The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1915-02-13


this profound analysis, he said with
a laugh, do you like me?"
Wait and see," she retorted-
"At all events'-he spoke gravely-
you must try to like me a little, be-
cause am not what I was. The per
son that am is largely the creature
Of your own fashioning. OF course
you had very raw material to work
with, and you can't make silk purse
of''-he broke on and emiled-'wen.
of me, but in time you may at least
get me mercerized a little"
For no visible reason she flushed,
and her next question came a tTiae
eagerly:
DO you mean I have Influenced
you?"
Influenced me, Drennie?" he re-
peated. 'eYou have done more than
that. You have painted me out and
painted me over"
She shook her head, and in her eyes
danced light of subtle coquetry.
There are things have tried to
do, and failed" she told him.
His eyes showed surprise.
Perhaps" he apologized, 'T am
dense, and you may have to tell me
bluntly what I am to do. But you
know that you have only to tell me, !"
For a moment she said nothing.
then shook her head again.
Issue your orders he insisted. II
am waiting to obey"
She hesitated again, then said.
slowly:
Have your hair cut It's the one
uncivilized thing about you"
For an instant Samson's face hard
ened.
NO" he said; 81 don't care to do
that"
"Oh, very Welt" she laughed lightly.
I'm that event, of course, you shouldn't
do it." But her smile faded, and after
moment he explained:
You see, it wouldn't do
What do you mean?"
Il mean that I've got to keep some
thing as it was to remind me of prior
claim on my life
For an instant the girls face cloud
ed and grew deeply troubled
You don't mean," she asked, with
an outburst of interest more vehement
than she had meant to show, or real
lied she was showing-"you don't
mean that you still adhere to ideas of
the vendetta?" Then she broke OF
with a laugh, a rather nervous laugh.
"Of course not" she answered her
self. THAT would be too absurd 4"
Would ft?' asked Samson, simply.
He glanced at his watch. 1.-TWO min
utes up" he announced. 'The model
will please resume the pose. By the
way, may I drive with you tomorrow
afternoon"
The next afternoon Samson ran up
the street steps of the Lescott house
and rang the bell, and a few moments
later Adrienne appeared The car was
waiting outside, and, as the girl came
down the stairs in motor coat and
veil, she paused and her fingers on the
banister frightened in surprise as she
looked at the man who stood below
holding his hat in his hand, with his
face upturned. The Well-shaped head
was no longer marred by the name
which it had formerly worn, but was
close cropped, and under the trans
forming influence of the change the
forehead seemed holder and higher,
and to her thinking the strength of
the purposeful features was enhanced,
and yet, had she known 1t, the man
felt that he had for the first time sur
rendered point which meant an aban-
Comment of something akin to prin-
ciple.
She said nothing, but as she took
his hand in greeting her fingers
pressed his own in handclasp more
lingering than usual.
Late that evening, when Samson re-
turned to the studio, he found a mis-
sive in his letter box, and, as he took
it out, his eyes fell on the postmark.
It was dated from Hixon, Kentucky
and, as the man slowly climbed the
stairs, he turEed the envelope over in
his hand with strange sense of mis-
giving and premonition.
The letter was written in the
cramped hand of Brother Spencer
| Through its faulty diction ran a plain.
ly discernible undernote of disapproval
for Samson, though there was no word
Of reproof or criticism. It was plain
that it was sent as a matter Of cour-
tesy to one who, having proved an
apostate, scarcely merited such consid
Grafton. It informed him that old
Spicer South had been mighty pore
ly," but was now better, barring the
breaking of age. Everyone was "toI
cradle" Then came the announce
ment which the letter had been writ
ten to convey.
The term of the SouthtHo1lman truce
had ended, and it had been renewed
for an indefinite period.
Some of your folks thought they
ought to let you know because they
promised to give you say" wrote
the informant. ''But they decided thai
it couldn't hardly make no difference
to you, since you have left the noun
tains, and if you cared anything about
it, you knew the time, and could Of
been here. Hoping this finds yoJ
we'll"
samson's face cIouded. He threw
the soiled and scrubbed missive dowI
on the table and sat with unseeinl