up, his voice growing stern. "I've got
to know the straight Of this. You say
you like Mrs. Herndon we'll enough,
but not some other things. What were
they?"
The girl hesitated, drawing back a
little from him until the light from the
saloon fell directly across her face.
Well" she declared, slowly. "you see
1t had to be either her or-or you,
Bob, and I'd rather it would be you"
you mean she said you would have
to cut me out entirely IL you stayed
there with herr"
She nodded, her eyes filed with en-.
treaty. ''Yes, that was about it. ]
wasn't ever to have anything more to
DO with you, not even to speak to You
Il we met-and after you'd saved my
life. too"
Never mind about that little affair,
Kid" and Hampton rested his hand
gently on her shoulder, THAT was all
in the days work. and hardly counts
for much anyhow. Was that all she
said?"
"she called You a lowdown gambler,
a gun.fghter, a--a miserable barroom
thug, IA murderer. She she said
that II ] ever dared to speak to you
again, Bob Hampton, that could leave
her house. Just couldn't stand for
that, SO came away
Hampton never stirred, his teeth
set deep into his cigar, his hands
cllnched about the railing. THE fool!'
he muttered half aloud, then caught
his breath quickly. Nov see here.
Kid" and he turned her about SO that
he might look down into her eyes.
I'm mighty glad you like me well
enough to put npta kick, but II all this
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