The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1894-02-01
He looked thunderstruck at her in

while. L"
mot a word, if YOU please, Mr..
Smith. You will really annoy me if
you refuse"
She thought to herself that he lit
tie knew how more than annoyed she
was at the thought Of his possible
questions. AS the man-servant ap:
pearcd, he said:
James, take this gentlcman's
satchel to the guest chamber and
show him to the bathroom"
Mr.. smith e%ndeavored to hang
back and say something, but Mrs.
Botkine smilingly waved her hand to.
ward the stairs and walked into an
other room. She had looked alter
nately vexed and triumphant.
AS he followed James. Mr.. Smith
remarked to himself that before this
experience he would have vowed that
she was too pretty to be eccentric.
He had no wish to battle, but, fear
ing to c her, meekiy proceeded to
perform his ablutiOns.
She, meantime, was vastly relieved.
She smiled to herself at the thought
CT how unwilling he had seemed to
give the slightest trouble.
III suppose he thought we Ameri-
cans never had any decent facilities
for a BATH" she reflected. Then:
''Hc really is remarkably good look
ing, for a scientist. If l had not
known what he was, l should have
thought he was just Il nice young fell
low and rashly tried to get on with
him. Oh. if George had not told me
in time" She shuddcrcd as she
thought OF her escape.
Il suppose he will be dried-up-look-
ing before long. He is a whited-
sepulchrc kind of man now. | could
not see the slightest sign of badness
in him, but his secthing intellect is
bound 10 cook'his hair off in a few
years. Even George is a wee bit
balG But how delightful that Mr..
Smith did not fathom my ignorance"
She was so elatcd that she went to
the piano and sang for Il half-hour.
She was startled by hearing some
one come rushing INTO the room be.
hind her. She wheeled OH the stool
and encountered the gaze of Mr..
Smith, who stood before her, looking
decidedly uneasy.
II beg pardon for i~nterrupting you,
Mrs. Botkine," he said; ''but Iwished
to thank you for your %kindnessand to
make my adicuX."
"Why, Mr.. Smith" she began,
but he waved his hand alphabetically
and continued:
Il am very sorry not to have found
Professor Botkine ut perhaps l can
come again. There is just time for
me to catch the ) o'clock train"
1t was her turn.t be astonishcd.
She opened her lips to speak, hut he
went on, Dervau,ly:
"Pray forgive my leaving you so
abruptly. Thank you very much.
Good afternoons and, bowling pro-
foundly, lie was gone.
For Il moment She felt stunned.
Then Il food Of questions poured
through her mind. Was the man in
sane: Or what had she done to Of
fend him? What would her husband
say? What was there in science to
turn an apparcntlyF mice" young
man into such a distraught savage:
".Ah. recommend me to a plain,
comm nplace nan who has not bacilli
on the brain" She sigh d.
The rest OF the day seemed endless,
but at last she deserted Professor
Botkine, and wi h him a rather desic-
Gated and "!ug-up" looking man.
"Oh. dear" she mOancd: there is
another scient' st, | know to look at
him. What will he do, l wonder?
Diss,ct my cat, or say that he can
not dine with US because he never
ats anything but bactcrla:"
''Ilcrc we are at last" said the
Professor; II iound our friend on the
train. He had mistaken the train
and gone to A..amcda. Mr.. Smith,
let me present you to Mrs. Iotkin."
" she welcomed her guest cordially.
bat the minute she wa, alone with
her husband, she seized him by the
Iapcls Of his coat.
What ok haye:yOu lcen playing,
on,lAc:" she demanded: who is this
Mr.. mith>"
Th professor looked astonished.
"Whg. my dear. there is no like.
This is the NE. smith that told you
! VA, exrectin. this afternoon.
What is tho matter?"'
s'Nattcr." ,hc cried: "who is thu
Mr. smith that came here this after
noon tn a satchei. and asked about
your theories"
:"Wny, We mt him at tn station.
JIc had a few specimens to show Inc.
H. is In Ion OF M fri nd, Commo-
dore Smith % san Francisco. lie had
justlrun over tor a sho t call"
"a short call" she echoed again;
''what vii! he think of me? | sent
him upSta = to take that BATH
San Francisco Argonaut..