Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1912-03-15
hree small cups of coffee after din.

three small cups Of coffee after din.
ner
You are right" he acknowledged
there had been a slight dispute relative
to the methods Of roasting the berry
Europe does NOT roast its coffee; it
burns it. The aroma, the bouquet! /
am beaten"
so am l." Fitzgerald reflected
sadly, snatching a vision Of the girls
animated face.
Three days be had ridden into the
country with her. or played tennis. or
driven down 10 the village and in
spected the yacht. he had been lonely
so long and this beautiful girl was
such good comrade. One moment be
blessed the prospective treasure hunt,
another be execnted 1t. To be with
ihis girl was to love her; and whittier
his pleasurable idleness would lead
aim be was neither blind nor self de-
Giving. But with the semihumorous
recklessness which was the leayen OF
his success. he thrust prudence behind
min and stuck to the primrose path.
He had played with fire before, but
never had the Goals burned so brightly.
He did not say that she was above
him; mentally and by birth they were
equals; simply. be was compelled to
admit Of the truth that she was be-
yond him. Money. That was the
obstacle. For what man will live on
his wife's bounty? That bodice and
those sleeves Of old Venetian point
would have eaten up the gains of any
three of his most prosperous months.
And Breitmann. dropping occasion.
ally the ash Of his cigarette on the
tray, be, too. was bordering. But his
German strain did not make II SO easy
for him as for Fitzgerald to give con.
crete form to his thought. The outlook.
as he saw ii. had nebulous appear.
ance.
NJ. Ferraud chatted gayly. Usually
man who holds his audience is Of
single purpose. The little Frpnchman
had two aims; one, to keep the CONVEX
sation on subjects of his own selection,
and the other to study without being
observed
With Lanra's rising the little after
dinner party became disOrganized.
1t was yet early; hut perhaps she
had some thought she wished 10 be
alone with This consideration was
the veriest bud in growth; still. it was
such that she desired the seclusiOn of
her room. She swung across her
shoulders the sleepy Angora and wish.
ed the men good night.
The wire bell in the hall clock vibrat-
ed twice; O'clock of the morning.
A streak of mOOnshne fell aSlant the
floor and broke off abruptly. Before
the safe in the library stood Brett.
mann, small tape in his hand. For
several minutes he contemplated som.
berly the nickel combination wheel.
He could open it for he knew the COM
bination. To open it would be the
work of moment Why, then, did he
hesitate? Why not pluck it forth and
disappear on the morrow? The ad-
miral had not made Il copy, and with
out the key he might dig up Corsica
till the crack of doom. The fame on
the taper crept down The man gave
a quick movement to his shoulders: it
was the shrug. not of impatience. but
of resignation. He saw the lock
through the haze Of a cOnjured face.
He shut bis eyes. but the vision re-
manned. Slowly he drew his fingers
over the fame.
Yet before the flame died wholly it
touched two points Of light in the
doorway, the round crystals of a pair
of Spectacles.
1.-TWO souls with but a single
thought" the secret agent murmured
Poor devil! Why does he hesitate?
Why does he not take it and be gone?
Is be still honest? | must be growing
old. shall not ruin him. shall save
him. 1t is not good politics, but it is
good Christianity"
Ito be continued next week.