Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1900-06-08

cSauG1ui, ana as the two walked buck
and forth across the wide floor arm In
arm they enjoyed it silently. The moon
had risen and hung like great globe
Of yellow light just beneath float
Ing canopy Of filmy clouds. Two
rows Of wind-moved elms stretched
out past the great iron-wrought gates
and between CLEANED the white ebert
drive. On sloping lawn to the left
lay luxuriant parterres Of flowers d.
versified by well-kept walks, and
smooth plots Of grass. Nenr the CEN
ter stood fountain, Its sprays gleam-
Ing like rain in an April shower
against the dark background of mag.
nolia trees. The air which famed
their faces was laden with the per
fume Of hyacinth and roses. When
they had walked several minutes in
silence they paused at the window
from which they had reached the yer.
anda, and looked In on the players.
Mr.. Hardy was dealing the cards and
Capt. Wrinkle was relating some sort
Ct experience Of his own which
seemed to have reused the interest of
his host.
"of course" the captain was saying,
"the fellows challenge was great sur
prise to me. / confess that did drive
against him out Of pure devilment, for
l had heard what an cgotistical, pre-
sumptive ass he was, an wanted to
pay him back for throwing my tip
in the river as If he were the prince
OF Wales, but heaven knows, didn't
think I'd get bloody duel on my
hands. As you know, colonel, there
was nothing for me to do but to-
to mako him see tho absurdity of the
thing"
IT suppose not" returned the colonel,
in noncommittal tone. Whatever
may have been his secret opinion of
Wrinkles valor be knew his duty as
host too well to impugn it, or to render
his guest uncomfortable by sharp crit
icism. "And what did you say to him7"
he ended.
"Why, I told him, of course, that his
challenge was a proof of downright
cowardice; that he knew well enough
that man in my position could not
hght man in his. That settled him.
He retired like whipped cur"
"And you did not explain OF apollo
gizeT" slipped almost unconsciously
from the lips of the colonel.
mot I. I assure you; ha, ha! Apollo
gize to him! That would have ruined
him forever"
Evelyn grasped the hand Of Mrs.
Lancaster, neryously, and drew her
across the room to the players.
"Your story, Capt. Wrinkle" she said,
her eyes flashing, reminds me very
much of piece of fiction have read
somewhere. The circumstances were
idendcnlly the same except that the Of
fcer In the story allowed the hero to
humiliate him by cutting off the but
tons and shoulder-straps from. his uni
form am SO glad your experience did
not end that way. The truth is your
case was far more agreeable than the
fiction in the other"
Capt. Wrinkle paled and interlaced
his fingers tightly on the smooth top OF
the mahogany table. For one second
he glared like condemned man at the
speaker and then the fierce stare of her
eyes bore his own to the ground.
Perhaps" spoke up Mr.. Hardy,
whose jests were rare and often too
personal, and who did not admire the
captain, perhaps Capt. Wrinkle did not
tell us all the story after all. 1 noticed
that he was not wearing his toys to-
day"
Capt. Wrinkle seemed to have lost his
speech. And the colonel, fearing that
bis daughter had inadvertently made
disagreeahle comparison, frowned up
at her.
What are you talking about, Eve
lyn2" he asked sharply.
"Oh, only little story have read"
she said, coldly. II shall try to look it
up. 1t had beautiful moral"
With that parting shot at the cover.
ing victim Of his own folly, she drew
Mrs. Lancaster again out on the We
rapda.
"Why, dear, you have almost fright
ened me-" said Mrs. Lancaster, under
her breath. What did you mean by
what you said?"
Il meant to cut the very soul OF that
little coward, If he has one" the girl
said. fercely. II almost feel as II I
ought to have exposed him to the others
before whom he was posing as brave
man when he is no more than"
Evelyn had been speaking so rapid
ly that her words ran upon one another
md became a jumbled, unintelligible
mass.
Mrs. Lancaster turned Evelyn's
white, impassioned face towards the
light OF the moon and grasped her rigid
hands. you almost brighten ne. iar-
ling" she repeated; "wha, has wrought
you up to such pitch Of excitement"
" think | ought to tell you all about
it," answered Evelyn. after a moments
elaboration, "but it must be in conf
dence."
ITO be continued