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

tee.
There are worse, far worse women
than l am. Mr.. Ruggles. l will never
do Dan any harm"
Here her visitor leaned forward and
put one Of his big hands lightly over
one Of hers, pattsd It a moment, and
said:
Il want you to do a great deal bet.
ter than that"
She had picked up a photograph on
the table, a pretty picture Of herself
In "Mandalay," and turned It nerv.
ously between her fingers as she said
with irritation:
Il haven't been In the theatrical
world not to guess at this Worried
Father act, Mr.. Ruggles. told you
knew Just what you were going to
say"
"Wrong!" he repeated. The busi-
nefs is old enough perhaps, lots Of
good Jobs are old, but this 10 q little
different"
He took the turning picture and
laid 1t on the table, and quietly pos
sessed himself Of the small cold
hands. Blairs solitaire shone up to
him. Ruggles looked into Lefty Lanes
eyes. He is only twenty-five; It amt
fair, 1t amt fair. He could count the
times he has been on a lark, | guess.
He hasn't even been to an eastern col.
lege. He is no fool, but he's darned
simple"
She smiled family. The mans face,
near her own, was very simple indeed.
You have seen so much" he urged,
so many fellows. You have been
such queen, dare say you could get
any man you wanted" He repeated.
Most any man."
81 have never seen any one like
Dan"
Just so: he amt your kind. That
Is what | am trying to tell you"
She withdrew her hand from his vio-
lently.
There you are wrong. He is my
kind. He is what | like, and he is
what | wart to be like"
A wave Of red dyed her face, and,
in a tone more passionate than she
had ever used to her lover, she said
to Ruggles:
81 love him-I love him!" Her
words sent something like a sword
through the older mans heart He
said gently: Don't say it. He don't
know what love means yet"
He wanted to tell her that the girl
Dan married should be the kind Of
woman his mother was, but Ruggles
couldn't bring himself to say the
words. Now. as he sat near her, he
was growing 80 complex that his
brain was turning round. He heard
her murmur:
81 told you knew your act, Mr..
Ruggles. 1t isn't any USE"
This brought him back to his posi-.
ton and once more he leaned toward
her and, in different tone from the
one he had intended to use, muir
INJURED:
you don't know. You haven't any
idea. ] do ask you to let Dan go,
that's fact. have got something
else to propose in its place 1t amt
quite the same, but it is clear-marry
I mel" .... .s7 H-...
She gave little exclamation. A
slight smile rippled over her face like
the sunset across pale pool at dawn.
Laugh" he said humbly; don't
keep in. know l am old-fashioned as
the deuce, and me and Dan is quite
a contrast, but l mean just what
say, my DEAR"
She controlled her amusement, II II
was that. 1t almost made her cry
with mirth, and she couldn't help II.
Between laughing breaths she said to
him:
"Oh, Is II all for Dams sake, Mr..
Ruggles? Is IT." And then, biting
her lips and looking at him out Of
her beautiful eyes. she said: Il know
II isl know It isl beg your par
DON"
Il asked a girl once when ! was
poor-too poor. Now this is the sec
ond time in my life. mean Just what
: say. I'll make you a kind husband.
| am flfty-fve. hale as a nut. dare
say you have had many better Of.
fers." .....
ooh, DEAR" she breathed; "oh, dear,
please-please stop!"
But don't expect you to marry me
for anything but my money"
Ruggles put his cigar down on the
edge of the table. He looked at his
chair meditatively, he took out his
silk handkerchief, polished up his
glasses, readjusted them, put them on
and then looked at her.
Now" he said, 81 am going to trust
you with something, and ! know you
will keep my secret for me. This
shows you little bit Of what | think
about you. Dan Blair hasn't got red
cent. He has nothing but what give
him. There's a false title to all that
land on the Bentley claim. The whole
thing came up when was home and
the original company, of which own
three-quarters Of the stock, holds the
clear titles to the Blairtown mines. 1t
all belongs now to me, IL l choose to
nro,ort ,,nv dooupnanto nan knouo