The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1894-04-13
CHAPTER L.
The Prelude to the Play.

they had been spending the evening,
and walked away together in the moon
light The younger laughed as he paus-
ed to light a cigar. What funny peo-
ple," he said. Did you ever meet any
body quite like them before?'
Il don't think l ever did" replied the
other. But they are none the worse
for that, l suppose"
"Oh, Of course not; they are good
deal better, in fact. / like funny peo-
pie. That's why l go there, you know,
because the musical part of the busi-
ness is just tiny wee bit over my
head. I wonder why you go there,
Everard?'
1t was to be inferred from Mr. Eel
loWes's manner that this was only a
way Of speaking. and that he was not
really in any doubt as to the nature OF
the attraction which drew his friend to
BaysWater. AS his remark failed to
provoke response he went on present
ly: Il should never have supposed that
girl of that kind would have been in
your line; she's too unconventional al
together. Fancy her asking you to drop
into dinner quietly any EVENING""
why should't she"'
Il can't think; I'm not Mrs Grundy
I'm glileless being, and l bow to the
rules and regulations of society, with
out understanding in the least what it
is all about"
He walked on in silence for a few
minutes, and then resumed, pensively:
II should like to hear that girls his
tory. 1t must be queer one, l fancy
How queer? What do you mean by
queer" asked Everrd, turning upon
him with some aseprity
Il don't mean any harm. You need
not show your teeth at me in that saw
age way. l was only thinking that she
must have passed through some
strange experiences. You know who
her father was don't you?'
mo; at least / haven't heard much
about him"
Perhaps you would like to hear?"
Everard made an inarticulate muir
muir, which might be construed into an
assent; so the young man proceeded.
He vas on the turf once upon a
time. have an aged relative who re-
members him perfectly He was a
brother of the late Lord Denham. and
uncle of the present man. Well, he
came to bowling grief. went off to the
continent, and never came back again
he used to be seen at Monaco, and
such places. l believe-the sort of in
diyidual who wears suits of big
check pattern, wakes his mustache,
plays a very good game Of billiards,
and goes by the name Of the major
don't you know? Married somebody in
the course of his NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
knows Who-sister of the lovely and
accomplished Patterson. l suppose she
dad little money, and / suppose he
spent 1t. AS for the girl, he meant her
to earn her living on the stage, and had
her educated for that. She was to
have come out at the opera, al Naples,
the year that he died"
That's rather odd, considering that |
she has no voice"
"Oh, well, perhaps it wasn't the |
opera: he may have intended her to |
play at concerts Anyhow, he died just |
IN the nick Of time; and what was still
better was that his brother died direct
~ afterwad, and left the girl small
fortune. Thereupon she came and es-
tablished herself in London with her
aunt, as you know"
Il don't know that / am particularly
concerned with Miss Denliam's his
tory Everard remarked after a pause.
You can call her unconventional if
you choose; but she is thorough lady
WHO said she wasn't? thought per-
haps you might be interested in hear
ing about her late papa. that was all.
personally, | like her; and / like the
old d'Woman too. l can be happy with
either 1t will always give me pleasure
10 dine with them. By-by" And
with that Mr. Fellowes hailed pass
ang hanson, and was driven off.
Everard pursued his way thoughtfully
toward the Albany. where he lived.
lie had reached time Of life at which
If q man falls in love at all, he does so
after serious fashion; and, indeed.
Mr.. Everard had always been of a
more or less serious temperament.
He had left the army few years be-
Tore, because he had grown tired Of
loaflng about garrison towns, and had
not had the luck to see any active ser
vice lie was now, like many other
reured officers, engaged in the wine
trade; Tor he had felt it necessary to
nave an occupation Of some kind, and
the selling of wine. if not exciting,
might prove profitable. This girl with
Whom ne had only recently become
acquainted, was to be his wife, if she J
would have him; as to that he had
made up his mind, and lie did not much
care whether her father had been dis
reputable or not. So that. if Mr.. Eel
loves had intended to caution his (
TREND good-naturedly against forming {
an iil-cOnsidered alliance. the warning I:
was thrown away. What preoccupied {
riverard was not 4 doubt as to the wis |
dom OF his choice, but a very reason
able one as to whether SO young. SO /
charming and so fastidiOus girl rs i
Miss Denham would be likely to care i
Tor a commonplace, middIe-aged per- !
son like himself
It might have been some relief to his I
mind could he have heard what Miss !,