Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1907-11-30
CHAPTER vI.-continued.


CHAPTER VI.-ContinUed.
81 reckon I'd rather try it alone"
she announced stubbornly. Maybe 1
might have stood it with you, Bob
Hampton, but woman is the limit
81 expect it will go rather hard at
first, Kid he admitted craftily, but
l think you might try it a while just to
sort of please me-"
''Who-who is she?'' doubtfully
Mrs. Herndon, wife of the super
fntendent of the Golden Rule mine"
and he waved his hand toward the dis
tant houses. They tell me she's
mighty fine woman
"Oh, they do? Then somebody's
been stirring you up about me, have
they? 1 thought that was about the
way of it. Somebody wants to reform
reformed. Who was it, Bob?'
The Presbyterian missionary he
confessed reluctantly, "a nervy little
chap named Wynkoop; he came in to
see me last night while you were
asleep" He faced her open scorn I'M
shrinkingly, his mind fully decided,
and clinging to one thought with all
the tenacity of his nature.
"A
derision, "a preacheri Well, of all
things, Bob HamptonI You led around
by the nose in that way! Did he want
you to bring me to Sunday school? A
preacher, And 1 suppose the fellow
expects to turn me over to one of his
flock for religious instruction. He'll
have you studying theology inside of a
year. A preacher, Oh, Lord, and you
voJ1 T
"As 1 understand the affair." Hamp-
ton continued, as she paused for
breath, cit was Lieut.. Brant who sug-
gested the idea of his coming to me.
Brant knew ellis, and remembered
you, and realizing your unpleasant sit
uation, thought such an arrangement
would be for your benefit"
''Brant," she burst forth in renewed
| anger; ''he did,. did he! The putty
faced dandy 1 used to see him at
Bethune, and you can bet he never
bothered his head about me then. No,
and he didn't even know me out yon-
der, until after the sergeant spoke up.
What business has that fellow got
planning what 1 shall dor
Hampton made no attempt to an
swer. 1t was better to let her fndigna-
a question. What is this Brant doing
at Bethune? There is no cavalry sta
| toned there
She glanced up quickly, interested
by the sudden change in his voice. 81
heard dad say he was kept there on
some special detail His regiment is
stationed at Fort Lincolns somewhere
farther north. He used to come down
| wit
daddy saw service in the Seventh
when it was first organized after the
| war"
Did you-did you ever hear either
of them say anything about Mai Alfred
Brant? He must have been this lads
father"
mo, 1 never heard much they said
Did you know him.
The father, yes, but that was years
ago. Come, Kid, all this is only an
Gent history, and just as well forgot
ten Now, you are a sensible girl
when your temper don't get away witt
you, and 1 am simply going to leave
this matter to your better judgment
Will you go to Mrs. Herndon's, ant
find out how you like it? You neednf
stop there an hour if she isn't good tt
you, but you ought not to want to re
main with me, and grow UP like Z
rough boy
You-you really want me to go
don't your
Yes, want you to go. It's chanc,
for you, Kid, and there isn't a bit o
show in the kind of a life 1 lead.
never have been in love with myself
and only took to it in the first plac,
because the devil happened to driv,
me that way The Lord knows 1 dom
want to lead any one else through
l such muck So it is try?"
The look of defiance faded slowl,
: out of her face as she stood gravel,
regarding him. The man was in dead
ly earnest, and she felt the quiet in
( sistence of his manner
You bet, if you put it that way,
I she consented, simply, but 1 reckon
that Mrs Herndon is likely to wisl
/ hadn't"
I Together. yet scarcely exchangin
I another word, the two retraced thei
steps slowly down the steep trail lead
{ Ing toward the little town in the va
ley