The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1913-04-24
CHAPTER vlI.-(continued.)

Didn't the people at the Rocky Bal
Hotel try to dissuade you from start
ing2" said Buford. They must have
known 1t was dangerous. They must
have been worried about you or they
wouldn't have telegraphed up"
"Oh, believe they did" The young
man tried to hide the annoyance the
questions gave him under a dry brev
Sty OF speech. They did all that they
ought to have done. I'll see them
again on my way down"
And yet you persisted" The ac
tor turned to Rose with whom. as he
sat beside her at table, he had be
come quite friendly. "The blind con
fidenoe Of youth. Miss Cannon, isn't
1T grand, inspiring thing?"
Dominick shifted his aching feet
under the rug. He was becoming ex.
ceedingly irritated and impatient, and
wondered how much longer he would
be able to respond politely to the con.
versstional assiduities Of the stranger.
Now" continued Buford, kindly
satisfy my curiosity on one point.
Why, when you were told of the dan
ger OF the enterprise, did you start?"
Perhaps liked the danger, wanted
it to tone me up. I'm a bank clerk.
Mr.. Buford, and my llfe's monotonous.
Dangers a change"
He raised his voice and spoke with
sudden, rude defiance Buford looked
quickly at him, while his eyebrows
went up nearly to his hair.
"A bank clerk. OH" he said with
n falling infection of disappointment,
suuch chagrtned to discover that the
child Of millions occupied such hum
BILE niche. '1-I-was not aware of
that"
An assistant cashier" continued
Dominick in the same key Of exas-
peration, "and managed to get hol-
iday at this season because my father
was one Of the founders OF the bank
and they allow me certain privileges
4f you would like to know anything
else ask me and I'll answer as we'll
as l know how
His manner and tone SO plainly in
dicated his resentment Of the others
curiosity that the actor flushed and
shrank. lie was evidently well-mean-
ing and sensitive, and the young mans
rudeness hurt rather than angered
him. For moment nothing was said,
8uford making no response other
than to clear his throat, while he
stretched out one arm and pulled
down his cuff with jerking move
Tent. There was constraint In the
air, and Rose. feeling that he had
been treated with unnecessary harsh
ness, sought to palliate it by lifting
the book on her lap and saying to
him:
This is the book we were talking
about when you came in, Mr.. Buford,
Wife in Name Only Have you read
ST."
She handed him the ragged volume,
and holding it off he eyed 1t with a
scrutiny all the more marked by the
way he drew his brows down till they
hung like bushy caves over his eyes.
mo, my dear young lady. l have
not. Nor do feel disposed to do so.
Wife in Name Only! That tells q
whole story without reading word
Were you going to read it,"
mo; Mr.. Ryan and were Just
looking over them. We were think
ing about reading one of them aloud
This one happened to be on the pile ;
ITO me-" continued Buford, "the
name Is repeIling because 1t suggests
sorrows Of my own"
There was pause. He evidently
expected a question which undoubt
edly was not going to come from Dom
inick, who sat fallen together In the
armchair looking at him with mood,
ill-humor. There was more hope from
Rose, VINO ga2ed at the floor but sale
nothing. Buford was forced to repea,
with an unctuous depth Of tone. "Sup
gests sorrows of my own" and faster
his glance on her, so that, as sh,
raised her eyes, they encountered tn,
commanding encouragement of his.
Sorrows Of your own?" she repeat
ed timidly, but with the expecte,
questioning infection
Eyes, my dear Miss Cannon" re
turned the actor with a melanchol
which was full OF rich, dark enioy
ment. MY wife is one in name onlv
There was another pause, and ne
ther showing any intention of break
ing It, Buford remarked:
That sorrow is mine"
What sorrow?" said Dominic
6ruskIy.
The sorrow Of a deserted man." RI
turned the actor with now, for tn
first time, something Of the dignit
OF real feeling in his manner.
"Oh," the monosyllable was extrem,
iy noncommittal, but it had the air c
ttnality as though Dominick intende
to say no more.
Has she-er-left you?" said tn
girl in low and rather awestricke
voice.
The actor inclined his head in a
acqulescent bow;
She has"
Again there was a pause. Unlel
Buford chose to be more biograp
ical, the conversation appeared I
have come to a deadlock. Meth,
OF the listeners could at this staf
break into his reserve with question