Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1912-10-18

to you. You're the gay Lochinvar
from the west. I'm not sure-no one
ever is regarding a woman-but /
think she'll listen to you. She wouldn't
give an ear to a scalawag like me.
This caravan business has put me out
side the pale. I've lost caste"
you're only desperate and discour.
aged; you can pull up straight"
Much obliged"
"You haven't looked at life normal.
ly; that's what the matter is"
"Solon, you're right. There's that
poor devil back in Bagdad. I've killed
a man, Percival. 1t doesn't mix well
in my dreams"
"You said that it was in self-de-
Tense"
"And God knows it was. But IL
hadn't gone after that damned rug,
he'd have been alive today. Oh, damn
it all; let's go back to the hotel and
order that club-stsak, or the best imi.
tation they have. I'm going to have
a pint Of wine. I'm as dull as a ditch
in a paddy-feld."
"a bottle or two will not hurt any
Of US. Well ask Ackermann. Fol
God knows where we'd have been to
day but for him. And let him do al
the EARNING. It will please him."
"And while he CABS, we1l get tht
best Of the steak and wine!" For thu
first time in days Ryanne's laughter
had a bit Of the erstwhile rollickint
tone.
| The dinner was an event. No dell
cacy mostly canned) was overlooked
The manager, az he heard the gum
cas- Jingle in Georges pocket, wa
filed with shame; not over his orig
nal doubts, but relative to his lacl
Of perception. The tourists who sa
at the other tables were scandalize,
at the popping Of champagne-corki
Sanctimonious faces glared reprooi
A ,joviai spirit In the Holy Land wa
an anachronism, not to be tolerated
And wine! Horrible! Doubtless
when they retired to their native bacl
porches, they retold with never-ent
ing horror Of having witnessed sue
a scene and having heard such laugl
ter upon the sacred soil.
Even Fortune laughed, though R!
anne's ear, keenest then, detected tn
vague note Of hysteria. II the mea
was tough, the potatoes greasy, tn
vegetables favorless, the wine fla
none Of them appeared to be awar
Of I. II Ackermann could talk b
could also eat; and the clatter {
forks ard knives was the theme ratl
er than the variation to the symptom!
George felt himself drawn deepe
and deeper into those tragic water
from which, as In death, there Is n
return. She was so lonely, so sa
and forlorn, that there was as muc
brother as lover In his synpath!
How patient she had been during a
those inconceivable hard-hips! Ho'
brave and steady; and never a mu
muir! TIE single glass Of wine ha
brought the color back to her chez
and the sparkle into her eye;. yet b
was sure that behind this apparer
llveliness Ley the pitiful desperatio
Of the helpless. He had not spoke
again about old Mortimer. He woul
walt till after hs had sent Ion
cable. Then hs would speak an
show her the anrwer. Of which.
had not a particle Of doubt. As ma
tiers now stood, he could not tell ht
that be loved her: his quiIotic sens
Of chivalry was too strong to perm
this step, urge 20 bis heart migl
upon II. She might misinterpret b
love as born Of pity. and that wdol
be the end Of everything. He was CO.
ndent now that Ryanne meant not
ing TO her. Her lack Of enthusiasm
whenever Ryanns spoke to her
these days; the peculiar horiSohtsIlI
Of her lips and brows. whenever r