Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1908-02-12
Ne had enjoyed a bath and a shs,sa,

ped aside, and the orderly, tall. boy
ish looking fellow with q pugnacious
chin, saluted stifdy.
Well; Bane," and the officer eyed
his trim appearance with manifest ap-
proval, what did you succeed in learn
ing?'
The operator said this yere Muir.
| ply had never bin thar himself, sir,
but there wus several messages come
fer him. One got here this mornin'."
What becomes of them?''
They're called fer by another fell
Ter. sir"
"Oh, they are! Who?"
Red Slavin wus the name he give
| me of tibet other buck"
When the two had disappeared,
Brant sat back thinking rapidly There
was mystery here, and such actions
must have cause. Something eth
er in or about Glencaid was COM
| polling Murphy to keep out of sight
but what? Who? Brant was un-
able to get it out of his head that
all this secrecy centered around Nadia.
Perhaps Hampton knew: at least he
might possess some additional scrap
Of information which would help to
solve the problem. He looked at his
watch, and ordered his horse to be
saddled
1t did not seem quite so simple now,
this projected interview with Hamp-
ton, as it had appeared the night be-
fore. In the clear light of day, he
began to realize the weakness of his
position, the fact that he possessed
not the smallest right to speak on be-
half of Nadia Gillis. Nevertheless, the
die was cast, and perhaps, provided an
open quarrel could be avoided, the
meeting might result in good to all
concerned.
Hampton welcomed him with dis
tant but marked courtesy, having evil
IDENTIFY thought out his own imme-
date plan of action, and schooled him.
self accordingly. Standing there, the
bright light streaming over them from
the open windows, they presented two
widely contrasting personalities, yet
each exhibited in figure and face the
evidences of hard training and iron
discipline. Hampton was clothed in
black, standing straight as an arrow
his shoulders squared his head held
proudly erect, while his cool gray
eyes studied the face of the other as
he had been accustomed to survey
his opponents at the card table Brant
looked the picture of a soldier on
duty, trim, well built. erect, his reso-
lutte blue eyes never f1inching from
the steady gaze bent upon him, his
bronzed young face grave from the
seriousness of his mission. In both
minds the same thought fingered
the vague wonder how much the 9TH
er knew. The elder man, however. re-
tanned a better self-control and was
first to break the silence.
Miss ellis informed me of your
kindness to her last evening" he
said, quietly, 'and in her behalf 1
sincerely thank you. Permit me to
offer you a chair"
Brant accepted it and sat down.
feeling the calm tone of proprietorship
in the words of the other as if they
had been a blow His face flushed,
yet he spoke firmly. Possibly l mis-
construe your meaning" he said, with
some bluntness. determined to reach
the gist of the matter at once. Did
Miss ellis authorize you to thank me
for these courtesies? ?"
Hampton smiled with provoking
calmness, holding an unlighted cigar
between his fingers. why, really,
as to that l do not remember. I
merely mentioned it as expressing the
natural gratitude Of us both"
You speak as if you possessed full
authority to express her mind as we'll
as your own"
The other bowed gravely, his face
impressive. MY words quite naturally
bear some such construction"
The officer hesitated, feeling more
doubtful than ever regarding his own
position. Chagrined, disarmed, he
felt like a prisoner standing bound
before his hooking captor. Then I
fear my mission here is useless"
Entirely so, if you come for the
purpose l suspect said Hampton, sit
ting erect in his chair, and speaking
viii uuOTe TdpIU ull0TdnC6. 10 lee
ture me on morality, and demand my
yielding up all influence over this girl
such a mission is assuredly a fail
ure. l have listened with some de-
gree Of calmness in this room already
to one such address, and surrendered
to its reasoning. But permit me to
say quite plainly, Lieut.. Brant, that
you are not the person from whom /
will quietly listen to another"
Il had very little expectation that
you would"
You should have had still less. and
remained away entirely. However,
now that you are here, and the sub
yet preached, it becomes my turn
to say something, and to say it clear
ly. 1t seems to me you would ex-
hibit far better taste and discrimina-
ton if from now on you would cease
forcing your attentions upon Miss Gill