The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1915-12-09
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Her vivacity was gone she shrank
down into the corner ~ the seat. and.
with her back half turned toward me.
gazed steadfastly az the panoramic val.
ley which we were skirting. From
time 10 time ! glanced at her out u
the corners Of my eyes. aud eventually
was somewhat relieved TO see that she
had closed her own and was doing
My soul was In despair She loathed.
despised me could not blame her.
| desplsed myself
And yet my heart quickened every
time | allowed myself TO think Of the
act | had committed
The day was a glorious one and the
road more than passably good. We
bowled along at u steady rate OF speed
and shutdown found US about twenty.
hve miles from our destination. Not
caring TO run the risk Of a prolonged
stay In the town. we drew up az
roadside inn and had our dinner In the
quaint little garden. afterward pro
ceedlng lelsurely by moonlight down
the sloping highway.
Bully Smith met us six or eight miles
out, and We stopped TO parley He ex.
Amined the countess sklllfully pre-
pared passports, pronounced them gen
uine and then gave us the cheerful
news that everything was lovely and
The $1,000 hut,w hitch r.. sr.N.. 10.
the coast was due TO leave the Stats.
bshnhof az 1906. and we had an hour
10 spare. He proposed that we spend
quite comfortably at the roadside
Shile Rrttton went through the pre-
tense 81 repairing our tires. This
seemed an agreeable arrangement for
every one but Britton. who looked ~
glum that |, glad OF the excuse, offered
10 help him.
No sooner was | out Of the car and
Billy Smith In my place beside the
countess than she became quite gay
ind yiyacious once more. She laughed
and chatted with him In a manner that
promptly convinced me that propin-
guilty 80 far Ms was concerned had
had most depressing effect upon her
and that she reyeled In the change OF
companions
! was 80 disturbed by the discovery
that Britton had TO caution me several
times 10 handle the inner tubes less
roughly or | would damage them and
We might suffer blowout after all.
Every one appeared to be gay and
frivolous. even Blake. who chartered
soto yoce with Britton. that excellent
rascal spending most Of bis time lean
ing against the spare tires In order 20
catch what she was saying for his ben.
eft. All efforts 10 draw me into the
general conversation were unnvalllng.
! was az mOrOse and unresponsive as
an Egyptian mummy. and for a very
excellent reason. ! submit The count.
ess deliberately refused TO address a
single remark 20 me Indeed. when |
seemed perilously near to being drawn
lulo tlt couNtihuliou sue Teiullafu lHlD
a silence that was most forbidding.
Ny cup Of misery was overlooking.
wondered II she would feel called
upon at some distant confessional to
tell the fortunate Lord Amberdlle that
/ had brutally kissed her And Lord
Amberdale would grin In his beastly
supercilious English way and say.
What else could you have expected
from bally American bounderT' She
would no doubt smile lndulgently
All things come 10 an end. however.
We found ourselves at last uttering
our goodbys In the railway station, sur
rounded by hurying travellers and at.
tended by eager porters
The countess did not llft her veil.
deliberately drew her aside. My hot
hand clasped hers and found II as cold
a. ice and trembling.
For Gods sake" whispered hOarse-
" IN my drunkenness. "say that you