The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1910-01-22


lily until tell you to stop. am starv-
ing to hear and learn starving"
He went to the old red brick house,
set in its quaint garden crusted with
ice, and when he raised the brass
knocker she opened the door to him
graciously. The afternoon was a vivid
pleasure to her; his talk was of books
and travel He told her of life in
India, Japan, Egypt; his reminis-
cences were full. of charm and vigor.
She drank in all he described.
thiristily.
The winter showed itself along, and
the Englishman still remained. Sew
eral times he went to Texas, to st.
Louis, to Kansas City, but he re-
turned with as little delay as possible.
He sent Catharine books and boxes of
roses. She had never owned anything
SO lovely in her life. Then he went
up to Kansas City for a week. Tele-
grams came for him, which Jim's best
friend received with long and tune
less whistles. 1t got about somehow
such news invariably does, and in
Higginsville a telegram and a postal
A crowd in the postoff1ce discussed
it before mail opened.
1T never would er been found out
on him, if he hadn't been deaIin' with
er Missouri fool at hadn't no more
sense than to tellygraf him about it.
He's er plum rascal, that's the
truth"
THAT is not true"
The side door of the mailroom open
ed. Catharine stood in the threshold,
breathless
There was heavy quiet.
mo, howdy you know?" asked Cy
Baker.
Because he is a gentleman, not a
thief; because 1 am his only friend
here, and must speak for him." she
replied.
mo, he amt come round you fer
no good; we seen that all the time"
put in another woman. whats his
intentions towards you. I'd like to
know"
Il think there can be no doubt of
my intentions to Miss Culver, when
state that asked her last night to
be my wife, The Englishman had
ished tool of the world
Catharine raised her face and looked
at him unseeingly. Then she shut the
door and delivered the evening mail.
He was waiting for her when she
had finished, and without a word led
her to the yellow bluff along the river.
A silver slip of moon hung over the
/ girdling distances beyond.
II have not been true to much in
my life" he said, after tense pause.
His eyes were looking past all spring
! time. But l will be true now to
you. I have been-culpab1y weak
care for you, you know am not free
to ask you to give me yourself. I am
married"
81 understand" she answered-each
| pause widened the boundaries be-
tween them-"it was a kind lie at the
| last. 1 thank you for it, and for the
truth. Good-by''
/ Jim found her at home an hour
later
'Thrine," he said. 1--WE come to
ask you if you're goin' away"
/ mo. am not going" she answered
| thoughtfully
Il did believe this wasn't the place
for you, somehow" he continued, you
always seemed to me like white rose
in an old brown clay bowl, here. /
have loved you ever since the first
time I noticed the blue of the sky an
the green of the trees. an everything
that was good in me has followed the
whisper of your name. If my love can
mean happiness to you, 'Thrine, will
you take it?'
She raised her hands, moving to
him with tremulous wonder.
Out in the garden Aunt Pattie
| stepped delicately along the prim path.
She had been digging about the lilies
of the valley and pruning the moss
roses, as she was fond of doing to the
last hour, when the days heightened