Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1912-08-03

for self control
Are you not mistaken? / had sup
posed my husband to be Sergeant King
of Reynolds battery
I leaned toward her across the chair
arm. endeavoring to see into the depths
of her eyes. but she yelled them be-
hind lowered lashes-
HE was Sergeant King at the time
of your marriage. yet think you have
no doubt as to who he is now"
II have not had a great deal at any
time she said. looking at me directly.
although 1 could not be sure. The
night of that unfortunate occurrence
you seemed to regret my predicament
and expressed a desire to make my
burden as light as possible. Would 1t
not have been best when you came
here to have informed me as to your
identity?"
Eyes, II the relationship between Us
had been the same
Had been the same! What do ron
meanT'
L took a deep breath. mastering my
courage to face whatever fate might
have in store
This. Miss JEAN" 1 said gravely.
my voice trembling in spite of every
effort to hold 1t firm. "Since then I
have learned to love you"
For a moment her intense surprise
robbed her OF all power OF speech. her
round throat swelling, one hand press
ed upon her heart. So still was every
thing could hear bird singing with
out and the rustic ofswind through the
leaves.
You have learned to love me-meT
she faltered at last incredulously. II
did not expect to hear you say that.
Lieutenant King"
yet 1 have said It." insisted, 'sbe-
cause it is the truth, and it is time, is
it not, that the truth should be known
between us?"
Her head dropped upon her hands,
her arm supported by the dresser, and
she remained silent. her slight form
trembling perceptbly.
do you blame me for what occurred
that night?'
She upIifted her eyes quickly, look
ing frankly into my face.
You perhaps did the most natural
thing, although I sincerely wish 1t had
never occurred No, 1 do not blame
you; IL have never felt in that way
toward you. 1t is strange, is it not?'
Strengthening up and now looking me
certainly every reason why 1 should
feel otherwise. I have no sympathy
with your cause; all love is connected
with the south and 1 am a thorough
rebel. Seeking to serve your flag you
did me as grievous an injury as a
man could do woman. At first /
was angry. indignant. L could have
killed you and felt my anger just 1
can never understand the change that
came over me, for when we finally
parted that night we were almost
friends. l have never been able to
think of you since as an enemy"
You have thought of me. them"
Gould l do otherwise? Sergeant
King certainly wrought havoc enough
to make immediate forgetfulness i'm
possible. Then Lieutenant King ap-
peared-the artilleryman changed into
a cavalry officer-but in voice and
manner continually reminding me of
the former. l did not know you were
the same. but suspected it. 1 wanted
TO avoid you. yet that was impossible.
and 1 have been compelled to accept
your help. to trust and confide in you.
Not only am 1 personally indebted to
you. but you have served others who
are near and dear to me. l had al
most forgotten you were a Yankee,
except for the constant reminder of
your uniform. I even felt that we
we're destined to friendship. in spite
of all the barriers between us. but
now-now you have spoiled every
thing
81? How?"
by your avowal-your expression of
feeling toward me- You must have
spoken those words In jest, and yet
they are not easily forgotten"
I'm jestp' and 1 arose to my feet.
indignant that she should even sug-
gest such a possibility. Miss Dens-
low, you do not mean that; surely my
sincerity can be felt Perhaps ought
not to have spoken thus; it may be
you have no right to listen. But In
sist 1 have said no more than the
truth. I realize now that from the
moment of first seeing you while con-
versing with the old negro in the shed
on your fathers plantation, 1 was I'M
usually interested In you. That first
impression might, indeed, have passed
away had we not again been thrown
together upon terms of peculiar 1ntt-
macy. A certain tie was contracted
between us which caused me to think
of you even while we were absent
from each other. 1 could not remain
Indifferent under such circumstances
could your
She hesitated. drawing slightly back.
yet her honesty compelled frank