Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1911-12-01

~--~-~
ou promise me? Promise mel can't
lear it! l won't have it,"
A film Of emotion crossed his clear
Oung eyes and her slender hands
we're held fast in his clasp. His face
VAS beautiful In Its tenderness and in
righteous anger as he bent 1t on
er. Instead Of reproving him as she
lad done before, instead of snatching
hWay her hands, she swayed, and at
fhe sight of her weakness his eyes
eleared, and the film lifted like a cur
eAin. She was not fainting, but, as
Ser face turned toward his, he saw, it
transformed, and Dan caught her in
her dark dress, the flowers In her bod
Sce, to his heart. He held her as II
he had snatched her from a wreck and
a a safe embrace i'.ed her high to
The shore Of coral rand. He kissed
her, first timidly, 'onderingly, with
the sacrament Of hrst love on his
lips. Then he kissed her as his heart
babe him, and when he set her free
Nhe was crying, but the tears on his
face were not all her tears.
Little boy, how crazy, how perfect
q crazy! oh, Dan-Dan!"
She chung to him, looking up at
him just as his boy-dreams had told
him girl would look some day. Her
lace was suffused and softened, her
Hps-her coral.red, fine, lovely lips
we're trembling, and her eyes were
q 90 gray, as profound as those seas
his imagination had longed to explore.
Made poet for the first time in his
life, as his arms were around her, he
whispered: "You are all my dreams
come true. If any man comes near
you I'll kill him just as sure as fate
I'll kill him!"
Hush, hush! I told you you were
crazy. We're both perfectly mad. l
have tried my best not to come to this
With. you. What would your father
Bay? Let me 90, let me co. I'll call
Higgins"
The boy laughed aloud, the laugh of
happy youth. He held her so close
Chat she might as well have tried to
loose herself from an iron image Of
'6e Spanish Inquisition as from his
Eoung arms This slender, delicious,
WiIlowy thing he held was Lefty Lane,
de adored star London went mad
over; the triumph Of It! It flashed
through him as his pulses beat and his
heart was high with the conquest, but
u was to the woman only that he
whispered:
.. i've said lot Of stuff and am
;elkely to say lot more, but I want
you to say something to me. Don't
tOu love me"
The word on his lips to him was as
strange, as wonderful, as though II
had been made for him,
Il guess | must love you, Dan.
guess must have for a long time"
God, I'm 30 glad! How long"
why, ever since you used to come
% the soda fountain and ask for choc
Slate. You don't know how sweet you
were when you were little boy"
She put her slender hand against
Ais hot cheek. And you are nothing
but little boy now! I think l mus
. - crazy" r.. .
As he protested, as she listened In
tantly to what his emotion taught hin
% say to her, she whispered close t.
Dis ear:
What will you take, little boy?"
'eN And he answered: I'll take you
HOu!" --.. .....
At slight sound in the next room
Lefty Lane started as though the In
%srruption really brought her to hel
Senses, put her hand to her disheveleC
hair. and before she could prevent It
Dan had called Mrs. Higgins to come
n" and the woman, in response
came into the sitting-room. The boy
vent to her and took her hands 20
500 ASrly; and said:
Z, It's all right, all right, Mrs. Hig
Gina. Just think Of 1t! She belongi
- mel"
'oh, don't be . perfect lunatic, Dan,
de actress exclaimed, half laughing
alf crying, and don't listen to him
Higgins. He's Just crazy"
But the old woman's eyes wen
bright at the boys face and tone. I"
AeVer was so glad Of anything in my
efe."
"As Of whati" asked her mistress
sharply, and the tone was so cold and
% suddenly altered that Dan felt 6
chill Of despair.
D.. ''Why, at what Mr.. Blair says, Miss.
: Then" said her mistress, "you
sught to be ashamed Of yourself. He's
only twenty-five, he doesn't know any
thing about life. You must be crazy
He's as mad as a March hare and ht
ought to be in school,"
Then, to their CONSERVATION, she
burst into passion of weeping; threw
herself on Higgins breast and begged
her to send Dan away-to send every
body away-and to let her die in peace
In utter despair the boy obeyed thu
dresser's motion to go, and his trans
port was changed into anxiety ant
dread. He hung about downstairs il
the Savoy for the rest of the after
noon, finally sending up to Higgins fol
. news in sheer desperation, and thu
page fetched Blair a note in Lefty!