The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1904-04-26

for me- Then. throwing back her
head. with a laugh. Ask him."
cit would be none too much for his
deserts" l replied, falling in with her
humor.
1--WE will so arrange 1t. then" went
on Mary banteringly. Captain Bran
don no longer, but Charles Brandon,
duke of Suffolk. How sounds it, Mas
ter Caskoden?"
Sweet In my ears ! replied.
q really believe you would have the
kings crown for him, you absurd man.
If you could get 1t. We must have SO
interesting a person at court. | shall
ut least sec that he Is presented to the
queen at once. | wonder II he dances.
| suppose not. He has probably been
too busy cutting and thrnsiinS." And
size laughed again at her pleas
antry.
When the mirth began to gather in
her face and the dimples came rcspon-
sive to her smiles, when she threw
back her perfectly poised head. stretch
ing her soft. white throat. so full and
round and beautiful. half closing her
big brown eyes till they shone again
from beneath the shade of those long.
black. sweeping l~asles: when her red
lips parted, showing her teeth of pearl.
ard she gave the little clap of her
hands. a sort of climax to the soft. low.
ripping laugh. she made a picture OF
such exquisite loneliness that 1t is no
wonder men were fools about her and
caught love as one catches a contagion.
| lad 1t once. as you already know. and
had recovered. All that prevented a
daily relapse was my fair. sweet anti
dote. Jane. whose image rested In my
heart. a lasting safeguard.
81 wonder If your prodigy plays
cardS-that is. such as we ladies' play:'
asked Mary. you say he has lived
much in France. where the game WIS
invented. but | have no doubt he
would scorn to waste his time at SO
frivolous a pursuit vixen he might he
slaughtering armies single handed and
alone"
81 do not know IS ID his dancing
and card playing. but | dare venture
q wager he does BOTH | replied. not
liking her one of sarcasm. She had
yet to learn who Brandon was.
Il will hazard ten crowns" said
Mary quickly. for she loved a wager
and was a torn gambler.
Taken" said l..
"We will try him on both tomorrow
night In my drawing rcom." she oh
tinued. You bring him up. but tell
no one. | will have Jane there with
aer lutte. which will not frighten you
away | know. and we VIII try his step
| will have cards. too. and we shall see
what he can do ut triumph. Just we
four. no II else ut al. You and Jane.
the new Duke of Suffolk and l.. Oh.
I can hardly waitr' And she fairly
danced with joyous anticipation.
The thing had enough irregularity
to give it zest. for while Mary often
had a few young people in her drawing
room. the companies were never 80
small as two couples only. and the
king and queen. to make up for greater
faults. were wonderful sticklers in the
matter OF little proprieties.
Tie ten crown wager. too. gave spice
to it. but to do her justice she cared
very little 70. that. The princess
loved gambling purely for gambling
sake. aud witt, her the next best thing
to winning was losing.
When | went to my room that night,
| awakened Brandon and told him Of
the distinguished honor that awaited
him.
well, I'll be- But he did not say
what he would "be." He always halt
ed before an oath. unless angry. which
was seldom. but then beware. He
had learned to swear in Flanders.
How she did fy Mt me the other
morning. | never was more surprised
In all my life. For once ! WAS almost
caught with my guard down and did
not know how to parry the thrust.
| mumbled over some sort Of II lame
retaliation and beat II retreat. 1t was
so unjust and uncalled for that II
made me angry. But she was SO gra-
cious In her amends that | was almost
glad il happened. | like II woman
WHO can he as savage as the very
devil when it pleases her. She usually
has In store an assortment of possibiii-
ties for the ether extreme"
"She told me of your encounter" |
returned. but said she had come of
second best. ard seemed to think her
overthrow II huge joke"
THE man who learns to know what
a woman thinks ard feels will have a
great deal OF valuable information" lie
replied. and then turned over for sleep,
greatly pleased that one woman
thought as she did.
was rot sure he would be so highly
fiattercd II lie knew that he had been
i.vited to settle Il wa@er and to help
Mary to II little sport.
AS to the former. | had an interest
there myself. although | dared not set
tie the question by asking Erandon ii
he played cards and danced. and. as to
the matter of Mary's sport. | felt there
was but little If any danger of her
having too much of ii ut his expense.