Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-08-10

NO"
''Well, I'm going to say it now: I've
got only just one daughter in the wide,
wide world, John"
Smith stood up and put his hands
behind him, facing the older man
squarely.
Colonel, I'd give ten years of my
life, this minute, if l might go with you
to Hillcrest this evening and tell Co
roma what l have been wanting to tell
her ever since l have come to know
what her love might make of me. The
fact that can't do it is the bitterest
thing l have ever had to face, or can
ever be made to face"
Colonel Baldwin fell back into his
, swing-chair and thrust his hands into
his pockets.
at beats the Dutch how things
tangle themselves up for US poor NOR
tails every little so-while," he COM
mented, after a frowning pause. And
then: "You haven't said anything like
that to Cory, have you?"
"No."
THAT was white, anyway. And now
/ suppose the other wOman-this Miss
Rich-something-Or-O over at the hO-
tel-has come and dug you up and got
| That's the way it goes when man
mixes and mingles too much. You
never can tell"
"HOld on" Smith interposed. "What-
ever else l may be, Pm not that kind
of a scoundrel. l don't owe Miss
Richlander anything that 1 can't pay
without doing injustice to the woman
l love. But in another way l am a
scoundrel. colonel. For the past two
days l have been contemplate enough
to play upon q woman's vanity merely
for the sake of keeping her from talk
ing too much"
The grizzled old ranchman shook his
head sOrrowfully.
II didn't think that of you, John; 1
sure didn't. Why, that's what you
might call low-down, tin-horn sort of
game"
1T is just that, and 1 know it as
well as you do. But it's the price l
have to pay for ny few days of grace.
Miss Richlander knows the Stantons !;
they've made it their business to get
acquainted with her. One word from
her to Crawford Stanton, and a wire
from him to my home town in the mid
die West would settle me-"
The older man Strengthened himself
in his chair, and his steel-gray eyes
blazed suddenly.
Break away from 'em, John ~ he
urged. Break it off short, and let 'em
all do their worst Away along at the
first, Williams and / both said you
wasn't crooked crook, and I'm be-
lieving it yet. When it comes to the
showdown, Wen all fight for you, and
they'll have to bring a derrick along
If they want to snatch you out of the
Timanyoni. You go over yonder to the
Hophra House and tell that young WON.
an that the bridle's off, and she can
talk all she wants tor
"NO," said Smith shortly. 81 know
what l am doing, and shall go on as
1 have begun. It's the only way. Mat.
ters are desperate enough with us now
and if should drop out"
The telephone bell was ringing, and
Baldwin twisted his chair to bring him
self within reach of the desk set. The
message was a brief one, and at its
finish the ranchman-president was
frowning heavily.
'By Jupiter! 1t does seem as if the
bad luck all comes in q bunch!" he
protested. WILLIAMS was rushing
things just a little too fast, and they've
lost whole section of the dam BY
stripping the forms before the con
crete was set. That puts US back an
other twenty-four hours, at least. Dom
that beat the mischief?'
Smith reached for his hat. Its si1
o'clock" he said; "and Williams form
strippers have furnished one more rea
son why 1 shouldn't keep Miss Rich
lander waiting for her dinner" Ant