The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1906-08-04

fOUIn. ncdFu the tones Oh d man VOICE,
and in few moments the maid knocked
and came into the drawing room.
"A gentleman. please, miss; Mr.. Eas-
tom she said.
mr.. Easton," repeated Agnes Winter.
bor moment she forgot who this might
| be. SHOW him up at once"
| Matthew Mark Easton had evidently
| devoted some care to the question OF dress
| on this occasion. Some extra care, per-
| haps. for he was a peculiarly neat man.
| He always wore a narrow silk tie in the
| form Of bow of which the ends were
| allowed to stick straight out sideways over
| the waistcoat. His coat was embellished
by an orchid.
Il am afraid" he began at once. with
| perfect equanimity, "that I have made a
mistake social blunder. l came to in
form you that have secured box-the
stage box-for Wednesday night, at the
| Epic Theater. 1t will be doing me a
pleasure il you will form one Of my
party. 1 do not know exactly how these
| things are managed in England, but 1
| want Miss Grace and her brother to come
as my guests. too. Miss Grace was kind
enough to ask me to be one of a theater
party, and mentioned the Epic, 50 l went
right away and got box"
"Oswin has just gone to procure seats
for the same night" said Miss Winter,
quickly.
No." replied the American. II stopped
him. l met in the street."
Miss Winter knew that they must have
met actually on her doorstep, and she
u,nn6opoH hv J,o 81, hou lolihopo tol q
made misstatement She felt indefinitely
guilty, as If Oswin's visit had been sur
reptitious. Suddenly she became aware
of the quick. fitting glance of her COM
panion's eyes, noting everything-each
tiny flicker of the eyelids, each indrawn
breath, each slightest movement.
How am to do it?" he asked, inno-
Gently. "A note to Miss Grace or a YER
bal invitation to her brotherT
"a note." replied Miss Winter, with
gravity equal to his own, ito Helen.
saying that you have secured the stage
box for Wednesday evening, and hope
that she and her brother will accept seats
in it."
He nodded his head, signifying compre-
hension. and rose to go.
THAT" said Miss Winters, skipping
| away from the subject under discussion
| with all the inconseQuence of her sex and
kind, reminds me of something I heard
said of you the other evening. 1t was, in
fact, said to me-"
''Then." replied the American, with
CHEEKY gallantry. II should like to hear it.
Had it been said to any one else l allow
that l should have been Indifferent"
He stood with his hands cIasped behind
his back, looking down at her with smile
upon his wistful little face
do you know Mr.. Santow?"
The smile vanished and the dancing
eyes at once assumed an expression Of
alert keenness, which was almost ludi-
crous in its contrast.
"The Russian alta che-unaccredited?
he replied, giving back question for ques-
ton. MOO" he said, slowly, Il do not !;
I think l know him by sight"
II have met him on several occasions
I rather like him. although I cannot un-
derstand him. There is an inward Mr.
Santow whom l have not met yet; only
know a creature who smiles and behaves
generally like lamb
''Santow," said Easton, deliberately, us
altogether too guileless."
Miss Winter countered sharply.
Il thought you did not know him"
II do not" answered Easton imper-
turably.
Except by reputation
Precisely"
He is reputed," said Miss Winter, ito
be great diplomatist."
$50 l believe-hence the lamblike man.
ners."
Easton's face was a study in the art Of
| suppressing curiosity.
do you think that he Is a wolf in
lambs clothing?" asked tho lady with a
laugh. Il will tell you what he said about
you"
THANK you"
eve were talking about Russia-it Ia
his favorite topic-and he said that at
times he felt like the envoy from some
heather country, so little is Russia
known by us. By way of illustration he
asked me to look around the room and
tell him if it did not contain all that was
most intellectual and learned in England.
I admitted that he was right. He said
And YET there are but two men in the
room who speak Russian Then he point
ed you out. There is one.' he said; he
knows E,y country better than any man
| in England. If he were a diplomatist I
should fear him! What is he" l asked.
and he merely shrugged his shoulders IN
that guileless way to which you object"
Matthew Mark Easton did not appear
| to be much impressed. He moved from
one foot to the other, and took consider
able interest in the pattern of the carpet.
And" he inquired, did he mention
the name of the second accomplished per-
SON."
NO."
II wonder what it vast" said Easton.
Mr.. Tyars, suggested the lady, calmly.
Possibly. By the way, I thought Of
asking him to join us on Wednesday at
| the Epic"
Il hope" said Miss Winter, with a
gracious little bow, that he will be abls
! to come"
"'Dear Miss Grace began Easton,
| solemnly, as if repeating a lesson, I have
secured the stage box at the Epic for
Wednesday exening next, and hope that
| you and your brother will do me the
pleasure Of accepting seats in it. Will
that do?"
Every nicely"
"And may count on you?"
l