Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1913-02-01

there every Sunday for don't know
how long Here! let go. you old
fool, Let so, tell you'll
You liar!" snarled Captain Eoen-
You Iow-lived hari By the Almighty.
EIkanah Danielsi I'll You take that
back or I'll choke the everlastin'
soul out of you 1 will"
Let go, you lunatic! You'll kill
yourself Listen, I'm not lying. It's
the truth. She's met man, I tell
you. Been meeting him for months,
1 guess. Therei now will you listen?
His names John Ellery, and he's
minister of the Regular church in this
town: that's who he is, Here! hold
upi Good Lord! are you dying? Hold
upi"
The girl on the stairs sprang to her
feet Her head was Keeling and she
could scarcely stand. but she blindly
began the descent She must go to
her uncle. She must. But Captain
Daniels's voice caused her to halt
once more.
There! there," it said in a tone
of relief That's better. Set still
now Be quiet. that's it Shall get
some water?"
mo, no! let me be- Just let me be.
1 amt what 1 used to be and this
I'm all right, I tell you. Grace. And
and What was it you just said !?
II don't b'lieve 1 heard it right"
Il said that daughter of yours, or
niece, or whatever she is, this Grace
Van Horne, has been meeting young
Ellery, our minister, in Peters's grove.
Been meeting him and walking with
him, and kissing him. She's met him
in those pines every Sunday afternoon
for long time. She was seen there
with him this afternoon"
''Who-who saw herr"
Never mind. The one that did1l
never te1l-unless it's necessary. They
are fixing to be married, and
Married! She marry a Regular
minister. Oh
Hush! Listen! They amt married
yet. We can stop 'em, you and I. if
we get right to work. 1t isn't too late.
Will you help?"
will II Go on tell me more!"
1--WE can stop EN-. I know it would
be a good catch for her, the sneaking,
designing Well, never mind. But it
can't be. 1t shan't be. You've got to
tell her so, Hammond. We folks of
the Regular church have pride in our
society; we won't have it disgraced-
And we have been proud of our minis
ter, the young, rattle-headed fool!
Well save him if we can. If we
can't"-the speakers teeth grated
then well send him to eternal
smash or die trying"
But 1 can't believe it's true. It's a
mistake; some other girl and not
Oracle Why, she don't even know
1,f ~ but Ch
been out every Sunday afternoon for
weeks. If it should bel"
The chair creaked. Evidently. Cap
tain Eben was rising slowly to his
| feet.
''Well?" repeated Elkanah.
"Elkanah Daniels" said Eben slow
ly, his voice shaking from nervous ex-
haustion and weakness, but with fine
ring of determination in every word,
| ''Elkanah Daniels, you listen to
| me. I've heard you through. Ii
| your yarn is true, then my heart is
| broke, and 1 wish I might have died
! afore l heard it, But 1 didn't die and
have heard it. Now listen to me.
| love that girl of mine bettern the
whole wide world and yet I'd ruther
see her dead afore me than married
to a Regular minister. Disgrace to
| him. Disgrace to your miserable
church! What about the disgrace to
mine? And the disgrs ce to her? Ruin
to your minister Ruin to my girl
here and hereafter is what I'm think
| in of; that and my people who wor
/ ship God with me. I'll talk to Grace
I'll talk to her. But not of what'I
| happen to him or you-Or any of your
cantin', Hp-servin' crew. I'll tell heI
to choose between him and me. And
if she chooses him, I'll send her out
of that door. I'll do my duty and read
her out of my congregation. And II
know she's gone to everlastin' hell
and that's worse'n the poorhouse
| That's all tonight, EIkanah. Now you
better CO."
The lock turned; the door opened
and closed. Grace, c1inging to the bal
listers, heard Captain Hammond cross
the room, slowly and feebly. She
heard him enter the sitting room By
and by, pale, but more composed. and
| with her mind made up, she came
down into the hall. Drawing a Ions
breath, she turned into the sitting
room to face her uncle. By the ligh
shining through the dining-room doc
she saw him on his knees by the hair
cloth sofa She spoke his name h
did not answer nor look up. At he
touch his arm slid from the couch ant
he fell gently over upon his side OIL