The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1908-02-07
-scnd those two fellows IN here 10

listening diSguStedly TO tneir loud Ia
mentations in the hallway, and adj
dressing his remarks to Mrs. Guffy,
who had glanced into the room to be
again assured regarding his comfort,
and to express her deep regret over
the unseemly racket. "The girl has
fallen asleep, and I'm getting tired of
hearing SO much noise"
mo, be hivings, an We don't do
nuthin' of tibet sort, Bob" returned the
widow, good.naturedly, busying her
self with a dust-rag. "This is me own
house, an DIVE tended ter the loikes
OF them sort err feDers, afore. ThereIl
be no more bother this tonne. Be-
soides, its Q PEACEFUL house Dim run.
min, an OF know yer way Of sitting
them things. It's too strenuous We
are, Misther Hampton. And what did
We do wild the young lady, Oh make
bould to ask?"
Hampton carelessly waved his hand
toward the rear room, the door Of
which stood ajar, and blew a thick
| cloud of smoke into the air, his eyes
| continuing to gaze dreamily through
the open window toward the distant
hills.
! Who's running the game over at
the Occidental?" he asked, profession
ally.
Red Slavin, bad cess to him!" and
her eyes regarded her questioner with
renewed anxiety. But sure now,
Bob, We mustn't think Of playin' yit
awhoile. Yer narves are in no fit
shape. an won't be fer a wake yit."
He made no direct reply, and she
hung about, tapping the dust-rag un-
easily.
AN what did We name ter be dom
wild the young gyurl?" she questioned
at last, in womanly curiosity.
Hampton wheeled about on the
hard chair, and regarded her quizzing-
ly. Mrs. Guffy," he said, slowly,
you've been a mother to me, and 1t
would certainly be unkind not to give
you a straight tip. Do? Why, take
carr Of her, of course. What else
would you expect Of one possessing
my kindly disposition and w%ell.known
motives Of philanthropy? Can it be
that I have resided with you, of and
on, for ten years past without your
ever realizing the fond %yearnings Of
my heart? Mrs. Guny, 1 shall make
her the heiress to my millions; l shall
marry her off to some eastern nabob,
and thus attain to that high position
in society I am so we'll fitted to adorn
sure, and what else were you Ell.
pecting, Mrs. Guffy?"
"a loikely story" with a sniff of dis
belief. "They tell me she's old Gillis'
daughter owe to Bethune."
They tell you, DO they?" a sudden
CLEAN of anger d%arkening his gray
eyes. who tell you?"
Sure, Bob, an thet's nuthin' ter git
mad about, so fur as / kin see. The
story is in iverybody's mouth. It wus
thin sojers what brought ye in tibet
tould most ov it, but the lieutenant
Brant of the Seventh cavalry, no less,
who took dinner here afore he whit
back after the dead bodies, give me
her name"
"Brant Of the SEVENTH" He faced
her fairly now, his face again haggard
and gray, all the slight CLEAN of fun
gone out of 1t. "Was that the lads
name?"
Sure, and didn't We know him."
mo; I noticed the y on his hat, of
course, but never asked any questions,
for his face was strange. I didn't
know. The name, when you just spoke
1t, struck me rather queer. II used
to know a Brant in the Seventh, but
he was much older; /. was not this
man."
She answered something, lingering
for a moment at the door, but he made
nc response, and she passed out ST.
lently, leaving him staring modify
through the open window, his eyes ap-
pearing glazed and sightless.
An hour later he was still sitting on
the hard chair by the window, a cigar
between his teeth, thinking. The low
ering sun was pouring a perfect flood
of gold cross the rag carpet, but he
remained utterly unconscious as to
aught save the gloomy trend of his
OWu dWdhcucu HcIuOIlCS. 9oA0 Ouo
raped upon the outer door.
Come in," he exclaimed, c~arelessly,
and barely glancing up. well, wnat
is 1t this time, Mrs. Guffy?"
The landlady had never before seen
this usually happy guest in his pres
emit mood. and she watched him Gu
riously.
"A man wants ter see ye," she In
nounced, shortly, her hand on the
knob.
"Oh, I'm in no shape for play to-
night; go back and tell him So"
Sure, an it's aisy 'nough ter see
tibet wild half an eye. But this I'm isn't
tibet kolnd of a man, an he's so
moighty perlite about 1t. OF jist cudn't
sind the loikes of him away. It's
'Missus Guffy, me dear madam, wud
We be koind enough to convey me COM
pliments to Misther Robert HAMPTON,