Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1909-11-26

just left a cowboy sat at the table
taking apart revolver to clean It
The revolver was spread in its parts
before him, but across the table lay
a rife. The man had not been In the
room when she left 1t a moment be.
fore.
Dicksie passed behind him. He paid
no attention to her; he had not looked
up when she entered the room. Pass.
Ing behind him once more to 20 out,
Dicksie looked through the open win.
dow before which he sat. Sinclair and
Marion sitting under the cottonwood
tree were in plain sight, and the muz.
zle OF the rife where 1t lay covered
them. Dicksie thrilled, but the man
was busy with his work. Breathing
deeply, she walked out on the porch
again. Sinclair, she thought was
looking straight at her, and in her anx.
iety to appear unconscious she turned,
walked to the end of the house, and
at the corner almost ran into q man
sitting out Of doors in the shade mend.
ing a saddle, He had removed bis belt
to work, and his revolver lay in the
holster on the bench, its grip Just
within reach Of his hand. Dicksie
walked In front Of him, but he did not
look up. She turned as II changing
her mind, and with a little firt Of her
riding skirt sat down in the porch
chair, feeling a faint moisture upon
her forehead.
i am going to leave this country,
Marion" Sinclair was saying. There's
nothing here for me; | can see that.
What's the use Of my eating my heart
out over the way I've been treated
I've given the best years Of my life to
this railroad, and now they TURF me
down with kick and a curse. It's
the old story Of the Indian and his
dog, only don't propose to let them
make soup Of me. I'm going to the
coast, Marion. I'm going to California
where | wanted to go when we were
married, and wish to God we had
gone there then. All our troubles
might never have been II had got In
with different crowd from these COW
boozers on the start. And, Marion,
want to know whether you'll give me
another chance and go with me-"
Sinclair, on the bench and leanlns
against the tree, sat with folded arms
looking at his wife. Marion in 8
hickory chair faced him.
mo one would like to see you be all
you ought to be more than /, Murray;
but you are the only one in the world
that can ever give yourself another
chance to be that"
THE fellows in the saddle here now
have denied me every chance to make
man Of myself again on the railroad
you know that, Marion. In fact
they never did give me the show I wa:
entitled to. l ought to have had
Hailey's place. Bucks never treated
me right in that; he never pushed me
In the way he pushed other ren that
were just as bad as | ever was. II
discouraged me; that's the reason
went to pieces"
1T could be no reason for treating me
as you treated me; for bringing drunk
en- men and drunken women into our
house, and driving me out of it unless
l'Would be what you were and what
they WERE"
Il know haven't treated you right;
I've treated you shamefully. l will do
anything on earth you say to square
1t. | will! Recollect, | had lived
among men and in the same country
with women like that for years before
| knew you. / didn't know how to
treat you; | admit it. Give me anoth.
er chance, Marion"
81 gave you all that / had when !
married you, Murray. / haven't any.
thing more to give to any man. You
would be disappointed in me II l could
ever live with you again, and could
not do that without living a lie every
day"
He bent forward, looking at the
ground. He talked Of their first meet.
ing in Wisconsin; of the happiness Of
their little courtship; he brought up
California again, and the northwest
coast, where, he told hel, a great rail.
road was to be built and he should find
the chance he needed to make a record
for himSef-it had been promised him
"a chance to be the man his abilities
entitled him to be in railroading. And
I've got a customer for the ranch and
the cows, Marion. | don't care for
this business-damn the cows! let
somebody else chase after EN- through
the sleet. I've done well; I've made
money-a lot Of money-the last tvs
years in my cattle deals, and I've got
it put away, Marion; you need never
lift your hand to work in our house
again. We can live in California, and
live well, under our own orange trees.
whether work or not. All want to
know is, will you go with me?"
NO! | will not go with you, Muir.
ray"
He moved in his seat and threw his
head up appealingly. why not?"
81 win never be dishonest with you;
| never have been and never will be.
| have IA thing IN nv heart 10 give