Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1913-11-06
CHAPTER XVI.
sweetwater Returns.

|
you see me again. Miss Scott !
hope that yesterdays intrusion has
not prejudlced you against me-"
Il have no prejudices," was her
simple but firm reply. Il am only
hurried and very anxious. The doc
tor is with Mr.. Brotherson Just now;
but he has several other equally sick
patients to visit and dare not keep
him here too long"
Then you will welcome my abrupt.
ness. Miss Scott, here IL q letter
from Mr.. Challoner. 1t will explain
my position. As you will see. his only
desire is to establish the fact that his
daughter did not commit suicide. You
have seen Miss Challoner. ! believe.
Do you think she was the woman to
plunge q dagger In her heart In q
place as public az q hotel reception
room%
mo. Mr.. Sweetwater. I saw her
once and It made me want to be
quiet and kind and beautiful like her.
/ never shall think she did anything
so horrible. Nor will Mr.. Brotherson
ever believe It. He could not and live.
You see. am talking to you as II you
knew him-the kind Of man he 10 and
Just how he feels towards Miss Chal.
Toner. He is" Her voice trailed
on and a look. uncommon and almost
elevated, illumined her face. II will
not tell you what he Is; you will
know, II you ever see him."
Sweetwater watched her for a mo-
ment. and then remarked: I'm going
to take one thing for granted; that
you are as anxious as we are to clear
Miss Challoner's memory"
70 yes, o yes"
more than that, that you are ready
and eager to help US. Your very looks
show that"
you are right: would do anything
to help you. But what can girl
like me do? Nothing; nothing. l
know too little. Mr.. Challoner must
see that when you tell him I'm only
the daughter Of foreman"
And a friend of Mr.. Brotherson."
supplemented Sweetwater.
"Yes," she smiled, 'he would want
me to say so. But that's his good.
ness. ] don't deserve the honor"
His friend and therefore his conf
dante" Sweetwater continued. HE
has talked to you about Miss Chal-
loner%
HE had to. There was nobody else
to whom he could talk; and then, |
had seen her and could understand"
Where did you see herr"
I'm New York. ! was there once
with father, who took me to see her.
l think she had asked Mr.. Brotherson
to send his little friend to her hotel
II ever we came to New York"
THAT was some time ago?"
I'VE were there In June"
"And you have corresponded ever
slice with Miss Challoner?"
she has been good enough to write,
and / have ventured at times to an.
swer her."
Smiling a little. but In a very ear
nest fashion, he pointed to the letter
she still held and quietly said:
Remember that I'm not speaking
for myself, Miss Scott, when seem
q little too persistent and inquiring.
You have correspondent with Miss
Challoner; you have been told the
fact of her secret engagement to Mr..
Brotherson and you have been wit.
ness to his conduct and manner for
the whole time he has been separated
from her. Do you. when you think Of
1t carefully, recall anything in the
whole story Of this romance which
would throw light upon the cruel trag-
edy which has so Unexpectedly ended
It? Anything, Miss Scott? Straws
show which way the stream flows"
She was vehement, instantly vehe-
ment, in her disclaimer.
II can answer at once" said she.
because have thought OF nothing
else for all these weeks. Here all
was we'll. Mr.. Brotherson was hope
ful and happy and believed In her hap
piness and willingness to wait for his |
success. And this success was COM
ing 30 fasti oh, how can we ever tell |
him! How can We ever answer his |
questions even, or keep him satisfied |
and calm until he Ii strong enough to |
hear the truth. I've had to acknowl- |
edge already that have had no letter
from her for weeks. She never wrote
to him directly. you know, and she |
never sent him messages, but he knew
that a letter to me was also q letter |
to him and can see that he IL
troubled by this long silence, though |
he says I was quite right not to let
her know Of his illneaB and that I
must continue to keep her In igno-
rance Of It till he IL quite well again
and can write to her himself II IL
hard to hear him talk like this and not
look Sad or frightened"
sWsetWnter remembered Miss Chal-
Ibner's last letter. and wished he had
It hers to giyS bar. IN default Of thla.
he aaid; ]