The Oklahoma miner. [volume] (Krebs, Okla.) 1912-192?, 1920-05-13

| of II dark, velvety blue like Il pansy's
| petals, were nearly black as she
| turned scorufully upon the detective.
"lou contemplate cowardw she ac-
cused spiritcdly "To attack man
when his back is turned {"
Kelly smiled down at her lndulgent-
ly and shook his head.
mo, miss" said he, you mlsjudge
me; I'm plain-clothcs man from
detective headquarters"
"Ihat does not alter the first fact" d"
she retortcd. Fumbling hastily I'm her
purse, she confronted Kelly ms he
started off with his prisoner
"lf you arrest that man." she cried
warninglN "Tll-"
She left the sentence uncompleted
and plucking n visiting card from her
purse thrust x into the detectives
hand. He read the name thereon, and
then looked at the girl with a respect
as sudden as It was profound.
let me see; you're Mr.. Black
burns"
"Nlece. He will grant me any favor
| ask of him. Do you still wish to
take your prisoner?"
officer Kelly capitulated uncondI-
tionally. without word he lifted his
hat half m inch from his head and
turned on his heel and walked swiftly
away.
The girl stepped back from the lib
Grated one and surveyed him curlously
from head to foot. He had shifted an
odor of violets when she was near
him, and he saw now 1t came from
cluster on a lapel of her tan motor
coat. He felt ashamed. For perhaps
the first time in his life of vagabond-
age he was conscious of his rags, of
his unwashed body, of his unshaven
face, Of his slothful dirtiness. And he
was ashamed
Take this dollar" she said, hold
ing out n bin to him, "and buy some
soap with It, Candldly, believe you
are the druest young man | ever
saw"
The hot color receded from his
checks. leaving them, If one could have
seen the skin, as white as marble.
Very daintily he took the bill from her
fingers, Crumpled 1t I'm his capacious
left hand, and removing mis- battered
hat with his right held II arms length
and made a sweeping, exaggerated
bow, bringing the hat upon his breast
at its conclusion.
THANK you, kind lady, You are very
good said he, and there was now in
his voice a deep, mellow tone which
caused her to look at him more closely.
"The base lucre"-he folded the bill
and deftly concealed it in some mystic
rlous recess of his rags-"wiu pur-
chase for my parchlng thirst some
twenty swallows of whisky. Dear
lady, bid you good day"
"Wait!" she cried rs though uncer-
tain whether or not to laugh. Tel me
your name"
Daniel Randolph Fitzhugh, dear
lady, a. your service" Again he made
the mock-Cavalier bow. and with
ridiculous show Of haughtineSs walked
off, leaving her staring after him with
parted lips and n half-amused half
puzzled expression in her pansy eyes.
Beside the automobile he stopped
and picked something from the
ground. An examination showed 1t to
be n dainty handkerchief of exquisite
lace. lie thrust it in Il tattered pocket
and walked on.
Just outside n certain unsavory sa-
loon, supported by derelicts of the un-
derworld, he took out the handker-
chief and held it to his nostrils; again
he breathed the fragrant odor Of vio-
lets. He examined it clumsily, with
n sort of awe, and in one corner found
II tiny embroidered "K."
For full minute he stood with the
bit of lace pressed to his nose; sud
denly he jerked his hand away,
glanced sheepishly around and grlnned
fooDishly. He entered a "bllnd" al
ley near the saloon, and with his back
toward the street unbuttoned his coat
and vest thus displaying the absence
of shirt He glanced over his shou-
der, and grinned sheepishly. and
folding back the flap of his soiled un-
dershirt he placed the handkerchief
next his skin. With a safety pin Qt
required several TO hold together parts
Of his appureD he secured 1t to his un-
dCrshirt over his heart. After which
he laughed loudly and hurshly and
with a great cynical contempt, and
emerged from the alley and buttoned
his coat.
I'm blankety-blank fool !" he NUT
tered savagely, and pushed open the
SMinging doors of the snInnn md