The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1919-04-17
CHAPTER xIl-continued.

"sYour fellow tOwnsman, Silas
Wright, is now the largest figure in
Washington. We were all worried by the
resolution of Henry Clay until it began
to crumble under the irresistible attack
Of AIr. Wright. On the 18th he sub
nitted a report upon it which for lucid
and accurate statements presented in
the most unpretending manner won
universal admiration and will be re-
nembered alike for its intrinsic excel
lence and for having achieved one OF
the most memorable victories ever
gained in the United States senate.
After a long debate Clay himself, COM
PEELED by the Irresistible force of argu-
nent in the report of Mr.. Wright, was
obliged to retire from his position, his
resolution having been rejected by
vote of A to l."
With what pride and joy heard Of
this great thing that my friend had &C
COmplished!
Going out with the crowd that eve
ming, I met Sally and Mr.. and Mrs.
Dunkelberg. The latter did not speak
to me and when I asked Sally if 1
could walk home with her she an
have got bit ahead of my history.
Soon after the opening of the new
year-ten days or so later it may have
been-I had begun to feel myself en-
compas&ed by a new and subtle force.
1t was q thing as intangible as heat
but as real as fire and more terrible, 1t
seemed TO me. felt it first in the at
titude Of my play fellows. They de-
MED me the confidence and intimacy
which I had enjoyed before. They
whispered together in my presence. In
all this had not failed to observe that
Henry Wills had taken q leading part.
The invisible, ihaudible, mysterious
thing wrought a great change in me. 1t
followed me through the day and lay
down with me at night. l wondered
what had done. 1 carefully surveyed
my clothes. They looked all right to
lie. My character was certainly no
worse u al it had been. How it preyed
upon my peace and rest and happiness
that mysterious hidden thing!
One day Uncle Peabody came down
tC see me and I walked through the
village with him. We met Mr.. Dunkel-
berg. who merely nodded and hurried
along. Mr.. Bridges, the merchant, did
not greet him warmly and chat with
him as he had been wont to do. I saw
that The Thing-aS 1 had come to
think of twas following him also.
How it darkened his facet Even now
1 can feel the aching of the deep.
bloodless wounds of that day. 1 could
bear it better alone. We were trying
to hide our pain from each other when
we said goOd-by. How quickly my
uncle turned away and walked toward
the sheds! He came rarely to the vii
lage of Canton after that.
May had f~Hurned-a warm bright
May. 1 had entered my seventeenth
year and the work of the term was
>nished
Having nothing 30 do one afternoon,
l walked out on the road toward Og-
densburg for look at the woods and
fields. Soon I thought that heard the
sound of galloping hoofs behind me.
1 looked back and l saw Sally round
ing the turn by the river and coming
toward me at full speed, the name of
her pony flying back to her face. She
pulled up beside me lust as 1 had
imagined she would do.
Bart, 1 hate somebody terribly"
raid she.
"Whom?''
"a man who is coming to our house
on the stage today. Granny Barnes is
trying to get up a match between US.
Father says he is rich and hopes he
will want to marry me. 1 got mad
about 1t. He is four years older than
1 am. Isn't that awful? I am going to
be Just as mean and hateful to him as
1 can"
ST guess they're only fooling you." I
said.
mo, they mean it. I have heard
them talking it over.
HE cannot marry yOu."
"WhyT'
1t seemed to me that the time had
come for me to speak out, and with
burning cheeks 1 said:
Because l think that God has mar
ried you to me already. Do you re-
member when we kissed each other
by the wheat field one day last sum-
mer?"
Yes
We had faced about and were walk
ing back toward Canton, l close by the
pony's side.
''May / kiss you again?"
She stopped the pony and leaned
toward me and our lips met in a kiss
| the thought of which makes me lay
down my pen and bow my head mo-
ment while think with reverence of
that pure, sweet spring of memory in
whose waters I love to wash my
| spirit.
81 guess God has married US again, y
/ 1 declared.
81 knew that you were walking OF
this road and I had to see you,'' said
She people have been saying such
| terrible things"
"What?"
''They say your uncle found the
pocketbook that was lost and kept the
money. They say he was the first mar
that went up the road after it wal
lost"
tits a lie-my uncle never saw thu
| nocketbook. Some money was left Il
him by relative in Vermont That
how it happened that he bought farm