Rocky Ford enterprise., 1913-06-27

looks quite fresh and new. as If no
body had reach 1t much. It's called
The Amazing Marriage"
"Oh, pass on that! had 1t once
and stuck In the third chapter. The
last time l went East somebody gave
1t to me to read on the train. l read
three chapters and was more amazed
than anybody in sight. The porter
was fresh coon and gave 1t to him
as my revenge. I'll bet 1t amazed
him."
You don't seem to have anything
in the nature of a preference. 80 far.
wonder how this will suit you.
"Notre Dame de Paris" by Victor
Hugo"
II don't understand French"
TITS English and it's quite worn out,
as II 1t had been read over and over.
Several of the pages are falling out"
"Oh, I've read that. I Just remem-
Der. It's rafting good story, too.
About the hunchback and the gipsy
girl who tells fortunes and has pet
goat. The priest. who's villain, falls
off the steeple and clings to gutter
by his finger nails with his enemy
watching him. It's the finest kind OF
story"
What a pity that you've read 1t!
oh. here's one that's evidently been
a great favorite. It's in paper and
it's all thumbed and torn. Some
body's written across the top. OF all
the damned fool people. Oh. l beg
your pardon, / read 1t before real
lied. The name is Wife in Name
Only 1t doesn't seem the kind Of
title that makes you want to read the
book. does lit"
"'Wife in Name Only!" he gave q
short laugh. TT certainly isn't the
kind of name that would make me
want to read a book"
Nor me-" said a deep voice behind
them
They both turned to see Buford. the
actor, standing back of the table. his
tall. angular figure silhouetted
against the pale oblong of the incur
tained window. He was smiling
suavely, but at the same time with a
sort Of uneasy. assumed assurance.
which suggested that he was not un-
used to rebuffs.
!. THAT. certainly" he said. us not q
name to recommend book to any
man-any man. that is. who has or
ever had a wife"
He advanced into the circle Of the
freight. blandly beaming at the young
man. who. leaning back In his chair.
was eying him with surprised inquiry.
never having seen him before. Tho
look did not chill the friendly effusion
of the actor who. approaching Domi-
nick, said with the full. deep resonance
OF his remarkable voice:
Congratulations, my dear sir, con-
gratulations. Not alone on your re-
covery, but on the fact that you are
here with us at all" He held out his
large hand. the skin chapped and red
with the cold, and the long fingers
closed with a wrenching grip on Dom
inick's. I'VE were not sure, when you
arrived among US few nights ago.
that we would have the felicity OF
seeing you SO soon up and around
in fact, We were doubtful whether we
would ever see you up and around"
Thanks. very kind Of you. oh. I'm
all right now" Dominick pressed the
hand in return and then. bending a
little forward. sent a glance of implor-
ing Inquiry round the strangers Shout
der at Rose.
She saught the eye. read its behest.
and presented the newcomer:
"Mr Ryan. this Is Mr.. Buford who
ia showed in here with us. Mr.. Bu-
ford came here the same day as you.
only he came on the Murphysvilis
stage"
Buford sat down between them on
: one of the horsehair chairs that were
> socially arranged round the table. The
freight threw into prominence the
; bony angles Of his thin face and
glazed the backward sweep OF his
hair, dark brown. and worn combed
!, away from his forehead. where a pair
Of heavy, flexible eyebrows moved up
3 and down like an animated common
I tary on the conversation. When any
:. thing surprising was said they went
up. anything puzzling or painful they
were drawn down. He rested one
u hand on his knee. the fingers turned
in, and, sitting bolt upright. buttoned
tight into his worn frock-coat, turned
glance of somewhat deprecating
Q amiability upon the invalid.
You had a pretty close call, O.
pretty-close-call." he said. IF the op-
Z orator at Rocky Bar hadn't had tho
sense to wire up here. that would
have been the end of your life story"
Dominick had heard this from every
member of the snowed-in party. Rep
itition was not making It any more
agreeable. and there was an effect of
Q abrupt ungraciousness in his short an
: swer which was merely a word of
comment.
o CTo BE coNTINUED)