The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1915-01-16

QWoH ne raised MS voice IN song his
singing was very bad. and the ballad
/ lacked tune, but it served its purpose
Of saving him from the suspicion OF
/ furtiveness. Though the front Of the
| house was black, behind its heavy shut
tiers he knew that his coming might be
noted, and night-riding at this par
ticular spot might be misconstrued In
the absence Of frank warning
The correctness of his inference
brought brief smile to his lips when
he crossed the creek that skirted the
orchard and heard a stable door creak
softly behind him. He was to be fol
lowed again-and watched, but he did
not look back or pause to listen for
the hoofbeats Of his unsolicited escort.
On the soft mud Of the road he would
hardly have heard them had he bent
his ear and drawn rein. He rode at
| walk, for his train would not leave IN
til five o'clock in the morning. There
was time in plenty.
1t was cold and depressing as he
trudged the empty streets from the
livery stable to the railroad station,
carrying his saddIebags over his arm.
At last he heard the whistle and saw the
/
he had pushed his way into the smok-
ing car and dropped his saddlebags
on the seat beside him. Then, for the
first time, he saw and recognized his
watchers. Purvy meant to have Sam
son Swallowed as far as Lexington, and
his movements from that point def
niteIy reported. Jim Asberry and Aaron
Hollis were the chosen spies. He did
not speak to the two enemies who took
seats across the car, but his face
hardened, and his brows came together
in black scoWl.
When l gifts back" he promised
himself, you'll be one Of the fust
folks I'll look fer. Jim Asberry, damn
We! All 1 hopes is thet nobody else
don't git ye fust. Ye bIongs ter me. u
The sleeping car to which he was
assigned after leaving Lexington was
almost empty, but he felt upon him the
! interested gaze Of those few eyes that
were turned toward his entrance. He
: engaged every pair with a pair very
clear and steady and undropping, IN
I til somehow each lip that had started
| to twist in amusement Strengthened
| and the twinkle that rose at frs
| glance sobered at second. Yet fol
| all his specious seeming of unconcern
| Samson was waking to the fact tina
| he was a scarecrow, and his sensitive
| pride made him cut his meals shor
in the dining car, where he was KEEP
busy beating down inquisitive eyei
| with his defiant gaze. He resolved
after some thought upon a definite pol
Icy. It was a very old policy, but t.
him new-and a discovery. He would
| change nothing in himself that in
| volved a surrender of code or convic
ton. But, wherever it could be don,
| with honor, he would concede to Gus
| tom.
1t was late in the second Afternoon
when he stepped from the train at JeI
sey City, to be engulfed in an un
! imagined roar and congestion. Her
| it was impossible to hold his owl
| against the unconcealed laughter o
the many, and he stood for an instan
glaring about like Gagged tiger, Will
three currents of humanity separates
and flowed toward the three ferr
exits. Then he saw the smiling face o
| Lescott, and Lescott's extended hans
Even Lescott, Immediately CARRIED an
fur-coated, seemed almost a stranger
| and the boys feeling of intimacy froz
to inward constraint and dimdence
But Lescott knew nothing OF thai
| The stole In Samson held true, masl
ing his emotions.
q $50 you came" said the New Yorker
heartily, grasping the boys hand
4 Where's your luggage? Well jus
q pick that up and make dash for tn
& ferry"
8 'Hyar hit is" replied Samson, VIII
still carried his saddlebags. Th
p painters eyes twinkled, but the mirt
was so frank and friendly that tn
K. boy, instead of glazing in dehanc,
IL grinned responsibility.
m Right, obi" laughed Lescott
7 thought maybe you'd bring a trunl
e. but it's the wise man who travel
It light"
"a He followed Lescott out TO the fox
of Twenty-third street, and steppe
with him into the tonneau of tn
painters waiting car. Lescott live
with his family uptown, for it ha
>, pened that, had his canvases DO
sessed no value whatever, he woul
N still have been in position to drf1
Id his motor and follow his impulse
a. about the world. II he did not tai
M the boy 20 MS nome, II was DSCaui
nd ! he understood that a life which mu
# be not only full of early embarras
"a ment, but positively revolutionar
nd should be approached by easy stage
Consequently the car turned dow
Id Fifth avenue. passed under the art
and drew up before a door just {
ch Washington square. where the Ian
er scape painter had a studio suit. The
ka were sleeping rooms and such acce
Mt series as seemed to the boy unheard-
nd luxury, though Lescott regarded Il
mt place as a makeshift annex to b
- home establishment.
=" You'd better take your time in s
lecting permanent quarters" was b
at careless fashion of explaining to Sal
re- son. Its just as well not to hEr1
ter You are to stay here with me, as lol
as you will"
rs. I'm obIeeged ter ye." replied t
ne, boy, to whose training in open-dOor
hospitality the invitation seemed on
natural. The evening meal "