Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1908-07-03

kAyS Iiy' n8n
d IL trssi, hrist sr.ins y sav
MN IN her rigH rsi lion y 3eairs,
q vom1n, brave, stroas, noble. zv6.
What II she did not shine amid the
dollhouse convsntionalities Of the fast
and Yapid life Of the crew whom hs
Had gathered 1t Darlington. In
stead Of being ashamed Of her, he
should have rejoiced from the bottom
Of his soul that she was 80 frank and
fresh and free. what a splendid wom-
an she was! Whatever she did, how
well It was donsl No veteran Of q
thousand exciting nights over the gam
ing table could have played with more
GOODNESS and daring than she did in
that famous duel at cards with Strath.
gate. And, although the minuet was
outside OF her accomplishments, how
swiftly had twinkled her flying feet
when she danced the sailors horn
pipe. II carried him back to slant
ing decks and fresh breezes and
bright skies: Would they ever 70
turn? Would he himself return IN
scathed from this adventure! II was
by no means certain, for Strathgate
was a man Of proven courage; he had
demonstrated that, and his reputation
as a sword player was deservedly
high.
His thoughts plunged him into
gloomy melancholy which Parkman. at
length perceiving, did his best to dis
pei by gentle raillery and pleasant
conversation. Darlington pulled him
self together, realizing that II he gave
way to his depression he would be In
no condition to meet Strathgate.
These gentle thoughts Of his wife
did not in any way abate his enmity
toward the man whom he felt had SO
wronged and insulted him. He was
as determined as ever that the ap.
preaching duel should be no slight az
fair, but that II he could he would
kill Strathgate, and eliminate his pos.
abilities of evil forever from this
| world.
And Strathgate had exactly the
same thought for Darlington. By a
curious mode Of reasoning Strathgate
chose to visit upon Darlington his
own Ill success With Lady Ellen. He
came to the conclusion that II Car
rington had not interfered, all would
have gone well With his love affair.
OF course, In Q measure Darlington
was responsible for Strathgate's lack
OF success with Lady Ellen, for Ellen
devotedly and passionately loved her
husband; loved him still; loved him
perhaps never more than when with
Jealous anguish she saw him In Lady
Cecilys arms. But II Darlington had
never crossed Ellsn's course, Strath.
gate was not the kind of q man that
would have appealed to her. Ellen
was too true, too simple, too direct In
her thoughts Of life to tolerate long the
afectations, the sentimentallties and
impurities Of q man like Strathgate.
DO soon as her eyes were opened, she
would have abominated him; and her
eyes, unfortunately for Strathgate, had
been opened the minute he turned to
the west when she would have east
ward gone. But, Of course, Strathgate
did not know this; that saving concen
which keeps some men from despair
was his, and he blamed all his misfor.
tunes upon Darlington.
| He, too, was early abroad. and
when the carriage drove through the
park gates and was directed by one
OF Lord Blythedale's men to a shaded
coppice by a little brook half mile
from the gate, Strathgate and Lord
Blythedale with surgeon, one from
the feet named Nevinson, who was
known slightly TO both men, were Al.
ready waiting on the ground.
Lord Blythedale was a man who
had gone the pace since he succeeded
to the title and fortune. The for.
tune was not commensurate with the
title, and his seat and the park
surrounding 1t, and the wall like
wise, were In q state of wretched
disrepair. The place that he and
Strathgate had selected for the en-.
counter was q level bit of sward
which Blythedale had caused to be
moved and rolled the afternoon be.
fore. 1t was shaded from the morn
Ing sun by high trees. Neither com.
blatant could be Unanswered into any
position to get the sunlight into his
eyes On one side Of the smooth bit
OF turf ran little brook, on the other
the spaces between the trees were
nlled by a thick, almost impenetrable
growth OF underbrush. Although II
was already autumn, the leaves had
not yet fallen, and the underground,
which was regular thicket, afforded
secure concealment for any observer.
Blythedale had arranged, as he
thought, that there should be no In.
terrupdons whatsoever, and early that
morning he had posted his game.
keepers In a circle some distance
away from the dueling ground with in.
structions to let no one pass. AL.
though they were burning with curl.
osity to see, themselves, the habit Of
obedience was strong upon them, for
Blythedale was rather a heavy-handed