Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-04-19
CHAPTER II.
A DISTURBING SUGGESTION.

If Jess warn't so good lookin', Mar
TIM said Kilrain's sister to him that
evening, after she had made ready for
him the foreman's place by the cleared
supper table. S wouldn't be so
headstrons, an If she warn't so head
strong she'd be more good lookin'-
which you can look at from behind side
fore, or tother way, as you please, it
nleanin' the same thing whichever way.
Jess is spoiled, n spoiled bad, an
1 amt the n what's lone the sp%oilin'."
Agnes kilrain had come to her broth
wife dying. he had been left with Jess,
"a Eiflttlng child, upon his hands.
Sne was q capable with a
Will of her own which, as the girl grew
mp, was not always in harmony with
that of her charge. and a tongue which
was not always in harmony with her
really kind heart. Kilrain idolized his
daughter, n stood somewhat in fear
or his slster-factS which the girl had
long since found out to her own advan-
tage.
Indeed. Jess Kilrain was something
of a puzzle to those who knew her best.
She was always in hot water with
1ather. She was scornful and unkind
to Buck Brannon. whose heart, she
knew, h held in the hollow of her
hand.
She was by turns gracious and un-
gracious to the rest of the outfit. Even
to Earle Worthing himself Jess not
lnfrequently INDUCED In the caustic
filings of her tongle that made her
something of a wasp in the social life
of the Loop.
Where is JESSE" asked Kilrain of his
sister, for she had spoken with an un-
dercurrent of meaning in her not UNI
usual dlSapprOVal of her niece.
AOnnS iipoi cI~,,-~ol
Where" she echoed. I'm sure 7
don't know. With the owls out alone
on the plains, where h hadn't ought
to be. She's indoors. Day an
night, she's always somewhere else.
Tain't right. Martin. 'Tain't proper"
kilrain's face sobered. He was an
easy going man in his own household.
and sometimes he might have wished
Agnes were not quite so determined.
The girl means no HARM" he said;
but I'll speak tt her"
Gals don't have to mean harm to
get into harm. though I amt so sure.
Martin. that jess wouldn't grapple with
the devil himself just to see what his
horns was made Of. Jess is powerful
p~ernickety. An you know what comes
of h%obnobbin' with the devil!"
Kilrain looked up with some impa-
thence at his sisters pertinacity, lay
ing aside the Stock Gazette he had been
making an attempt to read and pro-
ceeding to relight his pipe with one of
the long. twisted paper lighters of
which Agnes mad a supply each week.
She was herself rather aimlessly
hanging about the oak sideboard as
though expectant of the question her
brother was to put.
AN who's the particular devil Jess
is fcelin' the horns of, Agnes?"
The woman lost her ~indecision at the
pointed inquiry. turning abruptly.
'Blass Cardross."
'Blass Cardross!"
"Ain't o ever heard his name,
Martin Kilrain?"
He looked at her now more than half
inclined to be angry.
"Blass Cardross is q square man."
he said slowly, If he is on the wrong
track bout some things. I don't see
what you drivin' at. Agnes"
She came nearer to him, any trace Of
lesser irritation gone from her voice
and manner alike.
Just this. Martin. Is he square
enough to marry the gal IL he might
make her love him-or is he too fine?"
Only recently h realization that his
daughter had grown into woman's es-
tate had come upon Martin Kilrain
with . shock Of surprise. Another and
q more numbing shock ran through him
now. A mother would never have been