Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1915-01-23

nestly In their native tongue Hanka
shook her head continuously
She says" Kazia returned to Mark.
MY Piotr wouldn't like it .
Hanka interrupted. laying hand on
Kazia's arm and looking anxiously to-
ward the door. Kazia nodded
She says Also" she interpreted
again, @that we'd better CO. It's most
time for Piotr to come home She's
right
Il think" Mark answered. I'm stay.
since I'm here. and have this out with
Piotr.''
You'd better not Her swift glance
seemed to measure his physical frailty
.'Piotr's temper is uncertain He found
me here once and drove me out It"
The gloom could not quite hide the
color that surged into her cheeks. 1T
wasn't nice"
I'm sorry for them. but just the
same. since I've started. I'll see this
through and wait for Piotr"
No. you'd better not" she repeated
with cold emphasis. You can prove
your fn1exibility in some other way.
Pfotr is apt to have been drinking and
If his temper is stirred up. he'll make
them suffer" She nodded toward
Hanka and Roman. Really, you're
quite helpless in the matter
Il seem to be-" He laughed shortly,
to conceal a disappointment as unde-
fined as the emotion set stirring by
the sight of his old friends. But, at
least, 1 can leave some money"
But she shut him of from this, too.
mo. What money they can use with
out Piotr's Knowing of it, 1 can fur
nish."
He limped stifHy toward the door.
more hurt than he was willing to ad-
NIT to himself by the rebuff and the
failure of his impulsive mission.
He went quickly out into the dark
passage, that he might not have to
look longer. and there awaited her.
When she came, he led the way down
the rickety stairs and out into the foul
smelling court, lighted up now by
swaying arc lamp.
One would think" he blurted out,
you wanted to stay there
DO you find that so wonderful"
I'm glad you can't It's no place
for such as you
Many people have lived here"
But not from choice. 1 know. 1
lived here once myself, before" He
hesitated a moment Il left it to live
with Roman
She made no reply. He stopped,
facing her and blocking her egress.
You're thinking my going there
was to the advantage of no one but
myself?"
why else should you have gone
there?"
That's almost cynical, isn't it? 1
might have had several other reasons
but didn't At least 1 did you no
harm
Neither harm nor good"
One doesn't like to think of ones
self as reduced to even a harmless
nonentity. Still. most of the virtues
are negative, 1 believe. Though I'm
vain enough to wish could have been
a positive influence In the making of
the woman you've become It's rather
remarkable, Kazia-"
1T isn't remarkable-or excuse for
vanity"
steady gaze wandered But for just an
instant a feeting somber shadow had
rested in her eyes
II must co." she said
They walked in silence to the mouth
of the court At their approach Marks
man got down from the trap. touching
his hat
Cant 1 set you homer" Mark ven
tured, not at all sure that she would
accept But she affected no reluctance.
She glanced at a little watch she
wore. Il go to the Todd hospital, and
| I've overstayed here a little
He. helped her up to the seat The
| horses sprang forward, swung into the
| car tracks and quickly left the tene-
ment neighborhood behind. For time
| Mark gave his attention to guiding
cars and the slow numbering teams
that drew the heavy traffic of the
| street They were on the bridge be-
| fore either spoke.
You said. to the hospital" he be-
| gan sugsestively. do you"
| I'm OF. a case there"
You're a nurse, then? I remember
/ you had knack for that sort of thing
| Your husband-er-I hadn't heard
| II haven't seen him for IL years.
| ~Kazia." he asked gravely, will
| you tell me about yourself?-'
There is nothing to tea-any more
| than there is about you"
That is, you're not interested In
what has happened to me- You're
/ frank"
Because a chance has thrown us
| together for an hour is no reason for
us to pretend an interest neither of
| US can feel"
You may speak for yourself. please.
At least, we can oil the wheels of cir
cumstance by going through the polite
forms You could smile very gra-
ciously on my man Felix, but to me"