Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1915-02-06


entrance, for a pair of furtively rowing
eyes alighted upon Mark. He stopped.
Can it be-of course, it is Truitt.
This is an unexpected pleasure" He
extended a genial hand.
Mark took it mechanically. How
are you. Mr.. Quinby?" he muttered out
of his daze.
II suppose 1 am WELL" Jeremiah
Quinby smiled benignantly. "A busy
life leaves little time to consider the
state of ones health. You are looking
better than 1 have ever seen you"
I'm better than I've ever been"
There was a pause during which
Quinby glanced tentatively at Kazia-
"Ah! Perhaps / am intruding?"
Quinby smiled humorously, as one who
knows his welcome anywhere is as
sured.
Mark brought his whir1ing thoughts
to a STOP mo, certainly not Mrs
Whiting" He performed an intro
duction- Quinby's bow was impress
sive
81 see you have just begun. Per
haps-" He paused again. sugges
lively.
You will join us? Mrs. whiting.
IN sure"
Kazia nodded and smiled com
posedly.
This is kind, indeed. Though 1
should not" Quinby bowed again to
Kazia, blame Truitt for being selfish %
He took the chair held out for him by
the waiter, glancing from Marks sun
Drowned face to Kazia's. 81 see you
have both been out under the sun
Your party"
Has just separated. Mrs. Whiting
is to let me-rather informally, to be
sure-convoy her home
And what OF 1t, since no one is the
wiser? The conventions" Quinby wit
tily accepted the explanation, ARE
only for public consumption, though
being in the public eye, so to speak
may rarely ignore them. So you,
too, are from our city. Mrs. Whiting 20
Kazia admitted it
"Ah! wish I had known last night
that you were here. The governor
general" The phrase rolled linger-
ingly on his lips. 1.-THE governor-gen-
eral gave a reception You would
have been pleased, 1 am sure, to see
how our city. in my person. was hon
ored.''
I'm very sure of it Please tell US
Z dbOub H.
Quinby told them about it. with a
wealth of detail
But under cover of his monologue
Quinby was shrewdly taking stock of
his hearers ard their situation; he
had not missed that first moment of
betraying confusion. Suspicion, guided
by instinct, settled into conviction.
And the event matched Quinby's
need. For in the very midday of his
triumph, when the brilliancy and dar-
Ing of his achievements promised to
eclipse his better fortified but less
original rival in benefcence, a cloud
no bigger than a mans hand had crept
above the horizon. And if that cloud
grew bigger. not MacGregor but
Quinby himself might be ec1ipsed-
and. alas! forever A crisis. then,
when harmony" more than ever was
needed In his forces. There are. Quinby
gratefully thought, more ways than
one of insuring harmony. He felt of
his whip and got ready to crack it
During temporary IuIl Kazia.
pleading some unfinished packing,
made her escape. Quinby's eye fol-
lowed her admiring1y to the door, then
bent upon Mark look in which re-
proof and certain ponderous wag-
gishness struggled for the upper hand
"AhI TruittI A sad dog, fear"
Not at all" said Mark coldly.
Quinby was blandly skepticaI 'I
find you. brown as an Indian. at break
fast alone at a hotel with . woman
dusky az an Indian maiden. The party
WAS 1t . party Of two. Truitt7''