The diamond drill., 1894-02-24

revealed Champncy's flushed features
and Courtland's lack Of color, had they
been looking at each other But they
wero not, and the long rcverberating
crash OF thunder which followed pre-
vented any audible reply from Court
land, aud covered his agitation.
For without fully accepting Champ
ney's conclusion he was cruelty shocked
at the young mans utteraneo OF them.
He had scrupulously respected the
wishes of Miss Sally and had faithfully
although never hopclessly- held back
any expression of his own love since
their conversation In the cemetery.
But while his native iruthfulness and
sense OF honor had overlooked the
seeming insinceIity Of her attitude to-
wards champney. hc had never iustl-
fed his own tacit participation In H.
and the concealment OF his own pre-
tensions before his possible rival 10
was true that she had forbidden him 70
openly enter the lists with her admir-
ers. but Champney's innocent assump-
tion OF his indifference 20 her aud his
consequent half condolences added
poignancy 10 his story. There seemed
70 be only one way 10 cxtricatc himself
and that wss by a quarrel. Whether
he did or did not believe Champney's
story. whether IL was only the Jealous
oxsggerntion OF n rival or Miss Sally
was actually deceivlng them both--his
position had become intolerRbie.
81 must remind you, Chsmpney," he
said, with freezing deliberation. that
M.ss Miranda Dows and her niece now
represent tho DIummond Company
equally with myself. and that you can
not expect me 70 listen 20 any reflec.
tions upon tho way they choose to adj
minister their part OF Ito affairs, either
now or 10 como Still Ices do ! care 20
discuss the idle gossip which can affect
only the prirate interests OF these ladies
with which neither you nor have
any right to interfere"
But the n0iretlc of the young Eng
lishman WA IS invincible MS Miss Sal
ly's own, aud as fatal 20 Courtland's at
ttude. "of course haven't any rigAt,
goa know" no said. calmly ignoring
Abs presmblo OF his companion speech,
"cus say-hang II nll--eycn II fellow
has TO chance hsvseV he don't like TO
zee girl throw herself and her proper
" away on c man like that"
Zone moment, Champney," said
Corrtland, under the infection of his
gueet's simplicity, abandoning his form
or superior attitude. "You may say
you have no chance. Do you wish me
to understand that you arc regularly u
suitor Of Miss Dows7'
"Y-e-e-s," said the young fellow--but
with the hesitation OF conscientiousness
rather than evasion. THAT is--you
know - uds. But don't you see Il
couldnt be. II wouldn't do, you know.
II those clrnnish neighbors of hers
that southern set--euspccted thSt Miss
Sally was courted by an Englishman,
don't you know poacher on their
prescrves--it would he ell up with her
position on the property and her lnhu-
ence over them. | don't mind telling
you that's one reason why left the
company and took that other planta-
ton. But even that didn't work; they
had their suspicious excited already"
"Did Miss Dows give that As reason
for declining your suit?" asked Court
land, slowly.
"Yes; you know what strsightfor.
ward girl she Ia She didn't come no
rot about not expecting anything OF
the kind or about being sister 70 me,
and all that, for, by Jove, she's alwayf
more like q fellows sister, don't you
know, than his girl. OF course II waf
hard lines for me, but | suppose she
wcs about right" lie stopped and
then added with kind Of gentle per-
sistsncy: you think sho was about
rtght--don't your"
With what was passing In Courtland's
mind. tho question seemed go bitterly
ironical that he leaned half angrily
forward. with an unconscious move
ment Of attempting 20 catch the speak
e-'s expression In the darkness. II
should hardly venture 70 give an
opinion" he said deliberately. miss
Dows' relations with her ncighbors arc
10 very peculiar. And from what you
tell me OF her couEin IL would seem that
her deairo TO plseate them Is not always
70 be depended upon,
I'm not finding fault with her, you
know" said Champney, hastily. I'm
not such beastly cad "a that; !
wouldn't have spoken OF my affairs at
all, but you asked, you know. only
thought II sho WAS going to get her
self into trouble On account Of that
Frenchmsn you might talk 70 hers
she'd listen 70 you because she'd know
yoa only ala Il out Of business reasons.
And they're really business reasons,
7ou know. suppose you don't think
much Of my business capacity, colonel,
and you wouldn't so much on my judg.
ricnt-espccially now-but I've been
hero longer than you and he
/ E,l ,ENr