The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1897-05-20
SI HENRY

All he murmured TO himself, as he
made his way below, 1T is easy enough
TO pursuade a man Of anything. more
especially If it's not the truth; but
camilla is unfortunately not a man.
Never mind" he added, as he knocked
at her door. "she must pursuade her
self, that's ALL" INC he entered the
cabin with as meek and helpless an
expression as he could manage TO put
on.
camilla was in a state of feverish agi-
tation. h attacked him at once.
We'll" h cried, land what does this
mean, sir?"
The colonel hung his head.
Did I not tell you,' she continued
that If Captain Estcourt went with
you / should stay behind?"
II thought perhaps you might think
better of It,"
do 1 generally threaten what I do
not mean to carry out?" she retorted.
To this he made no answer, and his
silence suggested, as it was intended
to do, that 1t was now rather late In
the day for the fulillment Of this par
ticular threat.
do you not see,'' she went on, into
"hd a poSllIDH your IOOIlSn ODSIlndCy
has entrapped me?"
Il am very sorry murmured the
colonel.
ut is infamous of you she cried.
Here we are, with our enterprise al
ready launched: for me to turn back
now would be to forfeit my share in
the glory Of success; to send him away
would be to ruin il all.
I'm afraid it would" said the colonel,
in a tone of encouragement; and he
looked about him %frowning, as If per-
picked at the difficulty Of the dilemma.
Camilla's Indignation was by this
time beginning to exhaust itself. To
hammer so abject an opponent was
merely beating the air. and of that the
strongest fighter soon wearies.
VIVA am / TO do?" she cried in de-
spair.
Couldn't you go OF as you are do
ing?" he suggested.
What! live for a fortnight cooped
up here with a a whom I've insulted
to his face?"
It's not your fault" he replied; "he
brought it on himself"
mo, no! he did mott" she answered,
holly. 1T was your doing from the
beginning"
Il asked him to come, 1 admit" said
the colonel; "but he shouldn't have &C
cepted."
How can you" she exclaimed, how
dare you, compare his share in it with
your own? You were the tempter, you
were the suggester of evil. His con-
duct In yielding may seem strange to
us, but we "a not tell what good rea-
sons he nay have had for taking a less
severe view of his duty in this instance.
He belongs to a party which has long
favored the Emperor's release; he was
no longer actually employed in the Eng
lish government, which has treated him
with ingratitude; he was chivalrously
devoted to us, his friends, and there
may have been other reasons. l could
wish that he had acted differently, but
l will not hear you blame him."
Don't misunderstood me-" she cried
II do not take pack anything of what
| said" He interrupted her.
"Of curse not" he said; Il was
waiting to remind you that as we are
to touch at Ascension, you have still
a free choice; we could easily land you
there for a fortnight, and take you off
'S"hiA ~ OSh T. AhcAAA SN" iNANAi
You would lose none of the credit of the
undertaking, and you would share the
Emperer's triumphal return to Europe
Il will consider that" she replied,
before we reach Ascension; but it was
not what / was thinking Of. What j
meant to tell you was that in any case
1 refuse to have Captain Estcourt
forced upon me as a colleague. / de-
.nltnA tn ,nAE~nt.a h;., 10 shat ,,az,t;A-
and you may tell him that If he and
/ are to meet, it must be on other
ground, and expressly on condition
that the object of this voyage is never
mentioned"
The colonel sighed; not. as she sup
posed. with resignation, but with relief
n perfect satisfaction.
II will go TO him at once" he said
and left the cabin. still detected AND
submissive in appearance.
AS he climbed the companion-ladder
however, his demeanor underwent a
complete change, and 1t was with a
beaming face that he emerged up the
deck. where Estcourt was anxiously
awaiting his return.
1T Is all right he said. cordially
II knew ii would be. She has quite
got the better of her disappointment
and is sorry for having hurt your feel
ings just now. Her Indignation, II ap
pears. was not directed at you but me
whom she blames severely for having
been the original cause for all this trou,
BILE. l confess it, but / assure you
was far from intending to estrange yor
from us"
Don't say another word cried Dick
seiZing his hand and shaking it in
fervor of gratitude. I'm our debtor
for the rest of my life. But now let m
go to her at once"
Stay a moment" said the colonel