Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1913-04-26
CHAPTER 1.
A Chance Encounter.

The tide was at Its eDD, the DOdIS
stranded afar, and the lad addressed
had started, with a fish-his wage
in one hand, to walk to shore, when,
passing into the shadow of the ram
part of the Governors Mount, from
the opposite direction white horse
swung suddenly around a corner OF
the stone masonry and bore directly
upon him. He had but time to step
aside; as it was, the animal grazed
his shoulder, and the boy, about to
give utterance to a natural remon-
STRANGE, lifted his eyes to the offend
er The words were not forthcoming;
surprised, he gazed at a tiny girl, of
about eleven, perched fairy-like on the
broad back of the heavy steed.
Don't you know you ought not to
get in my way?" she repeated i'm
periously.
The boy, tall, dark, unkempt as
young savage, shifted awkwardIy; his
black eyes, restless enough ordinarily,
expressed a sudden shyness in the
presence of this unexpected and
dainty creature.
"I-didn't see you." he half STAN
mered.
We'll, you should have!" And again
the little lady frowned, shook her dis
ordered golden curls disapprovingly
and gazed at him, a look of censure
in her brown eyes. But perhaps you
don't know who I am she went on
with lift of the patrician doIl-Iike
features. 81 don't think you do, or
you wouldn't stand there like a
BOBBY. without taking off your hat"
More embarrassed. he removed a
worn cap while she continued to re
gard him with the reverse of ap-
prevail. Il am the Comtesse Elise"
she observed; 1.-The daughter of the
Governor of the Mount
Obi" said the boy, and his glance
shifted to the most important and in
sistent feature of the landscape.
Carrying it's clustered burden of
houses and palaces. a great rock
reared itself from the monotony of
the bare and binding sands Now an
oasis in the desert, ere night was
over he knew the in-rushing waters
would convert it into an island; claim
it for the sea! A strange kingdom,
yet a mighty one, it belonged alter
nately to the land and to the ocean.
With the sky, however, it enjoyed
perpetual affliation, for the heavens
were ever wooing it; now winding
pretty ribbons of light about its air
drawn castles; then kissing it with
the tender, soft red glow of celestial
fervor.
Yes; l live right on top among the
clouds, in castle. with dungeons un-
derneath. where my father puts the
bad people who don't like the mobiles
and King Louis XVI. But where"
categorically, do you Ifve?'
His gaze turned from the points
and turrets and the clouds she spoke
of-that seemed to linger about the
lofty summit-to the mainland, per
haps mile distant.
"Therei" he said, and specifically
indicated a dark fringe, like a cloud
on the lowlands.
In the woods. How oddI" She
looked at him with faint interest
And don't the bears bother you?
Once when l wanted to see what the
woods We're like. my nurse told me
they were filled with terrible bears
who would eat up little girls. | don't
have a nurse any more" irreleyantIy.
only a governess who came from the
court of Versailles. and Beppo. Do
you know Beppo?"
mo"
Il don't like him." she confided.
He is always listening. But why do
you live in the woods?"
"Because." The reason failed him.
And didn't you ever live anywhere
else?"
shadow crossed the dark young
face Once he said.
II suppose the bears know Won. s.
she speculated. and that is the rea-
son they let you alone. Or, perhaps.
they are like the wolf in the fairy
tale. Did you ever hear OF the kind
hearted wolff"
He shook his head
My nurse used to tell It to me.
Well: once there was a boy who was
an orphan and everybody hated him.
So he went to live in the forest and
there ne met wolf Where are YOU
going. little boy2' said the wolf. No
where said the boy; L have no home.
No home.' said the kind-hearted
wolf; then come with me- and you
shall share my cave Isn't that a
nice story?"
He looked at her in a puzzled man.
ner. Il don't know" he began, when
she tossed her head.
What stupid boy" she exclaimed
severely. A moment she studied him
tentatively through her curis. from
the vantage point of her elevated
reat- That's big fish," size re-
marked. otter pause