Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1915-01-30

wasn't speaking part
"Al1 right" Mark lighted his cigar
You've done your duty
But this is little more than duty
t. Baker hesitated. @Oh, hang Il
all! Some things become SO painful
only plain speech serves. You don't
need to be told OF the stories going
around. Lately it's occurred to me
that you've been letting us take them
at face. without trying to contradict
them That's the thing I'd do myself
III were In the right But it can be
carried to extremes. Have your per
mission to say that the stories are
let US say. overdrawn?"
You have not. Lfe's too short to
enter into contest with rumor."
But your silence"
Us my affair." Mark answered grun-
~. rising. you may say to your
meticulous friend that I'm about to
resign from this club"
Baker. too. rose. looking at Mark
keenly.
"oh, come. Truitt." he began.
it win save him and his sort the ne
cessity of setting precedent that
would decimate the club. Good eve
ming"
Henley, who had been out of the
city when Mark returned, came back
soon after the latter took up his resi-
dence In the hotel Mark approached
him with the inward shrinking that
preceded every new meeting just then
You've picked up physically" Hen
ley remarked after cool handshake-
six months in the woods accounts
for that"
I'D think. If it was doing you SO
much good. you'd have stayed
In other words 2"
In other Words said Henley, why
did you come back now?"
Mark laughed hollowly. 81 didn't
know I'd become notorious char
acter."
How. In heavens NAME" Henley
exclaimed, did you let yourself get
caught in a divorce court scandal7 I'd
have thought that you. Of all men,
If you had to play the fool, would at
| least have used finesse."
So even Henley believed the rumorsf
AT any rate, no one but myself Is
hurt"
That's not true. Every one who
had anything to do with you Is more
or less hurt The company is reflected
on. l." Henley concluded with an air
| that declared the Indictment to be
complete and unanswerable, Il am be-
smfrched, because we're known to be
| in SO many things together"
That Mark returned cold1y, can
| be easily cured We can wind up our
| affairs. And I'm ready to resign from
| the company"
You can't cure the fact that we
have been together. And you can't
resign. Are you eeing to add to the
scandal by marrying that woman?"
What woman?" Marks voice was
cool and steady.
The one that turned your head and
| your wife was smart enough to dis
| cover"
| You've heard names, then?"
| NO." growled Henley. She's as
4 mysterious as the rest Of your di-
| does"
1 'As mythical, you mean," Mark an
| swered in a voice that cid not betray
| his relief There was no woman"
/ What You mean these stories
| aren't true?"
| You'd seen me almost every day for
| years. You might have guessed that
| But last year-those women,
AN experiment in idiocy-nOthing
worse. There were no women, except
| at arms length
Henley surveyed him keenly. Then
how did these stories get out? But
| you needn't answer. I can guess. A
woman is never clever except when
| she's up to mischief.
However" he went on, this puts
a different face on the matter. AS you
say, I. might have guessed the truth. :"
This. for Henley. was abject apology.
| Mark shook his head. MY resigna-
| ton holds just the same"
Are you going to let a little talk
| drive you out2" Henley demanded.
knew of it. I'm tired of the scramble.
I want-peace." Mark laughed dig
cordantly And I'm getting 1t with a
vengeance
| LAS much as you'll ever get it,
Henley returned promptly. Il know
what you want Who doesn't? Some
time or other every man wants, or
| thinks he wants, peace. And il we
had it, we'd want to die. l told you
once before-things are. Accept them,
| fit yourself to them, forget theories
| that lead nowhere. Pick out the thing
you want most and fight until you get
it. Then fight to keep it. Besides, you
aren't a misfit. The trouble with you
| is. your strength is your greatest
| weakness-you've too much fmagina-
| ton And you're not a well man yet
Go back to your woods until you're
cured Then you'll feel the itch to
| got II. fo fhe erra HE a0afr. and hrca b.