Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1908-02-19
cHAPETR XVII (continued).


last. II wish this made perfectly clear,
and for all time. l met Miss ellis
first through pure accident. She i'm
pressed me strongly then, and con-
fess l have since grown more deeply
interested in her personality. / have
reasons to suppose my presence not
altogether distasteful to her, and she
has certainly shown that she reposes
le pres gu ..'luemom lsnr 1IBM..
confidence in me. Not until late last
night did l ever suspect she was the
same girl whom we picked up with
you out on the desert. 1t came to
me from her own lips and was total
surprise. She revealed her identity
in order to justify her proposed clan
destine meeting with you"
And hence you request this pleas
ant conference" broke in Hampton,
coolly, Ito inform me, from your calm
eminence of responsibility, that 1 was
no fit companion for such young and
innocent person, and to warn me that
you were prepared to act as her pro-
tector."
AIT SIlSnlly lllS ASdQ.
Il may have had something of that
nature in my mind"
well, Lieut. Brant," and the older
man rose to his feet, his eyes still
smiling, "some might be impolite
enough to say that it was the con-
ception of cad, but whatever it was,
the tables have unexpectedly turned.
Without f,1rfhn- 10
personal interests in the young lady,
which are, however, considerable,
there remain other weighty reasons
that l am not at liberty to discuss,
which make it simply impossible for
you TO sustain any relationship to
Miss ellis other than that of ordinary
social friendship"
"You-you claim the right"
Il distinctly claim the right, for
the reason that possess the right, and
no one has ever yet known me to
relinquish a hold once fairly gained.
Lieut.. Brant, if l am any judge of
faces, you are fighting man by ma
i ture as we'll as profession, but there
is no opportunity for your doing any
fighting here This matter is ire
vocably settled-Naida ellis is not
for you"
Brant was breathing hard do you
mean to insinuate that there is an un
Outstanding, an engagement between
your" he faltered, scarcely knowing
how best to resent such utterance.
you may place your own construc
I
quiet answer. THE special relations
existing between Miss ellis and my
self chance to be no business of yours
However, / will consent to say this
do enjoy relationship to her tina
gives me complete authority to sa,
what have said to you. regret hav
ing been obliged by your persistenc,
to speak with such plainness, but thi
Knowledge should prove sufficient t,
control the actions of a gentleman
For a moment the soldier did no
answer, his emotions far too strong t,
permit of calm utterance, his lip
tightly shut. He felt utterly defeat
ed. Your language is sufficiently az
plicit," he acknowledged at last. a
ask pardon for my unwarranted intrr
sion''
At the door he paused and glance
back toward that motionless figure We
standing with one hand grasping Ia
back of the chair.
Before l go, permit me to ask
single question" he said, frankly. 9
was a friend of old Ben ellis, an
me. Have you any reason 10 suspec
that he was not Nadia ellis father?
Hampton took one hasty step 70
ward. What do you mesa?" he e,
claimed fiercely. his eyes two Goals ,
fire.