Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1915-10-21


able to tell 'em apart, might buy
one," he said, half humorously. And
then: You must We been having a
mighty particular customer-to get
so many of 'em out"
1T was Mr.. Griswold, Mr.. Ed Ray
mers new partner" said the clerk,
And he was pretty particular; wouldn't
have anything but these new-fash-
Toned automatics. Said he wanted
something that would be quick and
sure. and l guess he's got I'll sold
him two Of EN-"
Broftin played with the stock long
enough to convince the clerk that he
was only a counter lounger with no in
tention Of buying. TOOK two of 'em.
did he!-for fear one might make him
SICK reckon" he said, with the half
humorous grin still lurking under the
dropping mustaches. Automatic thirty
twos, Ell? Well, amt goin' to try to
hold your Mr.-Griscom, did you call
him?-up none after this. He might
git me-"
Whereupon. having found out what
he wanted to know. he lounged out
again and went back to the hotel to
smoke another Of the reflective cigars
in the porch chair which had come to
be his by right Of frequent and long
continued occupancy.
Griswold had left the Mereside
library considerably shaken, not in his
convictions, to be sure, but in his con-
fidence in his own powers Of imagi-
native analysis. For this cause 1t re-
quired a longer after-dinner stay at
the Farnham's than he had been allow
ing himself, to re-establish the norm
OF self-assurance. Charlotte Farnham
was never enthusiastic; that, perhaps.
would be asking too much of an ideal;
but what she lacked in warmth was
made up In cool sanity, backed by a
moral sense that seemed never to wa
yer. Unerringly she placed her finger
upon the human weaknesses in his
book people, and unfalteringly she
babe him reform them.
For his Fidelia, as he described her,
she exhibited a gentle affection, tenn
pered by compassionate pity for her
weaknesses and waverings; an atti-
tude, he fatuously told himself, forced
upon her because her own standards
were so much higher than any he
could delineate or conceive. For Joan
there was also compassion, but 1t was
mildly contemptuous.
II | did not know that you are In
capable Of doing such a thing, might
wonder If you are not drawing your
Joan from life, Mr.. Griswold," she said
little coldly, on this same evening of
rehabilitations. "Since such characters
are to be found In real life, suppose
they may have place in book. But
you must not commit the objectionable
sin of making your readers condone
the evil In her for the sake of the good
Please forget what l have said about
your Fidelia and-and your Joan. You
are trying to make them human, and
that is as 1t should be-"
Griswold could scarcely believe the
evidence of his senses. He told him
self fiercely that he would never be
lieve, without the confinement Of
fact, that the ideal could step down
from its pedestal.
You are meaning to b, kind to me
now, at the expense of your convic.
tions, Miss Charlotte" he protested
warmly.
NO" she denied gravely. Listen
and you shall Judge. Once, only a
short time ago, was brought face to
face with one of these terrible com.
promises. In single instant, and by
no fault of my own, the dreadful shears
Of fate were thrust into my hands, and
conscience-what l have been taught
to call the Christian conscience-told
me that with them l must snip the
thread of mans life. And then chance
threw us together. "A new world was
opened to me in those few moments. ]
had thought that there could be no
possible question between simple right
and wrong, but almost In his first word
the man convinced me that, whatever
! might think or the world might say,
his conscience had fully and freely &C.
quilted him. And he proved It; proved
1t SO that can never doubt 1t as long
as l live. He made me do what my
conscience had been telling me ought
to do-just as your Fleming makes
Fidelia do"
"And he was takeni" he said, and he
strove desperately to make the saying
completely colorless.
HE was; but he made his escape
again, almost at once. He is still q
free man."
Instantly the primitive instinct of
self-preservation, the instinct Of the
hunted fugitive. sprang alert in the
listener.
How can you be- sure Of that? ?" he
asked, and In his own ears his voice
sounded like the clang of an alarm
bell.
Again a silence fell, surcharged, this
one. with all the old frightful posi-.
AIIltIa. nnnA voAvn A.