The Kenna record. (Kenna, Roosevelt County, N.M.) 190?-1924, 1913-10-24

Cneery. AlmObL dBalubt ueT VIII bue
welcomed his presence. She had al
ways felt vaguely relieved and com
forted after one of his visits up home.
although he talked with her father
usually on rare old prints. and poll
tics, either subject finding swift re-
sponse from Mr.. Osgood.
ITO Topeka" she said. Il expect to
work there now" d.
That's good. It does anyone good
to broaden out You must be over
twenty now?"
twenty-five in December" She
smiled wistfully. tits pretty we'll
grown up. isn't it7"
mot to thirty-four." he came back
'I'm going away because I'm lone
some up at the house, and there's
nothing to do there now."
Nothing to dor" she repeated.
quickly. why, what a queer thing
for you of all men to say. the most
active that ever knew"
"Well, there isn't. All my plans
have been upset just the way you'd
break q cobweb down."
I'm awfully sorry" she began, i'm
pulsively, her big blue eyes search
| ing his for some clue to the trouble.
mo, you're not, not a single bit.
Though l don't think you've done 1t
purposely, mind" He was still smil-
ing. She had always felt a queer. un-
steady little thrill when he bent his
head and looked at her SO, and had
been angry with herself for 1t. He was
Kenneth Gavin, the one citizen her
little home town was proud of. 1t had
tried to send him into the legislature
| and make him serve on committees,
but he had evaded the efforts as a boy
evades lessons. She knew he loved
travel and books, and his big estate
up in the hills. Once in awhile he
would come down to see them. driving
! his big car alone, CHEEKY and full Of
news for her father. ever courteous
and amusing to her mother, but rarely
talking to her. He had seemed like
some one who had arrived at all
things attainable. And now he sat be-
side her on this midnight local, tell
ing her he was lonely and that some
how she was to blame.
1 4
sorry Why ON earth are you going to
Topeka?"
ITO look after you," he said, prompt
ly. you see, was down at the sta
tion waiting for them to come after
me. There had been a late meeting
at the club. Your father was there,
too, by the way. You probably took
advantage of his absence to run away,
now didn't your"
Slowly. against her will. the tell
tale tears filled her eyes.
"You don't know what life is like to
me-" she said, tensely. you don't
know anything about It,"
Don't II" he replied, warmly, but
with humorous CLEAN In his eyes.
After knowing your father for years
I've watched you grow up. Miss Kit
ty. for the past seven years, ever since
l came back from my first trip around
the world. You were fifteen then, and
heard you play on your violin out In
the garden one afternoon. remem-
ber?"
THE Nocturne in e fat" she fash
ed back at him. II know. Then
what?"
Nothing. l Just waited around
There seemed to be many who filled
your life in a way l could not hope
to-"
you mean Walter" She had en-,
tirely forgotten Walter in her eager.
ness to escape from her home bound
aries, and yet, there certainly had
been Walter as a conspicuous figure
in her life. 1t had never occurred to
her that anyone could regard him as
serious person. Don't you know
that he's going to be a naval engineer
and has gone for four years to San
Francisco? He went two weeks ago
and ! never, never even dreamt any
one thought we cared for each other
-that-that way"
Brentwood Junction" called out the
brakeman at the door.
Gavin rose. and picked up her suit
case and violin.
: I'VE get the down train here" he
/ said. TITS due in about ten min
utes."
But I'm not going back. I'm"