Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1915-09-25
turkev-trodden.
~ =,

nerve-tingling shiver of apprehension
when the latch yielded with a chck
and he found himself under the nan
lantern formally shaking hands Win
the statuesque young woman OF the
many imaginings.
You are very welcome to Home
Nook. Mr. Griswold; we have been
hearing about you for many weeks.
she was saying when he hao reiln-
quished the firm hand and was hang
ing his coat and hat on the hall rack
And then, : with a half-embarrasseo
laugh: Il am afraid we are dreadfaf
gossips; all wahaska has been talking
about you. you know. and wondering
how 1t came to acquire you"
1T hasn't acquired anything very
valuable" was the guests modest dis
claimer, its readiness arising out of
grateful easing of strains now that the
actual face-to-face ordeal had safely
passed its Introductory stage. And
you mustn't say a word against your
charming little city. Miss Farnham."
he went on. vt is the friendliest. most
hospita BILE"
The doctors daughter was interrupt
| ing with an enthusiastic show of APP
| plause.
Come out to dinner, both of you.
| she urged; and then to Griswold: 7
want you to say all those nice things
| to Aunt Fanny"
| In the progress to the coy, home
| like dining-room Griswold found the
contrast between the Farnham home
and the ornate mansion three streets
away on the lake front strikingly APP
parent; as clearly marked as that be-
| tween Margery Grierson and the
sweetly serene and conventional young
| person who was introducing him to
| her aunt across the small oval dining
| table
So far, all was going well But a
/ little later. in the midst of a half
| uttered direction to the serving maid.
| Miss Farnham stopped abruptly, and
| Griswold could feel her gaze, wide
eyed and half-terrified. seemingly fixed
upon him
1t was all over in the turning of a
leaf; there had been no break in the
doctors genial raillery, and the breath
| less little pause at the other end of the
table was only momentary. When the
dinner was over the doctor in the act
of filling two long-stemmed pipes for
his guest and himself, was called away
| professionally. Miss Gilman. least OBJ
trusive of chaperons, had been peace
| fully mapping for a good half-hour in
| her low rocker under the reading lamp,
and the pictures in thick quarto of
! Gulf Coast views had pleasantly filed
| the interval for the two who were
awake, when Griswold finally assured
himself that the danger Of recognition
was danger past AS a mental an
alyst he knew that the opening of
/ each fresh door in the house of pres
ent familiarity was automatically clos
| ing other doors opening upon the past;
and it came to him with little flush
| of the Seer's exaltation that once
again his prefigurings were finding
! their exact fulfillment- In spirit
| of artistic daring he yielded to sud-
den impulse, as one crossing the film
siest of bridges may run and leap to
prove that his theory of safety
| stresses is a sufficient guaranty of his
own immunity
| "You were speaking of first impress
sions of places" he said, while they
were still turning the leaves of the
picture book Are you a believer in
the absolute correctness of first i'm
| impressions ?"
81 don't know" was the thoughtful
reply; but its afterword was more def
mite: "As to places. I'm not sure that
I the HESL impression always PCAoAobcs
/ in a few instances I am quite certain
! it hasn't l didn't like the Gulf coast
at all, at first; it seemed so foreign
/ and different and unhomelike- As to
| persons. however"
| She paused. and Griswold entered
| the breach hardly.
! "I know" he affirmed. There have
! been times when. with every reason
able fiber in you urging you to believe
| the evil, still stronger impulse has
made you believe in the good"
How can you know that?" she
asked; and again he saw in the ex-
pressive eyes the flying signals of In
| determinate perplexity and apprehen-
| sion.
| ResoIutely he pressed the hazardous
experiment to it's logical conclusion.
| Once for all, he must know If this
young woman with the sympathetic
/ voice and the goddesslike pose could,
/ even under suggestion, be led to link
| up the past with the present
.It is my trade to know, he said
| quietly, closing the book of views and
laying it aside. There have been mo-
ments in your life when you would
have given much to be able to decide
a question of duty or expediency en-
tfrely irrespective of your impressions.
/ LENT that