Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1911-12-08

VINO are you going WITH! Ruggles
asked shortly. and she flashed at him:
We'll. really, don't think that is
any Of your business. When you drive
, woman as you have driven me, she
will go far"
He interrupted her vehemently, not
daring to take her hand. 81 couldn't
do more. have asked you to marry
me. ! couldn't do more. | stand by
what have said. Will your" he
Btammered.
She knew men. She looked at him
keenly. Her veil was lifted above her
eyes and its shadow framed her small
pale face on which there were marks
Of utter disenchantment, Of great en-
nui. She said languidly: What !
want to know IL, what you are going
to do for DAM"
81 told you l would share with
him." :
Then he will be nearly as rich%
He'll have more than is good for
him"
That satisfied her. Then she pur-,
sued. 81 want you to stand by him. He
will need you"
Ruggles lifted the hand he held and
Kissed 1t reverently. III do any
thing you say-anything you say"
Downstairs in the Savoy, as Dan,
had done countless times, Rugglesi
waited until he saw her motor car
carry her and her small luggage and
Higgins away.
In their sitting.room In the Carlton
half-hour later the door was thrown
open and Dan Blair came in like a
mailman. Without preamble he seized
Ruggles by the arm.
Look here" he cried, what have
you been doing? Tell me now, and
tell me the truth, or, by God, l don't
know what I'll do. You went to the
Savoy. You went there twice. Any
how, where is she?"
Dan, slender as he was beside Rug.
gles' great frame, shook the elder man
as though he had been a terrier.
Speak to me. Where has she gomez"
He stared in the Westerners face,
his eyes bloodshot. why in thunder
don't you say something"
And Ruggles prayed for some power
to unloose his thickening tongue.
"You say she's gomez" he ques-
toned.
81 say" said the boy, that you've
been meddling in my affairs with the
woman love. don't know what you
have said to her, but it's only your
age that keeps me from striking you.
Don't you know" he cried, that you
are spelling my life? Don't you know
that?" A torrent Of feeling coming
to his lips, his eyes suffused, the tears
rolled down his face. He walked away
, into his own room, remained there a
few moments, and when he came out
: again he carried in his hand his va
lise, which he put down with a bang
on the table. More calmly, but still
In great anger, he said to his fathers
: friend:
Nov, can you tell me what you've
done or not?"
"Dan," said Ruggles with difficulty,
III you will sit down a moment we
can"
The boy laughed in his face. "Sit
down." he cried. "Why, | think you
must have lost your reason. | have
chartered motor car out there and
the damned thing has burst tire and
they are fixing 1t up for me. 1t will
be ready in about two minutes and
then | am going to follow wherever
, she has gone. She crossed to Paris,
) but l can get there before she can
even with this damned accident. But,
before l go, l want you to tell me
what you said"
why" said Ruggles quietly, 81 told
her you were poor, and she turned
you down"
His words were faint.
Cod" said the boy under his
breath. That's the way you think
about truth. Lie to woman to save
:. my precious soul! But l expect" he
, said; you think she is so immoral
? and so bad that she will hurt me.
Well" he said, with great emphasis,
she has never done anything in her
life that comes up to what you've
done. Never! And nothing has ever
hurt me So"
His lips trembled. Il have lost my
respect for you, for my fathers friend,
and as far as she is concerned, don't
care what she marries me for. She
has got to marry me, and If she
doesnt"-he had no idea, in his pas.
sion, what he was saying or how
why, l think I'll kill you first and
then blow my own brains OUT" And
with these mad words he grabbed up
his valise and bolted from the room,
and Ruggles could hear his running
, feet tearing down the corridor.
CHAPTER XVI,