Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1914-12-05

Yes she nodded emphatically-
I'm glad-for you," she added more
softly.
He remained silent, an unreasoning.
indefinite disappointment lingering
Something he wanted-he could not
say what-was lacking in her words
Aren't you glad?"
Yes, but He dismissed the
doubt. His eagerness returned "Pm
going driving this afternoon"
She became girlish again lis that
smile.
If you want to CO."
"Of course, Mister Solemn Aren't
you" She stopped, apparently over
come with confusion for her holiness.
Say it," he besought thirstily-
There was a delicious moment of I'M
certainty. GREATNESS little laugh.
MY lover. ThereI I'll be waiting
for you, just after dinner" And the
butterfly f1uttered away.
He went from the churchyard and
followed the street past the point
where it returned to its native state of
dusty, weed-fanked, country Pike. He
came to a place where the road rose
sharply and fell again. Mounting to
the crest, he threw himself on the
roadside and waited; thither Richard
Courtney would come on the after
service walk that was his custom.
Up the rise, village-bound, leisurely
creaked an ancient top buggy. In it
slouched a middle-aged man upon
whose face were written humor and
patience, qualities of which he had
great need just then. His horse Ia
bored heavily at it's task, head hang
ing low; not the bellows in Simon
Truths smithy pulled louder or hard
or. At the crest it stopped without
urging. Mark frowned impatiently.
Then he noted the sad state of the
horse and a grin displaced the frown.
Hear you're going away" DOC"
Hedges remarked. For the good of
the town."
Mark nodded, the grin widening.
Maybe you'd like to help pay my
fare?"
81 have helped" the doctor rejoined
dryly. Going to get rich. amt you?
They all think that"
1T happens sometimes
You might, though. Any man ought
to get rich that could sell me this
would you call 1t a horse?''
'-Hmmi" Mark considered the ami
NAL judicially. We'll. 1t has four
legs
Sos billy goat" draw1ed the doc
tor. "Goatd be more use to me, too"
What did you buy it for, them"
Il amt squealing- Pretty slick Gus
toner, amt your
The grin returned. 'T can sell
horses" Mark modestly admitted, ito
some people"
''Humph! Only a foord buy 'em of
you" the doctor agreed "what'll you
take for the brown mare?"
THE brown mare isn't for sale"
ANY horse is for SALE" the doctor
insisted, Eat the right price. Give you
a hundred and fifty
II wouldn't sell her for two-fifty."
The doctor sighed and clucked to
the weary horse
Out of the dusty cloud trailing be-
hind the creaky buggy emerged tall
STOPPING figure, clad in the rusty black
of the, country clergyman. He walked
slowly, and when he came to the rise,
with a slight effort; evidently he was
a frail man physically. At the crest
he stopped, breathing hard
Taking good-by look at it?" he
asked between breaths.
No. Just waiting for YOU"
The preacher smiled family; the
worn dispirited face lighted up a lit
tie. He turned his glance to the val
ley.
It's worth a farewell. You'll be
homesick for it sometimes hope.
Shall we walk a bit farther"
At his tagging pace they tramped
along the road, constantly rising and
descending but always reaching up to-
ward a higher level. They kept the
frank silence of those who have been
companions often
Ten years before Richard Courtney
had resigned the city congregation
that was steadily whitening under his
ministry and had come to shepherd the
little flock of Bethel 1t proved to be n
life sentence, but in the end he stayed
If not gladly, at least with such Chris
tan fortitude as a quivering sensitive
soul could summon; having found-so
he put it-a need to which he could
minister In the early days of his new
service he had discovered a neglected.
unlettered, moody youngster suffer
ing under the blight of his relation to
Simon Truitt, who. for his supposed
atheism, was accounted a little less
than respectable Some quality In the
boy caught the preachers fancy. Tact
fully he sought to win into Marks
heart, not a very difficult task once the
lad learned that ministerial converse
ton was not confined to graphic pic
lures of eternal torment And then.