Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1912-10-19

doesn't sound like he's innocent. does
it Besides. the officers are plumb
certain he's hanging around this show
some place I'm not going to be pes
tered with constables and detectives
from here to Indiana. let me tell you
that
I'm not willing to see these men
get into trouble" David said steadily.
give me time to change my clothes
again. and you can call in the Off
GERS
Don't be a foolr' exclaimed the
clown. A murmur of protest arose
from the others.
Thomas \ woman's voice was
calling from the other side of the low
canvas partition.
That's my wife," growled Brad
dock. Il suppose she'll be beggin' for
you too What do You wanty' The
question was roared through the can
vas.
Come here. please 1 must speak
with you"
Change your clothes. boy he said
after a moment of INDIGESTION. See
that he don't get away. yon fellows.
If he gives you the slip I'll have
blood. and don't you forget it,
The man had been drinking His
eyes We're bloodshot and unsteady
His face was bloated from the effects
of long and continued use of alcohol.
Once on Il time he had been Il dashing.
boldly handsome fellow. There could
! he no doubt of that-the sort of youth
! that any romantic girl might have
fallen in love with. wonderfully
vital constitution had projected his
body from the rlvages of self indul
/ gence-the constitution Nof a. great
splendid human animal. in whom not
the faintest sign of once attractive
| personality remained. There was no
| refinement there. no mark of good
| breeding. What she had evidently
mistaken for the nobility of true man
! hood in her innocence and folly was
no more than the arrogance of SPLEEN
did health. This man had been beau
/ tiful in his day and frankly plea sing.
! That was long before the thing that
was in his blood. and in the blood of
his father perhaps. had claimed do
miniou-the mysterious thing which
! inevitably registers the curse of the
/ base born. so that no man may be de-
! ceived
\ heavy black mustache, lightly
| touched with gray. shaded coarse,
rather sinister mouth. from the corner
of which protruded an unlighted but
/ thoroughly chewed cigar Thin red
/ lines formed network in his checks.
telling of the habits that had put them
there. On his forehead was perpetual
scowl. a line slashed between the eyes
rs if laid there by Il knife. The fea-
lures were not irregular. but they
We're of the strength that denotes cul-
I'd 9
square and strong. heavily stumbled
with Il two days growth of beard.
| Eyes that were black and suIIen stood
we'll out in their sockets. silk hat
| tilted rakishly over his brow His
waistcoat was Il loud brocade. his
neclltie a single black band. knotted
once. There was IL great paste dia-
nond i'll his soiled shirt front.
As the flap dropped behind him Gri-
naldi turned to the boy.
''Mebbe we can fix it with i'm Shell
put i'll Il plea for you and so will Little
Starbright-that's what is daughter is
called on the bills-if she gets chance
Stay right ere. youngster. I've got tc
go in for my girls act now. l wish you
could see my girl. She's the queen OF
the air and don't you forget it,
Outside Braddock was gIowerins
upon his wife. who faced him resolute
ly- There never had been time wher
she was afraid of this man. Ever
though he had mistreated her shame
fully. he had never found the coura 20
to exercise his physical supremacy
Braddock recognized and respected the
qualities that put her so far above him
Not that he admitted Them even to him
self. That would have been fatal tt
his own sense of justice. He merely
felt them. He could not evade the con
ditions for the reason that he was pow
erless to analyze the force that pro
duced them. He only knew that some
how he meritcd the scorn in which sh,
held him. There were times when b,
hated her for the very beauty of he
despairing rage. more against himself
than against her, but never withou
afterward cringing in morbid contem
plation of the shudder it brought t,
her sensitive face.
If any one had been so bold as t.
accuse him of not loving her he woult
have been crushed to earth by the brut
that was in him. On the other hand i
be We're timorously charged with Low
ing her. it would have been like him t,
call the venturesome one liar-ant
mean it. too. in his heart
But five hundred is five hundred.
he was repeating doggedly in opposi
ton to her argument in behalf of TIN
boy. You don't know whether he
guilty or not. Mary Business is bad