Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-11-24
CHAPTER X.

CHAPTER X.
If the meeting had been the work
Ing out of his own plans, Stanton would
have carried his message on his tongue.
AS 1t was, he held it more in difference,
waiting for an opportunity that was
slow to come.
Your trip has changed you till 1
believe your friends at home will hard
" know that it is really you," Miss
Braddon said, in response to passing
compliment. "You wouldn't have said
that year ago. You'd just have looked
me over solemnly, and remarked: Him.
You must have been out of doors. You
have freckles on your nose"
II certainly had vast collection of
disagreeable traits" Stanton replied,
seeing his first opportunity. 1--WE dis.
covered some of them and been making
struggle to dislodge them. I'm. glad
II you see change. for you knew me
at my worst, and I'm heartily ashamed
OF 1t. Any change at all must be for
the better"
"Oh, Mr.. Stanton, what an ideal" she
exclaimed. "Of course l knew you at
your worst, but, truly, that worst was
80 much better than the best ever
knew of hosts of people who think
themselves very good, that have al
ways considered you a remarkably
model man. Papa says It's all because
you're an Olmstead and couldn't be
anything else. And don't you think
We're all of us little ashamed every
time we look back2 1 am. If weren't
1 shouldn't think 1 was making any
progress"
You're comforting to say the least"
Stanton replied, and was going on to
press the opportunity, when Miss Brad
don interrupted:
I'VE saw by the paper that you were
soon to leave for home. What lion
they will make Of you'll"
"Of me?"
Certainly"
"Why?"
because you deserve It, Of course"
Deserve what?"
ITO be lionized."
"For what?"
"Now, Mr. Stanton, if didn't know
you should think all sorts of things;
but instead I'll begin and tell you all
about what you know just rs well as the
rest of us, only you don't see it in the
same light. Didn't you make great
hero Of yourself when your steamer wns
captured by pirates in the Gulf of
Siam?"
Indeed did not, Miss Braddon,"
Stanton exclaimed, and his cheeks
flushed. II swung rusty sword in tho
face of few Chinese towards, and they
ran without a scratch. That was hero
ism indeed"
"Of course don't know all the par
ticulars, but I'm sure the king of Siam
thought SO, or he wouldn't have dec
Grated you with an order. The New
York papers thought SO, or they'd not
have printed so much about it. The
British government thought so, or 1t
would not have remembered 1t till you
reached London, two months ago. md
presented you with medal. But how
was 1T about your being almost killed
by tiger, in India, while saving the
life Of little native girlq There was a
story printed about that. too"
VI was hardly hurt at all" Stanton re-
piled, thoroughly confused. ~ simply
wanted the tigers skin as memento,
and have It,"
With a merry laugh Miss Braddon
replied: "How fortunate for the little
girl that that was just the tiger whose
skin you wanted, and that you wanted
1t at that very moment when 1t was
about to kill her! But what papa
thought most OF was your address be-
fore the Historical society of London,
when you gave them an old Babylonish
brick. He said he couldn't see how n
lawyer could possibly know so much
about antiquity"
Vainly Stanton endeavored to take
another step toward the end he had in
view. Before the evening was past Miss
Braddon had invited him to drive with
them to Vesuvius the next day, and to
sit In their box at the opera the next
uvepinr.