The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1905-10-25

the names. Each of these windows was
tastefully and luxuriously furnished.
There were two very fine paintings on
the walls, and the Whole room was lit
tered most picturesquely with valuable
curiosities brought home by Captain
Polling.
Ethel looked round her with a sense
of supreme delight. Mrs. Crichton mis-
took the look, and a~pologized for the
general untidiness of the room.
You see, miss, Captain Peling took
the house only three weeks ago. He
don't allow Martha or me to touch his
wonderful curiosities, so | am obliged
to put up with this dreadful state of
things. You will find this couch more
comfortable for a rest than either Of
those small ones. II you will allow me,
| will throw this light wooden shawl over
your feet. Let me raise your pillow the
least bit. Thereafter carefully ar
ranging IL. that is more comfortable. /
will bring the tea in a few minutes.
How good the tea was, and how enjoy
able the great %quietness and peace seem
ed to Ethel after the ~distracting roar
and rattle of the London streets.
Captain Polling came through the WIN
dow hy-and-by and was surprised to see
Ethel lying there. He had expected Mrs.
CrichtOn would take her to her own sane
tum. He stood irresolute for a moment
Just inside the window, and then crossed
the room to look more closely at his
pretty young guest.
she's as pretty as a picture. and as
good as gold, if / know anything about
p~hysiognomy. She has a trouble of some
sort. poor little child! l should like To
kiss those tears aawA | wonder what
she's worrying about. Perhaps Mallett
is hard up; he seems a careless soft of a
fellow. I'll see if | can't help them a
bit in that direction, anyway"
This was a genuine red-letter day for
Ethel. She was so intensely interested
in the Captains description of his trav-
els that for the time she was drawn out
Of herself and her own affairs. Mr..
Mallett, too, was heartily pleased. And
Polling was equally satisfied with his
guests. When the evening was over, he
was surprised to find how we'll he had
talked, and he felt convinced that sue
cessful conversation as often depends on
the quality of the listener as of the
talker.
There was not much progress made in
the ostensible pdrpose of the visit, seeing
that the little sketches"-which turned
out TO be rather good specimens of their
clasS-led the way to so much Gescrip-
ton that they looked only at some half
dozen before they came to one that ere
ated a diversion which lasted until they
started for home.
The Captain had been holding forth on
the pluck and fidelity of a native SER
want at whose portrait they were look
ing, when Ethel said:
Il wonder you did not persuade him TO
come to England with you. Your rela-
tiyes would have worshiped him in their
gratitude for having saved your life so
often"
Il have not one relative in the world.
Miss Mallett," answered the Captain
g~ravely.
Ethel's glance was full of sympathy.
II beg your pardon she put in hast
lily; Il am sorry l made the remark
Don't be sorry. I'm very glad. | of
ten long tc talk a little about myself.
You can't believe what an awful feeling
it is to know that there is not one per-
son in the world who is sufficiently in
terested in you to care for your private
concerns"
Decidedly unpleasant" murmured
Mr.. Mallett.
You'll hardly believe, Mallett, that
this is the most domesticated evening
I've spent for the last six years. Jolly
hard, when you consider that | am nat
urally fond Of home and all that kind of
thing! | was just getting weary of the
loneliness of this place, but your being
here tonight has changed the whole as
pect Of affairs. 1t looks so homelike TO
see you sitting there as if you belonged
to the place, Miss Mallett. Tomorrow
night | shall fancy l see you still there,
and be reconciled for a time at least"
"You should marry-best recipe in the
world for loneliness Mr.. Mallett OBJ
served. laughingly.
Tried it. and round it a failure
"Eh!" Mr.. Mallett sat upright and
stared into his hosts face. Il beg your
pardon, Polling, if | have said anything
unpleasant"
Not at all-in fact, If / shouldn't bore
you so horribly as TO prevent your ever
taking compassion on me again, / should
like TO tell you about my marriage. Some
times 1 think it must all have been a
dream, it seems SO unreal"
He sat for a moment gazing absently
into the garden, which was beginning to
look dim and shadowy in the summer
twilight, az if he were calling up the
past from its gloomy depths. Ethel felt
a SILVER of superstitious awe pass over
har and the pnnvavnapt caornaI fn hr,np
back the captain from the momentary
reverie into which he had fallen.
Go be continued,